Outgoing Cronulla Sharks half Shaun Johnson has revealed how close he came to signing with the Canterbury Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs have been on a monumental recruitment drive over the last 12 months ahead of the 2022 season, now having signed ten players including Matt Burton, Josh Addo-Carr, Tevita Pangai Junior and Paul Vaughan among others.

But the strategy almost took a dramatic swerve, with Johnson only swayed by Phil Gould to head home during his time with the club. Gould has since left the Warriors and joined the Bulldogs in an over-arching role at the head of the football department.

Instead, Johnson will complete the ultimate homecoming to link up with the Warriors on a two-year deal which could be the final contract of the 31-year-old's career. Johnson spent the first years of his career at the Warriors, having played 162 games since a 2011 debut.

SHAUN JOHNSON
Halfback
Sharks
2021 SEASON AVG
0.5
Try Assists
0.1
Tries
370.3
Kick Metres

Speaking on The Ice Project Podcast, Johnson said playing alongside Matt Burton was the drawcard, as well as the process Bulldogs' coach Trent Barrett was putting in place.

โ€œThat was the drawcard,โ€ Johnson said.

โ€œI remember after playing the Panthers I pulled Matty Burton for a chat and said โ€˜what do you think bro?โ€™ and he said โ€˜yes, please comeโ€™.

โ€œAt that time I was pretty much 95 per cent on the way (to the Bulldogs).

โ€œI really loved what Trent Barret was doing there, loved the group he was assembling. The time he showed me, we had some really good chats.โ€

The Warriors weren't ready to give up on Johnson coming home though, with the veteran seen as the perfect mentor for the club's young halves, which includes Chanel Harris-Tavita and Sean O'Sullivan, while there is a chance discarded Titan Ashley Taylor could also sign with the club for 2022.

Johnson mentioned his former falling out with the Warriors as a potential roadblock to the deal being done for a return to the Warriors, but that Gould had rescued the situation.

Phil Gould commits to Warriors
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 18: Former Penrith Panthers General Manager of Football Phil Gould in the mounting yard to watch his horse Jailbreak compete in race 1 during Sydney Racing at Rosehill Gardens on May 18, 2019 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Mark Evans/Getty Images)

โ€œI think without Philโ€™s influence I donโ€™t know if this wouldโ€™ve happened,โ€ Johnson said.

โ€œThe way things ended, there was that sort of awkwardness, a bit of unease, and weโ€™d never smoothed that over with Cameron George, the CEO.

โ€œOnce Phil got involved he said โ€˜youโ€™re the best option for the club at this current time, do you think it can work?โ€™

โ€œI was pretty much like โ€˜of course it can work. Iโ€™m not going to be that guy that holds on to something for my whole lifeโ€™."