Australian league great Brad Fittler hopes Shaun Johnson's stunning performance for the Kiwis in the Four Nations final is a sign of things to come for the young halfback.
The former Sydney Roosters, NSW, and Kangaroos captain believes Johnson gave the Kiwis the edge over Australia and says his emergence as a genuine game-breaker can be charted over the last 10 months.
Fittler says Johnson has grown tremendously as a player in the time between the inaugural NRL Auckland Nines tournament in February and the Four Nations decider in Wellington last Saturday.
"The halfback rising to the occasion was the big thing. Hopefully this is the change," Fittler said during a promotional visit for the 2015 NRL Auckland Nines.
"Even at the start of the year in the Nines final, Johnson was the standout player of the tournament and he didn't rise in the final but this time he did.
"If it is a change then he'll be brilliant for New Zealand and the Warriors. He's just such a great person to watch on the footy field. There's not many better athletes really. It helps that he looks alright too."
Fittler was major drawcard for the 2014 Nines event, coming out of retirement to don the boots for his beloved Roosters and scoring a memorable 50-metre intercept try on the opening day of the two-day Eden Park event.
The 42-year-old was keen to back up again next year but his hopes have been dashed by a foot injury he suffered while jogging on the beach.
"After the Nines I went home and broke my foot, a Jones fracture, just running on the beach. It was a pretty awful injury actually. I wore a boot for months so that is swaying my decision to say no.
"It would be good to do it again but the body at the moment is sending me signals."
Fittler thoroughly enjoyed his stint back in the playing ranks and was so impressed with the Nines format he believes it could soon play an even bigger role in the NRL pre-season.
"Because of the success last year, pre-seasons might be made up now of a Nines competition. I can see it as the future because it was extremely popular at home on TV and it was popular amongst the players and the coaches, who have a massive influence on the game at the moment.
"It was awesome. The players were coming around [the ground] and watching [other teams] and that just really showed me that players wanted to play."
The two-time premiership winner says Nines benefits from the fact it holds true to the physical nature of the 13-a-side version of the game.
"I've played Sevens which doesn't look like rugby league. I've watched Sevens rugby which doesn't look like rugby. The one thing about Nines rugby league is that it looks like our game but it's most probably better to watch. It's something that has been a real positive for the game."
With his playing days now well and truly behind him, Fittler is enjoying his media role with the Channel Nine commentary team and recently purchased a rural property to give his two young children a different life experience.
"My kids were born in The Rocks and grew up in Rushcutters Bay so they only know the middle of the city. They are now on a farm which is a little bit weird.
"I've got some Llamas coming. I bought four Llamas. Actually, one is pregnant so that was a pretty good investment, Ill have five when they come. I'm going to get some horses. We've got a lot of work to do."
- David Skipwith of the New Zealand Herald
