Stacey Jones issues message to Warriors teenager amid Shaun Johnson's form woes
Stacey Jones hopes rookie five-eighth Ronald Volkman’s debut can reinvigorate the form of struggling half Shaun Johnson as the Warriors count down the days to their return home.
Johnson’s form has dipped dramatically at the Warriors this year, with the one-time pin-up boy of New Zealand rugby league left out of the Kiwis test squad for next week.
Jones admitted this week Johnson’s battles had been linked to off-field struggles, with his wife and daughter awaiting his return to New Zealand since last year.
The Warriors will finally return home to Auckland to play in a fortnight, with players flying back as early as the start of next week.
While they will still be based in Redcliffe for the rest of this year and fly-in, fly-out for Auckland games, the Warriors will spend the week before their July 3 homecoming training out of their Auckland base.
Jones’ message to Johnson has largely been for the 31-year-old to get through this week, knowing there is light at the end of the tunnel with a full fortnight at home.
But he is also hoping Volkman’s debut against Penrith can inspire some kind of change on the field, with the Warriors reeling from six straight losses and Nathan Brown’s exit as coach last week.
“He’s got a really good opportunity to help a kid out and establish himself as a footy player,” Jones said.
“You shift a bit of focus now to help a kid start off with a good career.
“There will be more pressure on Shaun to get the team around the field. But he’s got a good voice for that.
“We’re not relying on Ronald for miracle plays, but we need something to give some energy around the group.”
Interim coach Jones also claims Volkman’s start will give the Warriors a more dynamic bench, with Chanel Harris-Tavita able to cover more positions as a utility.
He is also unconcerned by throwing 19-year-old Volkman in against Penrith.
Canterbury copped criticism earlier this year when they recalled Kyle Flanagan against the defending premiers, with claims they were setting the playmaker up to fail.
But Jones does not subscribe to that theory, impressed by what Volkman has done for Redcliffe in Queensland Cup since leaving the Sydney Roosters last month.
“He’s got some confidence in his game,” Jones said.
“I know we are coming up against a good team, but this is the NRL. Every team you come up against will be tough.
“When you give someone a debut, I reckon he will play with a lot of adrenaline. It’s not going to faze him.
“What it does mean though against a team like Penrith is that other guys have to support him.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Does a blitz defence not have a weekness against a well-placed grubber kick, perhaps angled cleverly. All the defence is up and the full-back can only cover so much ground. Thoughts?
28 Go to commentsWhile Iose is destructive in the Canes set-up, he is not big for an international 8 and could struggle against the top teams. With his speed, he could be developed into a seven but, as Ben points out, he doesn’t show a scavenging game with the Canes or make dominating tackles. Sotutu has shown a step up this year and attitude plus motivation seems to be the big areas of growth. Deserves another AB shot imo.
3 Go to commentsNaholo is my only question mark for this side. He wasn’t the only one who had a forgettable game against the Brumbies but he was passive, defensively poor and generally lacked energy. Needs to get a whole lot busier for me. I would have liked to see Sullivan on that wing with Higgins on the bench (if staying with a 6-2 as BeegMike points out on here!)
3 Go to commentsWell, I am sure that Eben said exactly what he meant to say, exactly how he meant to say it. Does he strike you as a man that doesn't know arrogance when he sees it. He should know it because he has shaken the arrogance out of many foes before.
128 Go to commentsPls get it into your thick arrogant heads that the final was played by two Southern Hemisphere teams. The best against the best and that Argentina was just unlucky otherwise non of the Northetn Hemisphere teams would have seen the light of day.
128 Go to commentsAs long as New Zealand youth are involved in sport they are passionate for, and are well supported, it’s all good. I love league as well as rugby. NRL clubs have long since scouted the First 15 competitions, the NH and Japan scout super rugby and NPC. It’s a miracle there’s any players left for the all blacks to pick from.
4 Go to commentsI'm a Bok fan, so I don't say this lightly, but he is one of my all time favourite players. I am really going to miss watching him play. Thanks for many great memories. You are a true legend of the game.
3 Go to commentsBest way to deal with all of this is to play another game.
128 Go to commentsIt’s 12-15 games Luke. Ringrose has barely played in 2024 and Henshaw and Keenan have also been out for spells in the same time period. There are always injuries and for younger players to play with the likes of Barrett will be great for them. It’s just looking for negatives where there are none.
5 Go to commentsAndy Goode pushing his own agenda with very dubious considerations on refereeing performances. Luke Pearce speaking a bit of French doesn’t make him a good and adequate referee for the Champions Cup final; his latest refereeing performance in particular was not so great.
4 Go to commentsJordie knows that he has to earn the right to put on the jersey, whatever that jersey might be.
5 Go to commentsThe best outside centre in the world at one point. He will be greatly missed.
3 Go to commentsYip his great for the big moments when needed as a safa really enjoy watching him
4 Go to commentsOne that will start to come up from now on is penalties for back pushes during kick chase scrambles. Very difficult to detect. In Croke Park if you replay the Hendy NH try, you will see Furbank push Porter in the back, who collides with Larmour knocking the ball across into Hendy’s path to dot down. A more significant example was in the RWC QTR final where Arendse pushes Fickou into two other French players for the ball to spill into Arendse’s path for him to gather and run in to score SAs first try. Not cheating if you are not caught and very difficult to spot but with kicking becoming so critical I feel its an area that will referreeed/TMO-ed more.
4 Go to commentsWhat a pathetic little twit Andy Goode is, as if we care what he thinks…..😂
128 Go to commentsFoxy has been a wonderful player for the Scarlets and Wales.
3 Go to commentsNika the Georgian is the best referee in the world at the moment. Luckily we will be spared the shite SH refs and Barnes will hopefully remain retired given how shite and embarrassing he was at the RWC.
4 Go to commentsThis is the most exciting game of the summer imo, as we really won’t know in advance how both teams are going to play. - Will Robertson just reproduce his Crusaders tactics from last year, or will there be a conscious effort to borrow from the Hurricanes and Blues, and from the aspects of the ABs world cup strategy that worked well? - England under Borthwick have put in some good performances playing attacking rugby, and some good performances playing kick-oriented defensive rugby. Will Borthwick try to merge them together into a single all-court game, or will he continue switching between different approaches depending on the strengths and weaknesses of the opposition?
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
1 Go to commentsI’m predicting an aggregate points difference of no more than +/-10pts across both matches this series.
9 Go to comments