Johns only human, Tigers say
By staff writers with wire services
May 11, 2006
WESTS Tigers will treat Newcastle talisman Andrew Johns as it would any other halfback in a bid to blunt his attacking brilliance in the NRL match at Campbelltown Stadium on Sunday.
The match is vital for the State of Origin prospects of Wests Tigers halfback Scott Prince, who could force his way into a Queensland jersey with a commanding performance against the best player in the world.
The reigning premier focused at a team meeting this morning on developing a way to blunt Johns's influence, and concluded the best way to keep him quiet was to treat him no differntly that it would any other No.7.
Prince acknowledged a strong game against Johns would greatly improve his chances of snaring the Maroons No.7 jersey.
"Hopefully, playing Joey can bring the best out of me and the team as well," Prince said today.
"I missed (Origin) last year, and that was very disappointing not to make it.
"It's made me more focused on my football at club level.
"Certainly I won't be falling into the trap of looking too far ahead.
"If I miss the opportunity, it's a three-game series so there will be other opportunities to step up to the mark.
"(Wests Tigers) coach (Tim Sheens) is reasonably happy with my game at the moment but I know there's a lot more improvement left in me."
Tigers assistant coach Royce Simmons, who has assumed the head coaching role this week due to Sheens's commitments with the New South Wales City Origin side, said too many halfbacks treated Johns with "too much respect".
"I think the main thing is to treat him like you would any other halfback," Simmons said today.
"Some players treat him with too much respect and they do one of two things: they stand back and look at him or they want to go out and bash him.
"Either way, he's going to get you.
"I think the trick to handling Andrew Johns, even though he's not like any other halfback, is to treat him like he is.
"That's the best way to control him.
"If you come up out of the line to try to hit him, or if you chase him across the field to get to him, he'll catch you out."
Prince agreed with Simmons' strategy for Johns.
"He's human, he bleeds like us as well," the 2005 Clive Churchill medal winner said of Johns.
"Any half will tell you that when the forwards lay a platform, it makes your job easier.
"The Newcastle forwards have been laying a platform for Joey to cut sides to pieces.
"The main aim is to stop their go-forward as much as possible so that we can limit Joey's opportunities."
From:
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0,8659,19100962-23214,00.html
