Michael Johnson
Johnson playing for Fremantle in March 2016
Personal information
Full name Michael Johnson
Date of birth (1984-10-20) 20 October 1984 (age 39)
Original team(s) Perth (WAFL)
Draft No. 8, 2004 pre-season draft
Height 195 cm (6 ft 5 in)
Weight 92 kg (203 lb)
Position(s) Defender
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
2005–2018 Fremantle 244 (68)
Representative team honours
Years Team Games (Goals)
2005 Indigenous All-Stars 1 (0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2018.
2 State and international statistics correct as of 2005.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Michael Johnson (born 20 October 1984) is a former professional Australian rules footballer, who played for the Fremantle Football Club in the Australian Football League.

Early life

Recruited from Perth Football Club in the WAFL with selection 8 in the 2004 Preseason Draft, he is a graduate of the Clontarf Football Academy.[1]

AFL career

He made his debut against Richmond in Round 4 of 2005 when Matthew Carr was a late withdrawal from the team due to illness.

Due to promising performances at both WAFL and AFL levels and his versatility, he announced a three-year extension to his contract in 2006[2] and then a two-year contract extensions to remain at Fremantle until the end of the 2011 season.[3]

In 2006, Michael finished equal runner-up (with Peter Bell) in Fremantle's Doig Medal Best & Fairest count, further underlining his credentials as a prospect for the future.[4]

His 2007 season started badly when he was suspended for four matches after colliding with Lachlan Hansen in a NAB Cup match and being one of the first players to be charged under the AFL's crackdown on front-on contact to the head.[5]

In 2009, he was appointed captain of the club for a pre-season derby[6] and despite missing the second half of the 2009 season due to an ankle injury,[7] he was officially included in the leadership group for the 2010 season. He also won the club's best clubman award for 2009.[8]

In May 2010 Johnson was investigated by the police in relation to a drug-related matter.[9][10] He was charged on summons with possessing cocaine, suspended for five matches and fined $5,000 for bringing the AFL into disrepute. He pleaded guilty and was fined $500 in court.[10][11][12]

In November 2016, Police investigated Johnson after it was alleged that he punched a Bunbury School teacher in the face while intoxicated at a kebab shop in Leederville.[13] He was found guilty and fined a total of $4500, but was given a spent conviction.[14]

In 2017, Johnson was integral in Fremantle's early season turnaround assisting Aaron Sandilands in the ruck despite the team generally taking a youth first approach in their team selection criteria.[15][16]

Johnson retired at the end of the 2018 season.[17] In February 2019, he was appointed as Fremantle's inaugural indigenous and multicultural liaison officer.[18]

Statistics

[19]
Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals 
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds 
  H  
 Handballs 
  M  
 Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
2005 Fremantle 37 11 1 0 46 36 82 23 11 0.1 0.0 4.2 3.3 7.5 2.1 1.0
2006 Fremantle 37 25 5 4 270 155 425 154 41 0.2 0.2 10.8 6.2 17.0 6.2 1.6
2007 Fremantle 37 18 2 1 183 130 313 100 36 0.1 0.1 10.2 7.2 17.4 5.6 2.0
2008 Fremantle 37 20 5 4 204 172 376 125 30 0.3 0.2 10.2 8.6 18.8 6.3 1.5
2009 Fremantle 37 10 8 7 122 47 169 51 18 0.8 0.7 12.2 4.7 16.9 5.1 1.8
2010 Fremantle 37 19 17 8 199 120 319 117 33 0.9 0.4 10.5 6.3 16.8 6.2 1.7
2011 Fremantle 37 22 13 10 201 118 319 99 52 0.6 0.5 9.1 5.4 14.5 4.5 2.4
2012 Fremantle 37 24 3 1 316 150 466 166 52 0.1 0.0 13.2 6.3 19.4 6.9 2.2
2013 Fremantle 37 23 5 2 321 126 447 159 44 0.2 0.1 14.0 5.5 19.4 6.9 1.9
2014 Fremantle 37 18 3 2 242 113 355 110 24 0.2 0.1 13.4 6.3 19.7 6.1 1.3
2015 Fremantle 37 15 1 0 179 92 271 104 9 0.1 0.0 11.9 6.1 18.1 6.9 0.6
2016 Fremantle 37 4 0 1 46 16 62 28 3 0.0 0.3 11.5 4.0 15.5 7.0 0.8
2017 Fremantle 37 22 2 1 229 130 359 123 34 0.1 0.0 10.4 5.9 16.3 5.6 1.5
2018 Fremantle 37 13 3 0 118 71 189 81 20 0.2 0.0 9.1 5.5 14.5 6.2 1.5
Career 244 68 41 2676 1476 4152 1440 407 0.3 0.2 11.0 6.0 17.0 5.9 1.7

References

  1. ^ Walsh, Courtney (25 November 2006). "Clontarf boys' time to shine". The Australian. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012.
  2. ^ Promising youngster signs on with Freo[dead link]
  3. ^ Johnson Michael Johnson commits to Fremantle
  4. ^ Tarrant package deal for Dockers
  5. ^ Le Grand, Chip (10 March 2007). "Lions into final, Cats see lawyer". The Australian. Archived from the original on 2 October 2012.
  6. ^ Johnson to skipper Freo in derby
  7. ^ Fremantle 2010 preview
  8. ^ "Duffield, Johnson and Mundy boost leadership group". Archived from the original on 25 July 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2010.
  9. ^ Docker probed over drug-related matter
  10. ^ a b Star Docker faces drug probe
  11. ^ Fremantle issue Johnson statement
  12. ^ Docker Johnson hit with drugs charge
  13. ^ "Dockers confirm Michael Johnson 'allegedly involved' in Leederville incident".
  14. ^ Perpitch, Nicolas (4 November 2017). "Fremantle Docker Michael Johnson fined over pants-down punch at kebab shop".
  15. ^ "Michael Johnson".
  16. ^ "Grey stands up for young Dockers".
  17. ^ afl.com.au
  18. ^ "Johnno's back at Freo". fremantlefc.com.au. Retrieved 5 February 2019.
  19. ^ Michael Johnson's player profile at AFL Tables

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Michael Johnson (Australian rules footballer).
2013 All-Australian team
2005 Indigenous All-Stars team
2004 AFL pre-season draft
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