Dallas Johnson
Encyclopedia
Dallas Johnson is an Australian professional rugby league
footballer for the North Queensland Cowboys
in the National Rugby League
(NRL) and formerly the Melbourne Storm
and Catalans Dragons
. He plays primarily as a lock forward.
Between 2007 and 2009, Johnson played in four consecutive NRL grand finals for the Melbourne Storm. Melbourne won the 2007 and 2009 grand finals only for the club to be stripped of its premierships
for contraventions of the salary cap. He has represented the Queensland State of Origin
team and played one match for the Australian national team
. He is known for his prolific tackling
.
. There he was scouted by the Melbourne Storm
. After playing in the Queensland Cup
for the Storm's affiliate Brisbane Norths, he moved to the Storm for the 2003 season. He played in the Storm's opening match of the season, alongside fellow first-grade debutant and future Australian and Queensland fullback Billy Slater
. Johnson appeared in 20 first-grade matches that season, and the following year extended his contract.
After three seasons of regular first-grade football, Johnson earnt representative jumper in 2006, being selected for Queensland in the State of Origin
series. He started in all three matches of the series, which Queensland won. Later that year he played in Melbourne's grand final
loss to Brisbane.
Johnson was a key member of Melbourne's team of 2007, making an average of 36 tackles a match. Melbourne won the season's grand final against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
, but in 2010 were stripped of their premiership after the NRL discovered large-scale breaches of the league's salary cap. Johnson's 2007 form was rewarded by his selection in the Australian Kangaroos team for a Test
against New Zealand in October. In the same season, he made a record-breaking 62 tackles in Queensland's victory over New South Wales in the second match of the State of Origin series. In the third match, he was taken from the field in the first half after suffering a concussion. Queensland's medical staff controversially allowed him to return to the field in the second half, where he make 25 tackles.
Johnson played his 150th match for Melbourne during the 2008 season; Billy Slater
, who made his debut alongside Johnson in 2003, achieved the same milestone in the same match. The Storm Before playing in the Storm's grand final
defeat to Manly, Johnson was named in the preliminary 46-man Australian squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
; however, he missed out on selection in the final squad of 24 players. Johnson again represented Queensland in all three matches of the year's State of Origin series, which Queensland won. Johnson again suffered a head injury, in the opening match of the series, leading some to question the safety of his low tackling style (in other words, his preference to tackle a player around his legs rather than his torso).
2009 would be Johnson's last season at Melbourne. After the end of the season he signed a three year contract with the French club Catalans Dragons
in Europe's Super League
. His final season for Melbourne was a success: he played in the Storm's grand final
win over the Parramatta Eels
although, as in 2007, the Storm were later stripped of their premiership due to large-scale breaches of the league's salary cap. Johnson again played in all three matches of the State of Origin series, as Queensland won their fourth series in a row. He scored the opening try in the third match, his first in State of Origin, when he fell onto a Johnathan Thurston
grubber kick.
Moving to France, Johnson would play under the coaching of his fellow Queenslander Kevin Walters
, who declared Johnson to be a "champion player" with "exceptional defensive skills". Johnson played in 26 matches for the Dragons in the 2010 season; the club finished on the bottom of the Super League ladder. Johnson left the club at the end of the season, with two years left on his contract, to return to the NRL for the North Queensland Cowboys
. Johnson claimed that a return to Australia would be better for his family, his daughter having been born during the 2010 season. He signed a three year contract with the Cowboys starting in 2011.
By April 2011, Johnson had broken the Cowboys' record for the most tackles in a game, making 64 in a defeat to the Parramatta Eels
. He also broke the Cowboys' record for the most tackles by a player in a season, with 1,006, averaging 41.9 per game. While a regular member of a Cowboys team that spent much of the season in the top four on the NRL ladder, he missed out on selection for the State of Origin series.
Darren Lockyer
, under whose captaincy Johnson played for Queensland, as a "tackling machine", who would get knocked out "countless times... and get back up". Johnson's coach at the Melbourne Storm, Craig Bellamy, commented upon Johnson's departure from the club that he was "the toughest player I have ever seen".
