Sharks recruit Shaun Johnson says he's moved to Cronulla to win a premiership, and that if money was his focus he would have stayed at the Warriors.

Johnson addressed the media on Thursday after signing with the Sharks this week, having been granted a release from the final year of his Warriors contract.

The New Zealand halfback asked for an immediate release after the Warriors had given him permission to discuss future contract with other clubs, and after Valentine Holmes left the Sharks to pursue and NFL career Cronulla swooped on Johnson.

The 28-year-old said he held no ill will against the Warriors for his departure and that winning a premiership was his main focus at his new club.

"They're a club that want to do well," Johnson said of the Warriors. "They're a club that's looking to win a premiership and if they don't see me as worthy of what they were paying me that's fine.

"People will say you're only worth X amount but at the end of the day it's irrelevant. We were all playing footy long before we got paid for it.

"If it was all about the money I would have stayed there. I would have stayed and played my contract out. I'm here to win a premiership.

"I know I can add value. I believe in myself, it doesn't matter what they're paying me."

The Sharks won the premiership in 2016 and Johnson said achieving that feat – something he didn't do at the Warriors – was the main goal remaining in his career.

"I think that would be the most important thing to any player playing this game. That's why you do it," he said.

"There are 15 teams out there with the exact same goal. That's all of our mindset and that's why I believe this is the greatest comp in the world."