If Cronulla Sharks playmaker Shaun Johnson was still at the NZ Warriors, he'd likely be on the plane back home next weekend.
The former Warriors star admits he would struggle being away from his pregnant wife - Silver Ferns netball Kayla Cullen - and making the same sacrifices his old club are doing to keep the 2020 NRL season going.
After being told he was "firing blanks" by NRL great Cooper Cronk earlier this year, Johnson has been one of the competition's in-form players and he didn't hold up against his former teammates, scoring a try and setting up two more in a 46-10 Sharks win at Central Coast Stadium on Sunday.
In a coronavirus-disrupted season, the Warriors have now spent almost three months away from home, and will lose quartet Ken Maumalo, David Fusitu'a, Agnatius Paasi and King Vuniyayawa, who will return home to be with their families next week.
Reflecting on his old club's predicament, Johnson says he would personally find it challenging.
"I don't know if I could do what they're doing in terms coming over here," says Johnson.
"I’ve got my pregnant wife - she's 33 weeks pregnant. There is no way I could leave her right now.
"So the fact that they've got boys fielding a team here, competing hard... I know that some boys are going back, but the fact that they're even here, I think, is a tremendous sacrifice and a credit to the club as a whole."
Fusitua's wife, Eden, is currently pregnant and a huge factor in his decision to return home.
When Johnson crossed for his first-half try against the Warriors, he celebrated with a loud cheer, holding his arms aloft, and acknowledging the players and few fans in the stands. The Sharks' victory was a perfect response to their 56-24 capitulation to Penrith eight days earlier.
"You play against a club that necessarily didn't want you there, there is a little bit more incentive," he admits. "You want to play well.
"You want to play well every week, but it was certainly an important game, not just for myself, but for our club.
"You know, coming up here and… walking away with the two points after what happened last week was most pleasing.
"I won't say I feel sorry for them. I don't bloody pity them, it is not about that, but I have very close friends in that group and still have a lot of care for the club.
"I have been there, and I have experienced some of that pain where you try so hard and it just doesn't translate on the field. I know the professionalism they have in that group and the leadership.
"They have got the right ingredients - that is where my pain comes."
Sharks coach John Morris is pleased to see Johnson starting to shine, leading the Sharks to four wins in five games.
"It definitely meant a lot for Shaun," he says. "Obviously, you always want to play good against your old club, but he's been really good for us all year.
"There's still parts of his game and some errors he'd like to be better at, but he's been much more consistent in many parts of our game, managing our team defensively, and again was influential in some nice tries today.
"He showed what he can do with his goal-kicking. He's really got that on song as well, so I think it was a pretty good win for Shaun against his old mob."
The Warriors are scheduled to face the Sharks again on September 13.
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