With a background as a touch star, Johnson has the ability to call on a host of tricks to out-fox the opposition.
The halfback first came to national prominence in the Warriors under-20 team, with Andrew Johns quickly among his biggest fans.
Johnson was in the Junior Warriors team that won the 2010 NYC competition and also played for the Junior Kiwis that year. The following year, he helped the Warriors to an NRL Grand Final.
In 2012, Johnson debuted for the Kiwis at Eden Park and scored an 80m intercept try.
As one of the quickest players in the game, Johnson is a danger from anywhere on the field. He was the Warriors’ equal-top try scorer in 2012 and got another 10 in 2013.
He was their leading scorer in 2014 with 163 points.
Johnson was Man of the Match in the Kiwis’ 2013 World Cup win over France, scoring half of their 48 points, and snatched a vital try for their thrilling semi-final victory over England.
He was named Most Valuable Player of the inaugural NRL Auckland Nines in 2014, and was named man of the match twice against Australia in the 2014 Four Nations triumph.
But after another star turn in the 2015 Anzac Test victory over Australia, Johnson’s NRL season ended early with a broken leg that kept him out of the Kiwis’ England tour.
He slowly rebuilt his confidence through 2016, kicking a drop goal for victory over England at the Four Nations, and earning Man of the Match honours against England and Scotland.
Johnson has now passed Daryl Halligan as the third-highest scorer in Kiwis history with 139 points, including nine tries.
His mother is from the Asian country of Laos.
Achievements
- NZ Kiwis 2012-17
- World Cup 2013
- Four Nations 2014, 16
- NZ Junior Kiwis 2010
