Meet Warrington Wolves’ rugby union convert aiming to make Super League breakthrough

Rugby league’s latest cross-code talent comes in the shape of Alfie Johnson, who has signed a two-year contract with Super League side Warrington Wolves.

The 23-year-old has played rugby union his entire life. He has even represented England in Sevens.

And it is only within the last couple of months that he decided to give rugby league a try after being offered a trial with Super League giants Leeds Rhinos.

Johnson caught the eye of Warrington coach Sam Burgess and the club’s hierarchy with his performances in Leeds’ reserves towards the end of last year, ultimately landing a two-year deal with the Wolves.

“It’s incredible really,” Johnson told the media – including Love Rugby League – who were invited to the Halliwell Jones Stadium to meet the club’s new signings.

“As soon as the club offered it to me – not just that they were willing to take the risk on me – it was massive that I feel like I’ve shown something that the club like in me, that Sam is really on board with it and Gary Chambers (director of rugby) as well, when I met him for the first time he was super lovely to me and really enthusiastic about what he thinks I can bring.

“The two-year deal, for me, means that I’m not feeling the pressure straight from the get-go to have to understand straight away. I’ve got a bit of time to learn, to improve, to adapt and get around the lads and meet everyone and not have that pressure on me.

“Obviously I’ll put pressure on myself, I’ve got high standards of myself and I feel like I’ve transitioned quite well up to this point but I feel like two years is a massive show of faith.”

Johnson first picked up a rugby ball at the age of four and played for his local rugby union club as well as at school before joining Harlequins’ academy.

He had planned to go to University before he was scouted by England’s Sevens team, where he got to represent his country in Poland, New Zealand, Australia and Canada before the coronavirus pandemic cut short his time with the Sevens team as they were due to play in Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as at Twickenham.

Johnson then decided the time was right to go to University to tackle an economics degree before studying a masters in journalism.

The towering outside-back continued to play the 15-a-side code whilst studying – with Newcastle University having close links to Premiership Rugby outfit Newcastle Falcons.

And it was whilst playing union in Newcastle when he was offered a trial by the Rhinos: and it was at Headingley where he had his first real introduction to rugby league.

“Some of the people who had been with me on my journey were kind of big rugby league men growing up, they were from near Leeds so they had a bit of know about,” said Johnson.

“Leeds at the time had a few injuries in the outside-backs and needed an extra body for training, and I think Gary (Hetherington) had watched some of my clips and they thought ‘we’ll give him a go and see what happens’. I was pretty much down there with them within a week of it being spoken about.

“I had one training session on the Tuesday and played against Bradford reserves on the Thursday. I was like ‘what is going on?!’. I made a tackle, got up and realised everyone was 10 metres back so I had to sprint back!”

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Johnson is currently undergoing his first pre-season as a full-time athlete. He is under no illusions that the transition to elite level rugby league will be difficult: but he is determined to make the most of the opportunity handed to him by Warrington.

“When I was playing 7s I was full-time but that’s obviously a bit of a different kettle of fish because you don’t really have a pre-season as much,” he continued.

“You are going around travelling the world in different months so in a full-time environment this is my first one. It has been tough, six-day weeks, training pretty much everyday and my body is definitely feeling the difference between league and union – contact areas, distance you cover during a game, running back 10 metres after every tackle is something my calves aren’t used to! But it’s been brilliant, I feel like I’ve learned so much.

“If I watched the first training session I did compared to what I did yesterday, I think it would be worlds apart. All the coaches have been brilliant with me, giving me feedback, going through training sessions, it has been great. I’m really enjoying it.”

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Johnson has been training primarily as a winger with the Wolves during pre-season, a position which he feels suits his physique and skill set.

“So far I’ve been mainly on the wing,” he said. “I’d say the biggest strength of my game is my ball carrying, I’m quite a big body, nearly 100 kilos, 6ft 3in, I enjoy the yardage carries which is quite a strange thing for most wingers.

“I enjoy that arm wrestle in yardage, I enjoy running hard and seeing if I can beat those middles in the contact areas.

“I enjoy the high ball stuff, a lot of the work with the Sevens is high ball related and I like making a difference in defence.

“I’m not one of those players that wants to get through the defence and get the ball in my hands. I like making an impact, I like coming out the line and making tackles, I think I can use my body to do that and that’s something I’m looking forward to bringing across, getting more of an opportunity on the edge to make a play and make a bit of a difference to the team.”

Johnson’s goal for 2025 is clear: to make his Super League debut for the Wire. But he is putting no pressure on himself just yet as he continues to adapt to the 13-a-side code.

“I’m not a massive goal setter,” he said. “I just want to do the best of my ability and become the best rugby league player I can under the coaches here.

“I’m not going to set myself a goal that if I fail that or if I punch through it would be a massive thing for me.

“I just want to be the best version of myself and give everything I can to the Warrington fans, the team and the people who have put their faith in me to be here – Sam, Gary – they have taken a massive risk on me and everyday that is in my head, I’m thinking ‘I’m working hard, I’m trying my best to do everything I can to repay that faith’.

“I really hope that I can make my Super League debut, that’s obviously the big number one thing for me: and then see how it goes. We’ve obviously got amazing players here so that is going to be really tough but I’m ready for it, I’m really excited, I’m really keen to get involved.”

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