Paul Johnson (Australian footballer, born 1984)

Last updated

Paul Johnson
Paul johnson.jpg
Personal information
Full name Paul A. Johnson
Date of birth (1984-06-26) 26 June 1984 (age 38)
Original team(s) Dandenong Stingrays (TAC Cup)
Draft 24th pick, 2002 National draft (West Coast)
Height 199 cm (6 ft 6 in)
Weight 103 kg (227 lb)
Position(s) Ruckman
Playing career1
YearsClubGames (Goals)
2003–2004 West Coast 01 (0)
2005–2010 Melbourne 68 (20)
2011 Hawthorn 01 (1)
Total70 (21)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2011.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Paul A. Johnson (born 26 June 1984) is an Australian rules footballer currently listed with the East Perth Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). He previously played senior matches with the West Coast Eagles, the Melbourne Football Club, and the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL), the Swan Districts Football Club in the WAFL, and the Sandringham Football Club and the Box Hill Football Club in the Victorian Football League (VFL). Johnson was the winner of the 2005 J. J. Liston Trophy, as well as the 2012 Simpson Medal as the best player in an interstate match for Western Australia.

Contents

Football career

Originally from the Australian state of Victoria, Johnson played under-18 football for the Dandenong Stingrays in the TAC Cup before being drafted by the West Coast Eagles with the 24th pick overall at the 2002 National draft. As part of West Coast's affiliation with WAFL clubs, Johnson was selected to play matches for the Swan Districts Football Club. [1] Making his debut for Swan Districts in the first round of the 2003 season, strong form playing mainly at centre half-forward led to Johnson making his debut for West Coast in round five of the 2003 season, in the Western Derby match against Fremantle. [2] In the game, which was to be his only game for West Coast at AFL level, he recorded one disposal, a handball, and one tackle. [3] Having played a total of 32 games and kicked 41 goals over two seasons at Swan Districts without gaining another opportunity at AFL level, [4] Johnson was traded to the Melbourne Football Club during the trading period at the end of the 2004 season, in exchange for the 29th pick in the National Draft. [5]

Making his debut for Melbourne in round seven of the 2005 season, against Adelaide, Johnson played a total of eight games in his first season with the club, as a back-up ruckman behind Jeff White. [3] However, he played 14 games for Melbourne's affiliate club in the VFL, Sandringham, and at the end of the season was awarded the J. J. Liston Trophy as the best and fairest player in the league, having tied with the Tasmanian Devils' Ian Callinan on 16 votes, including five best on ground efforts. [6] Johnson also played in the club's premiership win over Werribee. He played two games for Melbourne early in the season, including a two-goal game against Sydney in round four, but missed the rest of the season due to a shoulder injury which required a shoulder reconstruction. [7] Johnson was used mainly as a second ruckman throughout his time at Melbourne, and was delisted at the end of the 2010 season having played a total of 68 games for the club. [3]

After his delisting in 2010, Johnson was asked to join Hawthorn's pre-season training squad as one of three players competing for an extra spot on the club's rookie list. [8] He was eventually selected to join the list, but was forced to miss eight weeks at the start of the season due to a stress fracture in his foot. [9] Johnson was upgraded to Hawthorn's senior list in May 2011, after injuries to key position players and strong form for the club's affiliate in the VFL, Box Hill. [10] He played his first and only game for Hawthorn against Gold Coast in round 24 of the 2011 season, becoming one of a small group of players to have played with three or more clubs. [3] After being delisted at the end of the 2011 season, Johnson trained with Hawthorn in an attempt to again win a spot on the rookie list, but was not selected. [11] Following this, he was recruited by East Perth in the WAFL. [12] In May 2012, he was named in the state squad for the match against the South Australian National Football League, [13] and was later awarded the Simpson Medal as the best player on the ground for Western Australia. [14] In the following years' state game, against the VFL, Johnson was named captain of the team. [15]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">West Coast Eagles</span> Australian rules football club

The West Coast Eagles are a professional Australian rules football club based in Perth, Western Australia. The club was founded in 1986 as one of two expansion teams in the Australian Football League (AFL), then known as the Victorian Football League. The club plays its home games at Perth Stadium and has its headquarters at Lathlain Park. The West Australian Football Commission wholly owns the West Coast Eagles and the Fremantle Football Club, the AFL's other Western Australian team.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">John Worsfold</span> Australian rules footballer, born 1968