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
footballer for the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
in the National Rugby League
National Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
(NRL) and formerly the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
and Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
. He plays primarily as a lock forward.
Between 2007 and 2009, Johnson played in four consecutive NRL grand finals for the Melbourne Storm. Melbourne won the 2007 and 2009 grand finals only for the club to be stripped of its premierships
Melbourne Storm salary cap breach
The Melbourne Storm salary cap breach was a major breach of the National Rugby League's strictly enforced salary cap by the Melbourne Storm club over a period of five years...
for contraventions of the salary cap. He has represented the Queensland State of Origin
State of Origin
State of Origin is the name used in Australia for one existing sporting event which involves domestic representative teams. The term, when used in isolation, usually refers to rugby league football, and occassionally Australian Football matches, in which players are selected for the Australian...
team and played one match for the Australian national team
Australian national rugby league team
The Australian national rugby league team have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the game in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian Rugby League, the Kangaroos' are ranked number one in the RLIF World Rankings...
. He is known for his prolific tackling
Tackle (football move)
Most forms of football have a move known as a tackle. The primary purposes of tackling is to disposses an opponent of the ball, to stop the player from gaining ground towards goal or to stop them from carrying out what they intend....
.
Career
Johnson was raised on his family's farm on Queensland's Atherton Tablelands and played his junior football in his town of AthertonAtherton, Queensland
Atherton is a town on the Atherton Tablelands of Far North Queensland, Australia. At the 2006 census, Atherton had a population of 7,068.-Roads:...
. There he was scouted by the Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm
The Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
. After playing in the Queensland Cup
Queensland Cup
The Queensland Cup is the premier rugby league football competition in the State of Queensland, Australia.It is a statewide competition with the majority of teams based in South East Queensland but also including sides based in Cairns, Mackay and Rockhampton.The competition began in 1996 as a...
for the Storm's affiliate Brisbane Norths, he moved to the Storm for the 2003 season. He played in the Storm's opening match of the season, alongside fellow first-grade debutant and future Australian and Queensland fullback Billy Slater
Billy Slater
Billy Slater is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League . An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative fullback, he has played his whole NRL career to date at Melbourne...
. Johnson appeared in 20 first-grade matches that season, and the following year extended his contract.
After three seasons of regular first-grade football, Johnson earnt representative jumper in 2006, being selected for Queensland in the State of Origin
State of Origin
State of Origin is the name used in Australia for one existing sporting event which involves domestic representative teams. The term, when used in isolation, usually refers to rugby league football, and occassionally Australian Football matches, in which players are selected for the Australian...
series. He started in all three matches of the series, which Queensland won. Later that year he played in Melbourne's grand final
Grand Final
Grand Final is a predominantly Australian sport term used to describe a match that decides a league champion.It originated in Victoria and South Australia and has become specifically significant Australian culture...
loss to Brisbane.
Johnson was a key member of Melbourne's team of 2007, making an average of 36 tackles a match. Melbourne won the season's grand final against the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles
The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles are an Australian professional rugby league club based on the Northern Beaches of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League's Telstra Premiership, the premier rugby league competition of Australasia...
, but in 2010 were stripped of their premiership after the NRL discovered large-scale breaches of the league's salary cap. Johnson's 2007 form was rewarded by his selection in the Australian Kangaroos team for a Test
Test match (rugby league)
A Test match in rugby league football is a representative match between teams representing members of the Rugby League International Federation.The definition of a Test match differs from that of an international match...
against New Zealand in October. In the same season, he made a record-breaking 62 tackles in Queensland's victory over New South Wales in the second match of the State of Origin series. In the third match, he was taken from the field in the first half after suffering a concussion. Queensland's medical staff controversially allowed him to return to the field in the second half, where he make 25 tackles.
Johnson played his 150th match for Melbourne during the 2008 season; Billy Slater
Billy Slater
Billy Slater is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Melbourne Storm of the National Rugby League . An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative fullback, he has played his whole NRL career to date at Melbourne...
