NRL: Johnson rated 'a good chance' for Sharks clash

Shaun Johnson. Photo / Getty Images.

While he has been ruled out of today's clash against the Canberra Raiders, Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson is rated a good chance of being available for their round 22 match against Cronulla at Mt Smart Stadium next Sunday.

The 23-year-old is sidelined with a groin injury for the second match running after tweaking it in training on Thursday.

But the club's medical team believes he should be ready to turn for the Warriors' third to last home match of the regular season.

It's the first time since his NRL debut in 2011 that Johnson has missed two games on end.

He succumbed to the injury late in the Warriors' final training run before last week's clash against Manly, forcing him to miss an NRL match for the first time since the last round of the 2012 regular season (when was left out for the home encounter with Canberra).

Coach Andrew McFadden immediately rated the halfback as an unlikely starter for the critical clash against the Raiders and on Friday confirmed Johnson wouldn't travel.

After being used in three consecutive matches following his debut in 2011 he was left out for one match before returning and establishing himself as the first-choice halfback right through to the grand final against Manly.

The only other game he had missed until now was the 2012 Anzac Day encounter with Melbourne when he was out with a shoulder injury.

In Johnson's absence, Thomas Leuluai is again set to start in the halves today in what will be his third match back from a lay-off with his own going injury. Tuimoala Lolohea, who became Warrior No 192 last week, will come onto the bench again.

The final line-up will be confirmed an hour before kick-off.