John Richard Worsfold is a former Australian rules football coach and player. He was the senior coach of the Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL) between October 2015 and September 2020. He previously had a long association with the West Coast Eagles as player (1987–1998) and coach (2002–2013), captaining the club to premierships in 1992 and 1994 and coaching the club to a premiership in 2006.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Andrew Embley</span> Australian rules footballer, born 1981

Andrew Embley is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). He is known for winning the Norm Smith Medal as the best player in the 2006 AFL Grand Final.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dean Cox</span> Australian rules footballer, born 1981

Dean Michael Cox is a former Australian rules footballer and current assistant coach of the Sydney Swans who played for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). Originally from Dampier, Western Australia, he debuted with East Perth in the West Australian Football League (WAFL) in 2000. After winning the Simpson Medal as the best player in the grand final in his first season, Cox was recruited to West Coast with the 28th pick in the 2000 Rookie Draft. He made his senior debut during the 2001 season, and played in West Coast's 2006 premiership side. A ruckman, Cox was named in the All-Australian team six times, including four seasons consecutively from 2005 to 2008, and was considered the outstanding player in his position throughout much of his career. He won West Coast's best and fairest award in 2008, and finished in the top three on four other occasions. Cox retired at the end of the 2014 season, finishing his career with 290 games, a club record, and 169 goals.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Australian rules football in Western Australia</span>

Australian rules football in Western Australia (WA) is the most popular sport in the state and Western Australia has the second highest number of Australian rules football participants of any state. The sport in Western Australia is governed by the West Australian Football Commission (WAFC).

Mark Seaby is a former professional Australian rules football player. He is best known as a former premiership player with the West Coast Eagles as well as being a backup ruckman for the Sydney Swans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark LeCras</span> Australian rules footballer

Mark LeCras is a former Australian rules footballer who played for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was predominantly used as a small forward, though he has occasionally played in the midfield. He won an AFL Premiership with West Coast in 2018, his last season.

The 1985 VFL season was the 89th season of the Victorian Football League (VFL), the highest level senior Australian rules football competition in Victoria.

Ryan Edwin Turnbull is a former Australian rules footballer who represented the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). Turnbull was a member of the Eagles' 1994 premiership side, and was the club's first-choice ruckman for much of the 1990s. He also played with the Claremont and East Perth Football Clubs in the West Australian Football League (WAFL), and was awarded the Sandover Medal in 2001 as the best player in the competition, as well as winning the Simpson Medal in 2001 and 2002 as the best player in the league's grand final. In State of Origin football, Turnbull represented Western Australia in five matches between 1992 and 1999, and captained a Western Australian representative team in 2003.

Tony Notte is an Australian rules footballer currently listed with the Swan Districts Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). He previously played two matches for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nic Naitanui</span> Australian rules footballer

Nicholas Mark Naitanui is an Australian rules footballer who plays for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was born in Sydney to Fijian parents, and his family moved to Perth, Western Australia after his father's death. Growing up in Midvale, Naitanui attended Governor Stirling Senior High School, and played football for the Midvale Junior Football Club. After representing Western Australia in the 2007 and 2008 AFL Under 18 Championships, he debuted in 2008 for the Swan Districts Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL). Naitanui was drafted by West Coast with the second pick in the 2008 National Draft.

Garry Moss is an Australian rules football coach and former player who is the current coach of the Perth Football Club in the West Australian Football League. As a player he played with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League.

Craig Smoker is a former Australian rules footballer who played with the West Coast Eagles and the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). After his AFL career ended, Smoker also played for Williamstown in the Victorian Football League (VFL) and West Perth in the Western Australian Football League (WAFL).

The Australian Football League stages the highest-level senior Australian rules football competition in the country.

