Ex-coach says Warriors will dump Shaun Johnson

Former Warriors coach Tony Kemp believes the club will not retain gun halfback Shaun Johnson and should instead pursue Penrith star Nathan Cleary.

It comes after the Warriors were knocked out of the finals by the Panthers on Saturday in a quiet showing from their marquee playmaker.

Kemp would like to see coach Steve Kearney remain at the helm, but was adamant that Johnson needed to be shipped off.

"If there was ever a game where Shaun Johnson needed to step up and take hold of the reins it was Saturday night and it just didn't happen," Kemp told Radio Sport Breakfast.

"The difference between those two teams was whether Shaun Johnson was going to show up and play.

"What really needs to happen in the off-season...most good coaches would ask will the No. 7 and No. 6 win us a competition?

"I think it's time to start thinking about whether or not they are ever going to win a competition with the million dollar player in the number seven jersey.

"I love Shaun to death, I think he's been great for the Warriors (but) he hasn't been an immortal like a Johnathan Thurston or a Cooper Cronk, a James Maloney.

"I'm not suggesting that (not resigning him). But I don't think they will.

"They are looking at winning a grand final. I'd be throwing $2m (a season) at someone like Nathan Cleary, a 20-year-old who has the goods to show up week in and week out."

Radio Sport sideline commentator Dale Budge added that Johnson was one of several Warriors that were disappointing on the day.

"He had a disappointing game, as did a lot of Warriors players. Johnson had very limited impact on the outcome of the game and the way the Warriors played, as did Blake Green. As did Adam Blair, Solomone Kata or David Fusitu'a, Issac Luke. A whole lot of players... there were some key Warriors players who weren't able to influence the outcome of the game," Budge told Radio Sport.

"Shaun Johnson is never going to be Cooper Cronk or Johnathan Thurston. He's never going to be able to inspire a team that isn't dominating up the middle third with the forwards, Budge told host Elliott Smith.

"I don't understand why he gets singled out to the degree that he does. I don't understand New Zealand sports fans' obsession with trying to bag certain players. I put him in the same category as Brendon McCullum.

"The criticism of Johnson is out of proportion to the criticism of other players in the side and what went wrong."