, who made his debut alongside Johnson in 2003, achieved the same milestone in the same match. The Storm Before playing in the Storm's grand final
2008 NRL Grand Final
The 2008 NRL Grand Final was a rugby league football match played between the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles and the Melbourne Storm, held on Sunday, 5 October at ANZ Stadium in Sydney to determine the 2008 Telstra Premiership....
defeat to Manly, Johnson was named in the preliminary 46-man Australian squad for the 2008 Rugby League World Cup
2008 Rugby League World Cup
The 2008 Rugby League World Cup was the thirteenth staging of the Rugby League World Cup since the inauguration of the tournament in 1954, and the first since the 2000 event...
; however, he missed out on selection in the final squad of 24 players. Johnson again represented Queensland in all three matches of the year's State of Origin series, which Queensland won. Johnson again suffered a head injury, in the opening match of the series, leading some to question the safety of his low tackling style (in other words, his preference to tackle a player around his legs rather than his torso).
2009 would be Johnson's last season at Melbourne. After the end of the season he signed a three year contract with the French club Catalans Dragons
Catalans Dragons
The Catalans Dragons are a French professional rugby league club based in Perpignan, Pyrénées-Orientales. They currently play in the Super League, and are the only team in the competition from outside of the United Kingdom...
in Europe's Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
. His final season for Melbourne was a success: he played in the Storm's grand final
2009 NRL Grand Final
The 2009 NRL Grand Final was a rugby league football game played on 4 October 2009 at the ANZ Stadium in Sydney. It was the 12th annual championship game of the National Rugby League staged to decide the premiers of the 2009 NRL season....
win over the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
although, as in 2007, the Storm were later stripped of their premiership due to large-scale breaches of the league's salary cap. Johnson again played in all three matches of the State of Origin series, as Queensland won their fourth series in a row. He scored the opening try in the third match, his first in State of Origin, when he fell onto a Johnathan Thurston
Johnathan Thurston
Johnathan Dean Thurston is an Indigenous Australian professional rugby league footballer in the NRL with the North Queensland Cowboys whom he co-captains...
grubber kick.
Moving to France, Johnson would play under the coaching of his fellow Queenslander Kevin Walters
Kevin Walters
Kevin David Walters is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant coach for NRL club Melbourne Storm. He joined them from French club Catalans Dragons of Europe's Super League as their head coach. Before that he was head coach of the...
, who declared Johnson to be a "champion player" with "exceptional defensive skills". Johnson played in 26 matches for the Dragons in the 2010 season; the club finished on the bottom of the Super League ladder. Johnson left the club at the end of the season, with two years left on his contract, to return to the NRL for the North Queensland Cowboys
North Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
. Johnson claimed that a return to Australia would be better for his family, his daughter having been born during the 2010 season. He signed a three year contract with the Cowboys starting in 2011.
By April 2011, Johnson had broken the Cowboys' record for the most tackles in a game, making 64 in a defeat to the Parramatta Eels
Parramatta Eels
The Parramatta Eels are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Sydney suburb of Parramatta. The Parramatta District Rugby League Football Club was formed in 1947, with their First Grade side playing their first season in the New South Wales Rugby Football League...
. He also broke the Cowboys' record for the most tackles by a player in a season, with 1,006, averaging 41.9 per game. While a regular member of a Cowboys team that spent much of the season in the top four on the NRL ladder, he missed out on selection for the State of Origin series.
Darren Lockyer
Darren Lockyer
Darren Lockyer is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer. He was the captain of the Australian national team, the Queensland State of Origin team and his National Rugby League club, the Brisbane Broncos. His professional career spanned between 1995 and 2011...
, under whose captaincy Johnson played for Queensland, as a "tackling machine", who would get knocked out "countless times... and get back up". Johnson's coach at the Melbourne Storm, Craig Bellamy, commented upon Johnson's departure from the club that he was "the toughest player I have ever seen".