Ryan Neates is an Australian rules footballer currently listed with the Claremont Football Club in the West Australian Football League (WAFL), having previously played with the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL). From Perth, Western Australia, Neates represented his state at the 2009 National Under-18 Championships, and debuted for Claremont at the senior level the following season, before being drafted with the fifth pick in the 2010 AFL Pre-season draft. For a period the shortest player on an AFL list, Neates played his first and only senior game for West Coast in round seven of the 2012 season, having missed the entire 2011 season due to injury. He was delisted by West Coast at the end of the 2012 season, but continues to play WAFL matches for Claremont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jonathan Simpkin</span> Australian rules footballer

Jonathan Simpkin is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played for the Geelong Football Club, Hawthorn Football Club and Essendon Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). Nicknamed "Joffa", his younger brother, Tom Simpkin was also a professional Australian rules footballer who played for St Kilda.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">History of the West Coast Eagles</span>

The West Coast Eagles is an Australian rules football club based in Perth, Western Australia, currently playing in the Australian Football League (AFL). The club was formed in 1986, and played its first season in the competition in 1987. Having lost the 1991 grand final to Hawthorn, the club won premierships in 1992 and 1994, becoming one of the most successful teams of the 1990s. West Coast won its third premiership in 2006, but declined afterwards, finishing last in 2010, before undergoing a rapid resurgence the following season to finish fourth in 2011. In 2015, the club reached a sixth Grand Final, again going down to Hawthorn. In 2018, West Coast defeated Collingwood to win its fourth Premiership, making it the most successful Non-Victorian team in the modern era.

Paul Gow is a former Australian rules footballer who played seven games for Footscray in the Australian Football League (AFL) in 1991.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mark Hutchings</span> Australian rules footballer

Mark Hutchings is an Australian rules footballer who last played for the West Coast Eagles in the Australian Football League (AFL) and currently plays for West Perth Football Club. From Perth, Western Australia, Hutchings captained his state at the 2009 National Under-18 Championships, and, having also played for East Perth in the West Australian Football League (WAFL), was selected by St Kilda in the 2010 Rookie Draft. A midfielder, he was delisted after a season at the club without having made his senior debut, and transferred to West Perth upon his return to Western Australia. Establishing himself as a regular player for the team, Hutchings was one of the competition's best players during the 2012 season, playing state football, finishing second in the Sandover Medal, and winning West Perth's best and fairest award. He was drafted by West Coast at the 2012 National Draft, and made his senior AFL debut during the 2013 season, playing nine matches during his debut season, as well as playing in a premiership for West Perth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Callum Sinclair</span> Australian rules footballer

Callum Sinclair is a professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Sydney Swans in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was recruited by the West Coast Eagles with the 12th draft pick in the 2013 rookie draft. He made his debut in round 2, 2013, against Hawthorn at Patersons Stadium.

References

  1. Palmer, Cameron (2004). Looking ahead with Swan Districts Archived 1 July 2012 at archive.today – Australian Rules. Published 8 April 2004. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  2. Paul Johnson – EaglesFlyingHigh. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 4 Paul Johnson – AFL Tables. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  4. Paul Johnson (Swan Districts & East Perth) – West Australian Football League. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  5. 2004 AFL National Draft – Footy Wire. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  6. CONGRATULATIONS PAUL JOHNSON – Sandringham Football Club. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  7. Paul Johnson – Demonwiki. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  8. Phelan, Jason and Jennifer Witham (2010). Johnson surprised by Hawks' call – Hawthorn Football Club. Published 9 December 2010. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  9. Phelan, Jason (2011). Frustrated Johnson happy with chance – Hawthorn Football Club. Published 2 April 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  10. Hagdorn, Kim (2011). SOS call for Paul Johnson at Hawthorn Archived 10 September 2012 at archive.today – Sports News First. Published 16 May 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  11. Hagdorn, Kim (2011). Johnson waits on Hawthorn recall Archived 8 December 2011 at the Wayback Machine – Sports News First. Published 6 December 2011. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  12. Miller, Dale (2012). Royals sign ruckman Johnson The West Australian online. Published 2 February 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  13. WAFL v SANFL State Game Preview Archived 31 May 2012 at the Wayback Machine – West Australian Football Commission. Published 25 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  14. Walsh, Scott (2012). Nothing for WA to crow about in state league loss to SA – Perth Now. Published 26 May 2012. Retrieved 26 May 2012.
  15. Paul Johnson Named WA Captain Archived 24 June 2013 at archive.today – East Perth Football Club. Retrieved 24 June 2013.