Forget his batting just for a second. In the BS this season, Johns has the second best average for NSW-eligible opening bowlers (beyond Tyson, who he's actually replacing in the team due to injury), and the third best overall for opening bowlers. He also has the second most wickets for NSW-eligible opening bowlers this season (behind Bullpitt) and the sixth most overall for opening bowlers. He hasn't batted particularly well and I'm sure you'd have noticed this more given you bat just after him, but he's done an exemplary job opening the bowling this season, and he did score a ton in Round 1. On top of that, he was excellent the last time he filled in for the injured Tyson and has a good overall record for NSW. He was always going to get picked once Tyson got injured.
Speirs - 22 Dempsey - 26 Gonzalez - 18 Lewis - 14 Hayes - 16 Parker - 10 Flack - 21 Johns - 6 Bullpitt - 24 Wilson - 20 Green - 10
Dempsey the highest capped player of origin history? NSW bowlers really need to fire for NSW to have a chance at winning here.
Honestly, this team holds no fear to me. The only players that are going to hurt us are Wilson and Speirs. We've got the rest covered.