Has Kiwi legend Shaun Johnson played his last game for New Zealand after being omitted from their final squad for the incoming 2021 Rugby League World Cup?

Johnson struggled for big parts of the NRL season and shows the depth of the Kiwis when the team was announced on Monday.

Good experts are calling this the strongest Kiwi Cup squad in history but their real strength lies in their incredibly intimidating front-row pack which includes Jared Waerea-Hargreaves, James Fisher-Harris, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Moses Leota, Joseph Tapine and Jesse Bromwich.

“Selecting the squad for the World Cup was a real challenge given the quality of players in contention,” Kiwis coach Michael Maguire said.

“There were some tough calls to make but we’re excited about the group we’ve settled on.

“These players have all been impressive for their clubs this season, not least James (Fisher-Harris), Moses [Leota] and Scott [Sorensen] who were all outstanding for Penrith in the grand final.”

The Kiwis begin their campaign on October 16 against Lebanon in Warrington.