Andrew Johns
Halfback
Player Bio
- Inducted:
- 2012
- Date of Birth:
- 19 May 1974
- Birthplace:
- Cessnock, NSW
- Nickname:
- Joey
- Debut Team:
- Newcastle Knights
- Date:
- 17 April 1993
- Opposition:
- -
- Venue:
- Tweed Heads
- Representative:
- 3 Games Country Origin, 23 Origins NSW, 26 Tests Australia
- Club:
- Newcastle Knights
Career
Milestones
- Rugby League Immortal (2012)
- Dally M Medal (1998, 1999, 2002)
- Newcastle Knights Premiership Winner (1997, 2001)
- Newcastle Knights Premiership Winning Captain (2001)
- Newcastle Knights Captain (2001-2007)
- Dally M Halfback of the Year (1995, 1998,1999, 2002)
- Provan Summons Medal (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
- Rugby League Week Player of the Year (1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002)
- Golden Boot (1999, 2001)
- Clive Churchill Medal (2001)
- Dally M Representative Player of the Year (2005)
- Peter Frilingos Memorial Headline Moment of the Year (2005)
- NRL Hall of Fame (2008)
- Rugby League Team of the Century (2008)
- NSW Rugby League Hall of Fame (2017)
- Newcastle Knights Hall of Fame (2012)
- Australian Test Captain (2002, 2003)
- NSW Origin Captain (2002, 2003)
- Andrew Johns Cup (2020-Present)
- World Cup Winner (1995, 2000)
Biography
Game-changer. Tough. Relentless. Competitor. Immortal.
The superlatives to describe Andrew Johns' 15-year career are endless.
Perhaps one of the greatest ever to lace on a boot and certainly one of the finest to pull on the red and blue.
Andrew Johns, Knights Hall of Fame Inductee
A Cessnock junior, 'Joey' made his debut for the Newcastle Knights in 1993 making a cameo off the bench.
In his first start at halfback in 1994, he scored 23 points against the Rabbitohs.
He quickly became a sensation forming a pivotal halves partnership with his brother, Matthew Johns.
The pair helped lead the Knights to their maiden premiership in 1997.
Andrew famously went down the blind side to set up the game-winning try for Darren Albert in the decider.
Adding to his extensive Club records, Johns went onto succeed for state and country.
Johns made his NSW debut in 1995 in a 2-0 loss to Queensland.
The halfback went onto forge a terrific Origin career playing 23 times for the Blues, winning five series and captained the state to a series win in 2003.
His man-of-the-match display in Game II of 2005 is highly regarded as one of the greatest Origin performances of all time.
Joey remembers Origin II of 2005
Johns also made his Australian debut in 1995 and went onto play a starring role in the World Cup win of the same year.
He earned 26 appearances in the green and gold winning another World Cup in 2000, went on the Kangaroo Tour of 2001 and captained his country on two occasions.
The halfback played his last Test Match in a 50-12 drubbing of New Zealand in the ANZAC test of 2006.
Johns won another premiership with the Knights in 2001 and went onto win the Clive Churchill Medal for man-of-the-match in the Grand Final.
The halfback also won consecutive Dally M Medals in 1998 and 1999 and won his third in 2002.
After 15-years at the top of the game, Johns announced his retirement in 2007 after 249 games for Newcastle.
In his career he scored an all-time Club high 2,176 points, scored 80 tries, holds countless point-scoring records and captained his beloved Club.
In 2012, Johns was bestowed the highest honour in the game becoming the eighth 'Immortal'.
Johns' career is certainly unparalleled and he will go down in history as one of the best players to pull on the Knights jersey.
He was a wonderful player, ultra talented, great skills and he had a great mind for the game.
Wayne Bennett
