Profile: Andrew Johns Johns delighted with move

Short-term Warrington star signing Andrew Johns is prepared to sacrifice a place in the Australian Test side for his new Super League team.

The scrum-half is seeking an exemption from Australia's Tri-Nations match against New Zealand, which falls on the same date as the Grand Final.

Australian Rugby League boss Geoff Carr said he would contact each ARL director this week to discuss Johns' case.

He said he was worried about the precedent an exemption would set.

Johns, who signed a short-term deal with Warrington last week, would be the first player in the 97-year history of Australian rugby league to be given an exemption from the Test side to play in a club game.

Johns said: "If all goes well and I'm in the Grand Final, I think I'll be playing for Warrington."

But Carr said: "There are a lot of things we've got to weigh up, one of which is obviously that it will set a precedent.

"Secondly, we've got a game we are trying to promote at Telstra Stadium, and it will be made a lot more difficult without the best player in the world."

Johns' agent, John Fordham, said the Warrington deal would still survice if the ARL forced Johns to play for his country on 15 October.

"If the ARL said, 'You have to be available,' that wouldn't mean the Warrington deal would fall over - it just means he couldn't play in that game," he said.

"I'm confident everything will work out OK in Joey's (Johns') favour."

Johns is expected to make his debut for Warrington at home to Leeds on 11 September.