CaptainHook
NRL Player
- Jun 17, 2013
- 2,990
- 1,303
This got me thinking. Was Johns ever that dominant at Origin level?
Hear me out - I know it's Andrew Johns, greatest player ever, but I contend his record doesn't back up this 'dominant player' tag.
Let's take a look:
He made his Origin debut in 1995 and played the first two games. Queensland won those matches and went on to a memorable clean sweep. I don't know if he was dropped for Game 3 or was injured.
In 1996, NSW won the series 3 - 0 but Johns played out of position at hooker.
In 1997, NSW won the series 2-1 (on the ARL side). Johns again played out of position at hooker for Game 1, did not play the second game when the Blues wrapped up the series, and returned to play the dead rubber at hooker in Game 3 - which NSW lost.
The 1998 series saw him as the starting halfback for all three games. Queensland, under Langer, won the series 2-1.
The 1999 series saw Johns retain his halfback spot again for all three games - this was a drawn series.
NSW decided to go with Kimmorley in 2000. Johns didn't play Game 1 (again not sure if injured or if the selectors preferred Kimmorley) but was on the bench for the next 2 games. This is probably the most crushing win NSW have had in the last two decades - but Johns wasn't the halfback.
He did not play in the 2001 series - again not sure of injured or was not selected.
He gets a lot of wraps for his performance in 2002, particularly in the opening game, but it was a drawn series overall. Queensland won comfortably in Game 2. It was really only errors from Hodges on debut that kept the Blues in it. I thought Langer played better in the decider (in which Queensland scored four tries to three, which Alf had a hand in most of them).
In 2003, he played really well and was instrumental in the Blues winning the first two games. In Game 2, he won man of the match, Queensland really had no answers for him. He was unable to produce a clean sweep though as the Maroons won decisively in the dead rubber.
He did not take part in the 2004 series.
His final Origin game was in 2005. He was recalled for Game 2 and won man of the match. Queensland capitulated in the decider and the Blues won convincingly, sending him off in style.
The criteria I would judge for dominant displays (I know this is relative) would be:
-playing all three games of a series
-playing in your specialist position
He rarely played all three games of a series. I know injuries can't be helped but it is what it is. When he was the halfback for all three games it was either a drawn series, or Queensland won, or he played out of position.
Was he really that dominant? I (most likely) could be biased but Lockyer and Thurston's record leaves his in the dust.
