Andrew Johns, also known as "Joey" Johns began playing junior rugby league in his home town of Cessnock, New South Wales for the Cessnock Goannas. Four years later, at 19, the opportunity at first grade presented itself as Johns was tested off the bench during the 1993 season in a handful of games for Newcastle. The following year in the last pre-season trial for the 1994 season, Matthew Rodwell, Newcastle's then-regular halfback sustained a knee injury handing Johns his opportunity.

Subsequently, he was named in the starting line-up against the South Sydney Rabbitohs and in his debut match made an immediate impact as he amassed 23 points and won the Man of the Match award. He soon formed a winning partnership with his older brother, Matthew, who had played five-eighth at the Knights since 1991. The 1995 ARL season saw prosperous times for Johns, as in the absence of Super League-aligned players, he was selected for the first time to represent New South Wales in the 1995 State of Origin series. Also that year he was able to make his debut for the Kangaroos in Australia's successful 1995 World Cup campaign in England. He played as a hooker and was named man of the match in the unparalleled against England at Wembley Stadium as Australia once again retained the World Cup.

During the 1997 ARL season Johns played a pivotal role in guiding the Knights to their first grand final appearance against defending champions and '97 minor premiers the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. There were grave concerns leading up to the match that Johns would be unable to play the game, as he had suffered three broken ribs and a punctured lung only a fortnight earlier. However, Johns was able to play, and with less than a minute of the match to go with scores tied at 16-all, Johns made a play that has gone down in rugby league folklore. He went out of position unexpectedly and into dummy half where he ran down a narrow blind side before slipping a pass to Newcastle wing Darren Albert for the match-winning try. With only six seconds remaining in the game Newcastle had snatched victory and secured their first premiership title.

The Knights performed even better during the regular season than in the previous year, losing only five matches and narrowly missing out on the minor premiership on points difference. Johns individually was brilliant and was awarded his first Player of the Year Dally M Medal award for the 1998 season. Johns was given the responsibility of captaining the Newcastle squad.

Johns led Newcastle to another Grand Final victory, defeating the Parramatta Eels 30–24 in 2001. He was awarded the Clive Churchill Medal for Man of the Match in a Grand Final and at the end of the 2001 NRL season, he went on the 2001 Kangaroo tour. He was the top points scorer in Australia's successful Ashes series campaign and was named man of the match for the second Test. Also that year he was awarded the Australian Sports Medal for his contribution to Australia's international standing in the sport of rugby league

Johns' back injury at the tail-end of 2002 was the first of what seemed like a plague of injuries over the next few seasons: he had a serious neck injury that threatened his career in 2003, sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) knee injury which kept him out of most of the 2004 season, and broke his jaw in early 2005. Johns did not have to struggle to regain his form, receiving Man-of-the-Match honours in the Blues' 32–22 win over Queensland. He was again chosen as the first-choice halfback for Game 3 and performed well, sealing the series for the Blues with a strong 32–10 win, their last series win for quite some time.

Johns’ anointment as the eighth Immortal in 2012 attracted controversy because of some chequered off-field scandals, but that doesn’t take away from his sublime skill as a footballer. The Newcastle halfback won three Dally M Medals, finished his career as the NRL’s all-time leading point-scorer (2176), and led his home town Newcastle to their only two titles in 1997 and 2001, including this genius play to secure the Knights’ maiden premiership. He is considered one of the greats of the game in the modern era.