A Legacy Shaped by Pressure and Regret
Andrew Johns, one of the most iconic figures in the history of the National Rugby League (NRL), has recently opened up about a decision that still weighs heavily on him. The legendary halfback, known for his brilliance on the field and his deep connection with the Newcastle Knights, admitted he felt pressured into retiring from State of Origin football. This decision, made during the latter stages of his career, left him with lingering regrets.
Johns played 23 State of Origin games for New South Wales between 1995 and 2005, with his final series in 2005 being particularly memorable. He continued playing for the Knights for two more years before officially retiring from the NRL in 2007. However, this retirement was not entirely of his choosing. In 2006 and 2007, Newcastle officials requested that he step away from representative football to focus on club duties.
At the time, Johns had suffered several serious injuries, and he agreed to the arrangement as a way to give back to the club that had been so important to him. His final contract with the Knights included a clause that prevented him from playing any representative football. Now, at 52, he admits he wishes he had said no.
“I was disappointed I was sort of pressured into retiring by the Knights,” he told Channel 9 this week. “If I had it all over again I’d say to them ‘no’.”
The impact of his absence was immediate and significant. Queensland’s dominance in the State of Origin began shortly after, with Darren Lockyer scoring a crucial try in the final moments of Game 3 in 2006. That victory marked the start of an eight-year winning streak for the Maroons, a period that left Johns feeling helpless.
“It was horrible,” he recalled. “I felt helpless just on the sideline, watching them going, ‘come on, you’ve got to be doing this, got to be doing that’. What hurts even more is that was the start of the eight-year dominance, so that period was so hard. It ripped my guts out. I was like, ‘I should be out there’. In my mind I was still fit, ready to play.”
Despite his feelings of regret, Johns did consider a potential comeback in State of Origin in 2007 if the Knights had supported it. However, his return to the NRL was short-lived. He only managed to play two games that year before injuries forced him into early retirement.
Throughout his career, Johns made a lasting impact on the sport. He played 249 games for the Newcastle Knights and three for Warrington in the Super League in 2005. He also represented Australia in 26 Test matches and was later honored as one of the eighth NRL Immortals.
His story is a testament to the complex decisions players face when balancing club loyalty with the demands of representative football. For Johns, the choice to retire from State of Origin was not one he made lightly—and it remains a chapter of his legacy that he still reflects on with a mix of pride and regret.
