He was the hot-stepping new kid on the scene. I filled the less hot role of the team’s media manager.

A few days later, at Eden Park, Shaun would make his debut for the Kiwis and score a long-range intercept try against the Kangaroos.

But for now, he was in a central Auckland hotel getting to know his new teammates and the Kiwis staff. So, I thought I’d check how he was doing.

“𝗜’𝗺 𝗢𝗞,” he said. “𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝘁 𝗵𝗼𝗺𝗲𝘀𝗶𝗰𝗸.”

The comment was unexpected for a couple of reasons.

#1. Shaun was from Auckland and we’d only been in camp a few days. 🏕️
#2. This was a rugby league camp. 🏉

You see, rugby league is a tough game, which attracts tough people, who act tough.

But, as I came to learn, there’s different types of toughness.

There’s the obvious physical toughness of carrying a ball back from a kick-off, like 𝗝𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗪𝗮𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗮-𝗛𝗮𝗿𝗴𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘃𝗲𝘀 loved to do.

Or the toughness of making tackle after tackle, as 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 did.

Then there’s the toughness of coming back from major injuries, like the five shoulder reconstructions 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗷𝗶 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹 faced.

But there’s a more subtle type of toughness that maybe only us communications geeks recognise and embrace.

It’s staying ‘you’.
Staying open.
It's stepping up in media interviews, even when you’ve done that before and been slammed by the public for the thoughts you've shared.

It’s saying you’re homesick when you’re homesick.

Shaun Johnson displayed that type of toughness throughout his career.

The grind of high-performance sport, and the heat of its media spotlight, sees a lot of athletes becoming publicly smaller versions of themselves.

It’s an understandable, protective measure.
Less surface area means less places to get burned.

But Shaun stayed Shaun. Full Shaun. Right down to the end of his NRL career.

Like when he hit back at social media trolls this season:

"Just like you, I see the comments and, damn, some of you are savage," he posted. "If you're one of those who find comfort in slamming others online, I hope everything is OK.

"Your words don't carry weight this time around, but they could for the next person you choose to spew your negativity on. Think before you type.”

None of this is to say that Shaun wasn’t physically tough.

He played injured.
He got back to his absolute best after snapping his Achilles.
He smashed Sam Burgess in an often-replayed tackle.
During Covid times, he even lived away from his wife Kayla (pictured) and young family when it was breaking him.

But Shaun consistently showed another, special type of toughness - and it's one I'm all for applauding. 👏 👏👏