Less than a week after the New Zealand Warriors dropped the bombshell news half-back Shaun Johnson is no certainty to stay in Auckland the Canberra Raiders are reportedly set to kick-off a multi-club bidding war for the star Kiwi.
According to the Daily Telegraph’s Dean Ritchie, the Raiders are yet to table an offer for the 28-year-old playmaker but will make an audacious bid to poach Johnson for the 2019 NRL season.
Ricky Stuart’s men finished a disappointing 10th-place on the ladder in 2018.
As it currently stands, Aidan Sezer and Sam Williams would be Canberra’s likely starting pairing next season.
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The Green Machine’s likely play for Johnson, who comes off contract at the end of 2019 and is therefore free to negotiate with rival clubs from Thursday, makes perfect sense.
However, the Raiders face an uphill battle to convince the Warriors to cut Johnson loose in time for next season.
They will also likely face stiff competition from multiple NRL clubs including reigning premiers the Sydney Roosters.
While the Warriors appear unwilling to renew Johnson’s contract at his current asking price of $1 million a season, they are unlikely to release the Kiwis No.7 from the final year of his contract without a top-line half-back in return.
Unwanted Parramatta playmakers Corey Norman and Mitchell Moses have both been linked with the Warriors but the Auckland club are not interested in either player, according to multiple reports.
The Roosters are widely expected to make a big splash for Johnson’s services from 2020 to fill the void left by Cooper Cronk’s likely retirement.
It has been speculated Luke Keary would take over as the Chooks’ chief organiser, allowing Johnson to play with more freedom at five-eighth.
Penrith legend Mark Geyer has also thrown up the Panthers as a possible destination for Johnson in 2020.
Under MG’s plan, veteran five-eighth James Maloney would be released from the final year of his Panthers deal to line his pockets in the English Super League.
That would allow Johnson to form a lethal combination with Nathan Cleary at the foot of the mountains.
