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Shaun Johnson’s stellar 2023 season has been capped with three awards including the One New Zealand Warriors’ highest accolade – the Simon Mannering Medal – at the club’s 29th annual awards at the Viaduct Events Centre in Auckland tonight.
In a season of singular achievement he was also judged by his peers as the players’ player of the year and won the One New Zealand People’s Choice award voted by the public.
The triple sweep comes five days out from Johnson celebrating his 33rd birthday on the same day the One New Zealand Warriors meet Penrith in their first NRL finals match in five years.
In winning the premier award, Johnson emulates the great Stacey Jones, the only other halfback to receive the accolade in the club’s history when he was honoured in 1997.
Also rated as a strong chance to win the prestigious Dally M Medal as the NRL’s player of the year, Johnson has been in sublime form throughout his first season back home since the 2018 season.
He was on the field for all but 22 minutes of a possible 1842 minutes in the first 23 games of the campaign before being rested for Saturday’s final regular season match against the Dolphins.
He’s the competition’s fifth highest points-scorer this year with 176 including eight tries, his best season tally since he scored 10 tries in 2016.
Johnson has more try assists than any other player with a career-best 27 plus 24 line break assists, 16 line break involvements, 10 line breaks and 38 tackles breaks.
He has dominated kicking statistics with the most kick metres (11,866) and most kicks (383) while he is a close second for most attacking kicks (190) and one off the top for most short drop-outs with 25.
Yet it was Johnson’s defensive efforts including his kick-chase which won plaudits from his teammates and coaching staff alike. He has made a career-high 433 tackles so far at an effective tackling rate of 92 per cent, the best he has ever achieved.
Along with the accolades it has been a momentous season for milestones for Johnson. He became only the fifth players to appear in 200 NRL matches for the One New Zealand Warriors while he also reached his 250th career appearance and was the first player to top 1000 points for the club. He also re-signed with the Warriors for the 2024 season.
The other nominees for the Simon Mannering Medal and the players’ player of the year award were of the highest calibre; fullback Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak, prop Addin Fonua-Blake and captain Tohu Harris have all had exceptional seasons as well.
As well as the player awards, Johnson was also a nominee for the NRL club man of the year accolade along with Nicoll-Klokstad, Montoya and Watene-Zelezniak. That honour went to Nicoll-Klokstad for his efforts in his first season back with the club.
New South Wales Cup Players’ Player of the Year | Ronald Volkman New South Wales Cup Player of the Year | Kalani Going New South Wales Team man of the Year | Ali Leiataua and Demitric Sifakula One New Zealand Warriors People’s Choice | Shaun Johnson NRL Rookie of the Year | Taine Tuaupiki NRL Clubman of the Year | Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad NRL Players’ Player of the Year | Shaun Johnson Simon Mannering Medal | Shaun Johnson
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