Warriors half Shaun Johnson's injury not as serious as feared

Shaun Johnson's NRL season is likely over but he is expected to play in the Rugby League World Cup, with his knee injury not as bad as initially feared.

The star Warriors and New Zealand halfback was diagnosed with a rupture to the posterior cruciate ligament in his left knee on Monday afternoon, after buckling over in his side's 34-22 loss to Penrith on Friday.

It was feared the 26-year-old damaged his anterior cruciate ligament which would have wiped him out of the World Cup which kicks off in October.

He will be sidelined for six to eight weeks, meaning he is unlikely to play again this season for the 11th-placed Warriors, who have seven games left.

"This is a much better outcome than we had expected," said Warriors doctor John Mayhew.

"We had believed the injury was likely to be an ACL but scans have indicated this isn't so and Shaun won't need surgical intervention to repair the injury."