Warriors star Shaun Johnson nearly joined NRL rivals before sealing return to Auckland

Shaun Johnson has revealed his fairy tale return to the New Zealand Warriors almost never happened, after the star halfback came close to joining the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs in 2022.

Johnson has been instrumental in the Warriors’ resurgence since he returned to the club, having spent three seasons playing for the Cronulla Sharks after a messy exit in 2018.

The 33-year-old rejoined the Warriors in 2022 on a two-year contract, but told Fox Sports he also had an offer on the table from the Bulldogs and, were it not for a last-minute intervention from Warriors owner Mark Robinson, Johnson would have remained in Sydney rather than return to be Andrew Webster’s lynchpin.

“I came back to NZ to sign the contract with my manager, that was literally what was happening,” Johnson said.

“I then got a call from a mate who said that Mark Robinson wanted to have a chat.

“We then had a game of golf and I walked off that course thinking ‘What, really?’.

“I rung my manager and asked what was going on. The next day I had re-signed with the club [the Warriors].

“I rang the Bulldogs and said, ‘I’m so sorry’. Because it was close, it was really close.”

While the Warriors endured one of their all-time worst seasons in 2022, Johnson’s form was a catalyst for the team to become New Zealand’s sporting darlings last year.

Of Johnson’s 25 games played last season, the Warriors won 17 on the way to the NRL’s preliminary final, where they were beaten by the Brisbane Broncos.

Individually, Johnson scored eight tries, created 29 assists and led the NRL in kicking metres, to finish one vote shy of winning the coveted Dally M Medal, missing out to Kalyn Ponga of the Newcastle Knights.

Last year, Johnson signed a one-year contract extension to stay at the Warriors for 2024 and has said he is open to staying at Mt Smart in 2025 and beyond.