NRL: The almighty Shaun Johnson

Shaun Johnson's calm confidence seems to come from a deep reservoir of self-belief. Photo / Brett Phibbs

It takes a bit to unsettle Shaun Johnson. Over 80,000 screaming fans peering down on him at an NRL grand final? No problem.

The burning glare of the lights from a scrum of TV cameras and gaggle of microphones shoved in his grill? No big deal. Sam Thaiday flying in his direction intent on snapping him in half - a little left foot step should take care of that.

Trapped in a cricket net with Tim Southee steaming in from about 40m away? Hmm. Let's see. As Southee trundles in and unleashes a good length ball outside off stump, Johnson makes a bee-line for square leg. Okay, so he is human after all.

But facing up to the Black Caps at a recent cross-sport media love-in is about the only time Johnson has lost his poise since lighting up the NRL with a blaze of brilliant tries last year.

From the moment he sliced through on the halfway line and left Tigers fullback Wade McKinnon floundering like a man drowning in quicksand to notch his first breath-stealing NRL try, Johnson was a 2011 breakthrough sensation. The scrutiny was intense, the praise lavish as the Warriors rolled towards a grand final appearance, but Johnson appeared to take it all in his stride.

With the 2012 season now here, the volume of the noise surrounding Johnson has hit new levels. The Warriors are highly fancied to go one better than last season and claim the club's first title. Johnson has already been anointed as the messiah who will guide his team to the promised land.

YouTube compilations of his deeds already proclaim him a superstar. His mentor, the great Andrew Johns, has spoken of never having seen a more gifted natural talent. Throw in the fact that Johnson is expected to not just chime in every now and then but to lead his side, and surely it's an almost impossible amount for a young man to absorb.

Having escaped the nets and dispensed with his pads, Johnson, though, is back to his usual unruffled self. Does he feel ready for what is about to come?

"Yeah, I do," he says.

There can be a fine line between confidence and arrogance, but Johnson never even approaches the border. His calm confidence, it seems, comes from a deep reservoir of self-belief.

"Look, I'm excited. I am dealing with it pretty good. I'm just trying to keep my head down and keep training hard. I'm confident in my ability so I don't think too much has to change from last year. If I just keep building on that then hopefully it will be a good season."

Perhaps the only person in New Zealand who really knows what it is like to be Shaun Johnson right now is Stacey Jones. Like Johnson, Jones was earmarked for greatness while still a teenager. His form in his first season was equally dazzling and he also achieved superstardom perilously early.

"Looking back, being so young, you don't really understand what pressure is," Jones says. "It wasn't until I got a bit older that I realised 'shit, there was a bit on your shoulders'. I guess for Shaun it is easier said than done but if he just relies on his natural ability he is not going to have a problem.

"A lot of people talk about second-year syndrome or whatever it is but, for Shaun, because he is so naturally gifted I don't think he is going to have that problem. His biggest thing is [how he copes] mentally and that will come back to how [coach] Bluey [McClennan] handles him.

"The more people talk about the pressure the more he will think about it, but if I was giving him advice I'd say 'don't worry about it, you are good enough - just go out there and enjoy yourself'."

Jones also knows what it is like to come off a season that ended with an unsuccessful grand final tilt. While there is a common belief that losing a grand final can ultimately help a team go on to win one, Jones believes the best approach is to simply wipe the slate clean.

"It's a new season. You can't look back at what you did last year. Everyone goes back to zero points and what you did last year doesn't mean a lot. It's a whole new ball game."

While five-eighths James Maloney will still be the senior playmaker, Johnson will be expected to provide his share of communication and direction - elements of a young player's game that don't always come as easily as making line breaks and racing away for spectacular tries.

"I'm coming from a position where I am the first-choice halfback and I've taken on the responsibility that I have to be more vocal out on the field," Johnson says. "The boys expect that of me. You grow as a player the longer you are around and being around the boys the whole pre-season and actually training it [last season he was forced to sit out much of the pre-season with a back injury] has been good. In the trials I felt like I controlled things pretty good. Jimmy [Maloney] and the boys responded really well so I think I am growing in that respect of my game and I am going to continue to do that."

Having a legendary figure such as Johns for a mentor has certainly helped Johnson's development. Johns was drafted in by the Warriors to work with the club's halves during the off-season.

He and Johnson also correspond frequently. "I can't always lean on him, but it is pleasing knowing that he is there," Johnson says. "The things he tells you, when they come off in a game there is nothing more satisfying than that. When you look at the video and you are setting up tries or setting up little plays, it is pretty unreal."

An awareness of when and why to put on certain plays is the main thing Johns has helped add to his game, says Johnson. "Not just doing it for the sake of it. It's something I am starting to understand a lot more and I think I am just going to keep evolving as I go along. The good thing about it is he didn't take away - him or Bluey - the natural, instinctive play. Most of the times that is what comes through."

Those words will be a major relief for Warriors fans concerned the homogeneous world of the NRL might see the flair coached out of their rising star. Johnson's incredible try against the Broncos, when he stepped Thaiday and beat six more Broncos on a 70m surge to the line, was the individual try of last season.

It is moments like that that will have Warriors fans heading through the turnstiles on Sunday believing the match against Manly at Eden Park could be the start of something big. Johnson knows what is coming. As long as it's not Tim Southee with a cricket ball, expect him to keep his cool.

"Obviously we are aware after last year's achievements that people are going to be talking about us a bit more but, honestly, from our point of view we are the same. Nothing has changed. It's a real tough competition and every team will believe they are in with a chance. That's just the way it is."