Andrew Johns Was Close to the Best I've Seen

When you're viewing includes the Ella brothers and the golden era of the South Sydney Rabbitohs through the 1960s its hard to compare but in my few trips to the ISC and many hours watching the Knights on TV I'd have to say 'Joey' Johns was close to the best...

An extra forward in defense and when not trying to do it all, the kind of player who always found a way to turn a game... including prodigious banana kicks, a magical long passing game and of late in his career, deadly goal kicking!!

Flying home from Cairns yesterday via Brisbane, when I read in the paper that he had a decision to make regarding a training mishap and a neck injury I expected to see news footage and a press conference announcing his retirement... what a sad day...

OK, people in the world starved to death yesterday, 9 people died in car accidents in NSW on the weekend BUT so too did the playing career of a gifted and talented athlete come to an end...

In my own small way I could relate to the notion of not finishing on your own terms... its a hollow numb feeling that despite all the evidence you'd still like to run out once more!! To have a bag at the ready when the team is short or enjoy one last dash in the Over 35's Golden Oldies when it comes back to Oz... not to be!!

I include a video from youtube.com by an obvious NRL and Johns fan...footyNRLfreak2007

A lad, a skirt chaser, a coal miners son and just about the best rugby league footballer you'd see... goodness knows what he could have done at this years Rugby World Cup had he grasped that opportunity!!