Johnson: I expect us to win Nines

Shaun Johnson, right, says he would rather win the competition this time and miss out on the MVP award. Photo / Doug Sherring

Warriors playmaker says pressure of playing at home in Auckland Nines part of game.

The Warriors are embracing the pressure that comes with being the only home team competing in the NRL Auckland Nines at Eden Park next month.

With star halfback Shaun Johnson again captaining the side over the weekend of January 31-February 1, and many of the Warriors' other top players also on board, hopes are high they can claim the Nines trophy after bowing out in the semifinals last season.

However, in a sign of his growing maturity, the 24-year-old remains unfazed by talk his team is under pressure to win the title and says internal expectations among the players is driving the team's determination to succeed.

"I've always had pressure, whether I'm playing here, overseas or wherever, but I think the pressure just comes from ourselves," Johnson explains. "We have a squad and I expect us to win the comp. I don't really care what other people are saying, if they're saying we should or we shouldn't, whatever."

Similarly, after setting the inaugural event alight with a series of dazzling individual performances which earned him the tournament's Most Valuable Player award, Johnson is remaining level-headed about the prospect of repeating the feat this year.

"As for the MVP, I know what I can do with the ball and if I do that and it's good enough for MVP then I get it again but it's not really about that award it's just about going out there and having some fun," he said. "I'd rather win the comp and not get MVP than get MVP and not win the comp, so that's where I'm at with it."

Johnson was unsure of how the Warriors intend on playing but with seven back-rowers (Ben Henry, Ryan Hoffman, Sebastine Ikahihifo, Sione Lousi, Simon Mannering, Dominique Peyroux, Bodene Thompson) three props (Ben Matulino, Suaia Matagi and Sam Lisone) and big winger Manu Vatuvei all included in their preliminary 22-man squad, you can bank on them relying heavily on forward momentum before looking to exploit space out wide.

"You're still going to have to play through teams and I think that's where a lot of teams got caught out last year [by] trying to go around. You see the space and you just want to try to go there straight away," Johnson explained.

"We'll do a bit of work and who knows what Cappy [coach Andrew McFadden] has come up with."