360 VIEW MITCHELL Johnson's retirement caught Australia unawares heading towards the final trans-Tasman Test and exposed the vulnerability of its fast-bowling depth.
New Zealand now has a genuine shot at returning home with a drawn series, if it can win next week's pink-ball Test in Adelaide. 
Such a result would be a huge setback for Australia after the way it dominated at the Gabba and ground the Black Caps into the dust on day one in Perth.
Peter Siddle will be named in today's squad for the third Test and James Pattinson is a likely addition, but, make no mistake, Johnson's withdrawal is a serious disruption to the balance of the attack.
Looking ahead to   February's return tour to New Zealand, Australia is a Mitchell Starc injury away from a fast- bowling crisis.
The new left-arm spearhead is carrying an ankle problem that, though stable, could require surgery at any moment.
Usman Khawaja's hamstring injury hasn't helped - with selectors having to decide between Cameron Bancroft, Glenn Maxwell, Shaun Marsh and Michael Klinger as his -replacement.
There's no question Johnson is a great who deserved to go out on his own terms. But having one of your biggest stars pull the pin midway through a series is never ideal.
It would appear Johnson's first innings 1-157 in Perth told him he would only be holding Australia back by continuing.
That might be so, and it is noble if true, but it doesn't change the fact that reserves are thin.
Australia thought Johnson was committed for the -summer.
Now it faces taking some serious risks in Adelaide, -particularly with raw talents Hazlewood and Pattinson.
Before the second Test, skipper Steve Smith admitted Hazlewood's bowling loads were close to going into the red and 32 first-innings overs in scorching Perth heat was never going to help him.
Even though he has plenty of time to recover before Adelaide, Hazlewood's chances of playing every Test this summer appear nil.
He has taken only four wickets this series at 68.25.
Like Hazlewood, Pattinson is a potential superstar, but Cricket Australia was so worried about his workload it rested him from Victoria's second Shield match of the season.
Having lost Pat Cummins for yet another season to injury, Australia is exercising -extreme caution with Pattinson, a 25-year-old with his own long-running injury history.
A host of other good young bowlers such as Nathan Coulter-Nile and Jason Behrendorff are also making their way back from injuries.
Siddle will almost certainly play in Adelaide, and still has plenty to offer at Test level.But if pitches remain as flat as they have been this summer, he too is going to have his work cut out taking wickets.