Johnston craving more Knights success after delayed start

It’s hard to top winning Origin and Jillaroos jerseys while in between lifting the NRLW Premiership trophy in just your second season, but Caitlan Johnston has ticked all those boxes and is looking for more.

She’s helped in that quest by the fact the Newcastle Knights are continuing their ground-breaking ways after creating history with an historic minor premiership win in 2023. 

Victories over the Sydney Roosters in Round 8 (20-4) and then the Wests Tigers in Round 9 (28-8) meant they can’t be toppled from No.1 spot on the NRLW ladder for the first time in three seasons.

They'll face the Broncos on Sunday where traditionally, teams who have finished on top in the past two seasons have been bundled out of the semi-finals.

“It’s a super feeling. It’s great for our community in Newcastle and great for our team,” Johnston told NRL.com.

“Obviously coming off the premiership last year, to come back and take the minor premiership is a massive thing for us.”

It was hearts-in-the-mouth for many Knights fans seeing star halfback Jesse Southwell limping after helping set up the Knights first try against Wests Tigers on Thursday night.

Southwell left the field in 26th minute and didn’t return due to a cork in her leg.

“I wasn’t too concerned because Laishon (Albert-Jones) although she’s in the second row, we had trained her in the halves and she did her job really well – the scoreboard shows that,” Johnston said.

The Knights scored one first half try but came out in the second – without their No.7 – and scored four.

“It’s just a little bit of a niggle there with Jesse – it’s nothing she can’t come back from,” Johnston said.

“Our medical team will look after her really well and get her back on the field. She’ll be ready.”

The Knights will have a home semi-final at McDonald Jones Stadium on Sunday, setting up the chance to get to the 2023 grand final at Sydney’s Accor Stadium on October 1 for a chance to defend their title. 

Johnston showed her own versatility alongside Albert-Jones by starting at prop but ending up in the back row against the Wests Tigers. It’d been that sort of year for her – No.11 or No.10 on her back.

“I played a few games in the front row in Harveys (Harvey Norman NSW Women’s Premiership) but at the start of the NRLW we had a few front rowers so I was used in both positions.

“Then we lost a few of our forwards so I was back in the middle.

“Then with Jesse getting injured we had to shuffle things around and I was back in the second row.”

That kind of flexibility might be just what’s needed when Jillaroos coach Brad Donald selects his Test side to play New Zealand next month.

“If I stay injury-free … I feel like the body is getting a bit knocked around so I’ll see what happens,” Johnston said on the question of retaining her Jillaroos jersey.

“I just want to get through semis next week and hopefully win another premiership.”

She has been on the wrong end of representative football this year missing both State of Origin games through knee ligament damage.

After starring for NSW on debut last year, missing the two games against Queensland in 2023 was a real blow.

"I had a few minor setbacks with injuries but I worked hard to get back to where I was and I feel pretty good right now," she said.

"I was hungry to get out there – watching the girls lose in the first game I found a bit frustrating.

"But I felt in the second game we had that drive back again.

"I was in full support of the girls but I wished I was out there playing with them."