Andrew Johns is one of Australia’s greatest NRL players of the last 30 years and the eighth member of ‘The Immortals of NRL’.
Mr Andrew Johns, one of only four players to have won the Golden Boot Award more than once and one of only two to have won the Dally M Medal for best player in the NRL three times, wrapped up his playing career at age 32 in 2007, following a series of serious injuries.
Since joining the Newcastle Knights in 1994, Andrew “Joey” Johns accumulated a club record of 249 games. He’s widely renowned for revolutionising the game and setting the benchmark for halfbacks that followed him. Johns made the list of Australia’s 100 Greatest Players (1908-2007) and has represented Australia at two world cups.
He joined the Sports Advisory Board at Levin Health in 2022.
“The greatest rugby league player of his generation; arguably the greatest of all time.”
Phil Gould, State of Origin Coach
Sports injuries & medical conditions
Johns battled years of chronic sports-related pain. This included a bulging disc in his neck that held a risk of serious spinal injury had Andrew continued to play.
The sports legend also suffered from depression and bipolar disorder and was diagnosed with epilepsy in 2016 – a condition that caused seizures and injuries as a result.
“I’ve had ongoing chronic pain following injuries that occurred during my years as an active player. Playing professional rugby league for 15 years resulted in my body suffering a lot of trauma, including a broken back in 2003. Then, I had to get a neck fusion which forced me to retire in 2007.”
Andrew Johns
Andrew joins the Levin Health Sports Advisory Board
Andrew believes in the potential of medicinal cannabis research in helping people suffering from sports injuries and chronic pain.
He became a member of the Levin Health Sports Advisory Board in mid-2022, with an aim to help break down the stigma surrounding the treatment.
“I really want to de-stigmatise the notion that is still so prevalent around medicinal cannabis and Levin Health is doing just that. I’m thrilled to be joining the Sports Advisory Board alongside a credible list of other sporting names in bid to help educate others.”
Andrew Johns
Also on the board are AFL coaches Damien Hardwick and Alastair Clarkson, basketball Hall of Famer Lauren Jackson, and champion jockey Damien Oliver.