Steve Johnson (footballer)

Infobox afl player NEW
playername = Steve Johnson
fullname = Steven Johnson
image capt = Steve Johnson


birthdate = Birth date and age|1983|7|4|df=y
birthplace = Victoria, Australia
originalteam = Wangaratta Football Club / Murray Bushrangers
draftpick = 24^th overall, 2001
Geelong Cats
heightweight = 189cm / 89kg
position = Half-Forward/Forward Pocket
currentclub = Geelong
guernsey = 20
years = 2002 –
clubs = Geelong
games(goals) = 107 (198)
sooyears = 2008
sooteams = flagicon|Victoria Victoria
soogames(goals) = 1 (3)
nationalyears =
nationalteams =
nationalgames(goals) =
coach = notcoach
coachingteams =
statsend = Round 20, 2008
careerhighlights =
AFL
*AFL Premiership Player (2007)
*Norm Smith Medal (2007)
*All-Australian (2007-2008)

Geelong
*VFL Premiership Player (2002)
*Geelong Reserves Best First Year Player (2002)

TAC Cup
*All-Australian U/18 (2001)
*Vic Country U/18 (2001)

Steve "Stevie J" Johnson (born 4 July 1983) is an Australian Rules Football player for the Geelong Football Club.

Career

Early career

He was selected by Geelong with pick number 21 in the 2001 National Draft. His first few years were plagued with inconsistency, injury and off field problems. A medium-sized forward, Johnson is renowned for his freakish ability on the field, where he has consistently wowed fans with his penchant for extraordinary goals.

2007

Johnson was suspended by his club for the first 5 matches of 2007 after he was arrested for public drunkenness in Wangaratta on December 24th 2006. He returned in round 6 against Richmond where he went on to contribute 21 possessions and kick 2 goals in a match Geelong convincingly won by 157 points. He has since gone on to post career-best numbers across the board, capped off by All-Australian selection on the half-forward flank in September, 2007.

His 2007 season was capped off when Johnson lead the Cats to victory in the Grand Final, collecting a premiership medallion, and winning the Norm Smith Medal for best on ground in the Grand Final. Johnson was hailed as a feel good story for the year, with a good example of a player reforming after disciplinary action.

2008

Early in 2008 however, Johnson lost his drivers' license and was sentenced to 50 hours working with the TAC after he was clocked in over 70 km's over the speed limit in a 50 zone. Teammate Shannon Byrnes was in the car at the time.

Steve Johnson is considered to be the best right half forward flank currently (as of 2008} in the AFL.

He had yet another stellar season, kicking 49 home-and-away season goals and earning a spot on the forward flank in the All-Australian team of 2008. He gathered 34 disposals in the Cats' Grand Final loss to Hawthorn.

tatistics

ee also

*List of Australian rules football incidents

External links

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* [http://geelong.keldar.net/Articles/02012007_1.php STEVE JOHNSON DRUNK AGAIN (2 January, 2007)]