Once you move to paradise you never leave.
That was the message from WACA chief executive Graeme Wood to Mitchell Johnson after the Australian speedster announced he would be leaving the Bulls to join the Warriors.
Johnson made the decision to move from Queensland to Western Australia some time ago to be closer to his partner Jessica Bratich.
The left-arm paceman initially expressed his desire to remain affiliated with the Bulls, but after a chat with Queensland coach Trevor Barsby and chief executive Graham Dixon yesterday, he decided it was in his best interests to join the Warriors.
"Leaving Queensland was one of the toughest decisions I have ever had to make," Johnson said.
"But it was something that I had to do because I am entering a very important time in my career and to constantly travel back and forth between Perth and Brisbane was not going to be an ideal situation."
The 26-year-old has already bought a house in Perth's northern suburbs and is expected to move to WA next week.
Johnson, who has played nine Tests, 39 one-day internationals and eight Twenty20 internationals for Australia and was a member of the 2007 World Cup-winning squad, is unlikely to feature for the Warriors in the coming season due to his international commitments.
But Wood said he hoped to see Johnson unleash his pace barrage for the Warriors sometime in the future.
"I said to him this morning -- once you move to paradise you never leave," Wood said.
"He had a bit of a chuckle about that, he thought Queensland was pretty good.
"We'd like to keep him here for the next five or six years.
"There's no doubt we are trying to get the WACA wicket back to where it was.
"We've re-laid seven of those 10 strips now so it will be lovely to be able to see him at full steam on a wicket showing good bounce and plenty of pace."
Wood said he had spoken to Dixon about Johnson's move west and there were no hard feelings.
"Basically they (Queensland) have said he's a great guy, make sure you look after him," Wood said.
"He's got great respect in Queensland and they just want to see him play good cricket."
Australian great and current WACA president Dennis Lillee first spotted Johnson as a 17-year-old and recommended the talented youngster to then Australian Academy head coach Rod Marsh.
Wood said Lillee's presence at the WACA would have made Johnson's decision to move west all the more easier.
"It definitely didn't harm the decision because he holds Dennis in such high regard from a coaching perspective and to have him in your backyard where you're living and playing is certainly a major plus for any fast bowler," Wood said.
With former Bulls Ben Edmondson and Steve Magoffin also on the Warriors' list, WA's pace attack will have a distinct Queensland flair to it this season.
Johnson, who has snared 111 wickets at 28.35 in 33 first-class appearances,snared 10 wickets in the Bulls' 2005-06 Pura Cup final triumph over Victoria.
