{{short description|Australian rugby league footballer}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Use Australian English|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox rugby league biography |name = Cooper Johns |fullname = |image = Cooper_Johns_2023.jpg |image_size = |position = {{rlp|FE|HB}} |birth_date = {{birth date and age|df=yes|1999|07|14}} |birth_place = Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia |height = {{convert|185|cm|ftin|abbr=on}} |weight = {{convert|85|kg|stlb|abbr=on}} |club1 = Melbourne Storm |year1start = 2020 |year1end = 22 |appearances1 = 11 |tries1 = 1 |goals1 = 0 |fieldgoals1 = 0 |points1 = 4 |club2 = Manly Sea Eagles |year2start = 2023 |year2end = |appearances2 = 8 |tries2 = 0 |goals2 = 0 |fieldgoals2 = 0 |points2 = 0 |source = [https://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/players/cooper-johns/summary.html/ RLP] | module = {{infobox person | embed = yes | father = Matthew Johns | mother = | spouse = | education = St Augustine's College, Sydney | alma_mater = | relatives = Andrew Johns (uncle) <br>Jack Johns (brother) }} }}
'''Cooper Johns''' (born 14 July 1999) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played as a {{rlp|fe}} or {{rlp|hb}} for the Melbourne Storm and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League (NRL).
==Background== Johns is the son of former Newcastle Knights player Matthew Johns, nephew of Andrew Johns and younger brother of Jack Johns.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-20|title=Matty Johns steps out of limelight as sons make name for themselves|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/08/20/matty-johns-steps-out-of-limelight-as-sons-make-name-for-themselves/|access-date=2020-08-25|website=National Rugby League|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2020-08-20|title=NRL 2020: Andrew Johns reveals advice ahead of nephew Cooper Johns' debut|url=https://allmysportsnews.com/rugby-league/nrl-2020-andrew-johns-reveals-advice-ahead-of-nephew-cooper-johns-debut/|access-date=2020-08-25|website=All My Sports News|language=en-US}}</ref>
Cooper was educated at St Augustine's College, Sydney and represented the NSW CIS team. He played his junior rugby league with the Narraweena Hawks before signing with Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles, where he played SG Ball Cup as part of Manly's development squad. He would transfer to Melbourne Storm at the end of 2017,<ref>{{cite web |title=Cooper Johns Signs For Premiers Melbourne Storm |url=https://www.triplem.com.au/story/cooper-johns-signs-for-premiers-melbourne-storm-65355 |website=Triple M Sydney|access-date=21 July 2022 |date=27 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Matty Johns' son Cooper signs for Melbourne |url=https://www.sportingnews.com/au/league/news/matty-johns-son-cooper-signs-for-melbourne-storm/1k3rnl5rvckah1o76i6dypv3ih |website=The Sporting News |access-date=21 July 2022 |date=27 October 2017}}</ref> where he was allocated to play with the Sunshine Coast Falcons in the Queensland Cup.
==NRL Career== ===2020-2022 (Storm)=== Johns made his first grade debut in round 15 of the 2020 NRL season for the Melbourne Storm against Parramatta which ended in a 14-0 loss at Western Sydney Stadium.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2020/08/18/round-15-nrl-squad-announcements/|title=Round 15 NRL team lists |publisher=NRL.com |date=18 August 2020}}</ref> He had his Melbourne jersey (cap number 204) presented to him by Craig Bellamy with his father Matty Johns and his mother present via zoom.
Despite being released by Melbourne at the end of the 2022 NRL season, he was called up to the Italian national side for the 2021 Rugby League World Cup.<ref>{{cite web |title=Johns to make international debut |url=https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/2022/10/04/johns-to-make-international-debut/ |website=melbournestorm.com.au |access-date=10 October 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221010235317/https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/news/2022/10/04/johns-to-make-international-debut/ |archive-date=10 October 2022 |date=4 October 2022}}</ref> Following his initial selection, Johns did not travel to the tournament. On 18 November, Johns signed a contract to join Manly-Warringah starting in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.seaeagles.com.au/news/2022/11/18/cooper-johns-returns-home--to-sea-eagles/|title=Cooper Johns returns 'home' to Sea Eagles|website=www.seaeagles.com.au}}</ref>
===2023 (Sea Eagles)=== In January, Johns signed a one-year deal with Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles under a train and trial contract.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.nrl.com/news/2023/02/23/life-at-home-has-johns-primed-for-halves-chance/|title=Life at home has Johns primed for halves chance|website=www.nrl.com}}</ref> Johns made eight appearances for Manly in the 2023 NRL season as the club missed the finals.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2023-manly-sea-eagles-season-review-anthony-seibold-josh-schuster-salary-tom-trbojevic-positional-changes-tolu-koula-daly-cherryevans-news/news-story/3deeeb674db182b6335fd5a9b2fc4597/|title=The $800k call Seibold must make as Turbo hits NRL crossroads: Sea Eagles Brutal Review|website=www.foxsports.com.au}}</ref>
On 15 January 2024, Johns announced his immediate retirement live on radio.
==Post NRL Career== He took up a position at KIIS 106.5 on The Kyle & Jackie O Show.<ref>[https://www.foxsports.com.au/nrl/nrl-premiership/nrl-2024-cooper-johns-steps-away-from-nrl-to-join-kyle-jackie-o-show-reaction-retirement-details/news-story/e8bc4251fdf7527aef991655841133a0 Step away for a little bit: Cooper Johns reveals career switch in hilarious social media post] ''Fox Sports Australia'' 15 January 2024</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/melbourne-storm/cooper-johns/ Melbourne Storm profile] <!-- Archived version – https://web.archive.org/web/20221010235046/https://www.melbournestorm.com.au/teams/telstra-premiership/melbourne-storm/cooper-johns/ --> *[https://www.qrl.com.au/players/qrl-premiership/sunshine-coast-falcons/cooper-johns/ QRL profile] <!-- Archived version – https://web.archive.org/web/20221010235220/https://www.qrl.com.au/players/qrl-premiership/sunshine-coast-falcons/cooper-johns/ -->
{{DEFAULTSORT:Johns, Cooper}} Category:1999 births Category:Living people Category:Australian people of Italian descent Category:Australian rugby league players Category:Australian sports podcasters Category:Manly Warringah Sea Eagles players Category:Melbourne Storm players Category:People educated at St Augustine's College, Sydney Category:Rugby league halfbacks Category:Rugby league players from Newcastle, New South Wales Category:Sportspeople of Italian descent Category:Sunshine Coast Falcons players Category:21st-century Australian sportsmen Category:Australian rugby podcasters