Brad Johnson (Australian rules footballer)

Brad Johnson

Brad Johnson preparing to kick for goal during the 2007 AFL Season
Personal information
Full name Bradley Johnson
Date of birth (1976-07-18) 18 July 1976
Place of birth Hoppers Crossing, Victoria
Original team(s) Williamstown / Western Jets
Draft 11th overall, 1993
Western Bulldogs
Height/Weight 182 cm / 87 kg
Position(s) Full-forward
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1994–2010 Footscray/Western Bulldogs 364 (558)
1 Playing statistics correct to end of 2010 season.
Career highlights

Brad Johnson (born 18 July 1976 in Hoppers Crossing, Victoria) is a former Australian rules footballer who was the captain of Australian Football League team Western Bulldogs. Despite his small size for his position, he was considered to be one of the best forwards in the game because of his overhead marking ability, and he also had the ability to play across half forward or in the midfield.

AFL career

Footscray/Western Bulldogs career

Recruited from Williamstown, Johnson made his debut in the 1994 season, and has been known as either a damaging forward or midfielder. Known as the "Smiling Assassin" due to the constant smile on his face, he is a popular figure around the club and has won three best and fairest awards – in 1999, 2002 and 2006.

In 2005, he kicked a Goal of the Year contender – an amazing soccer-style half volley from an extremely tight angle on the boundary line.

Johnson has been selected in the All-Australian Team in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2006 and 2007. In 2006 he was chosen as captain of the Bulldogs following the injury of Luke Darcy and also as captain of the All Australian Team. Johnson capped off his 2006 season finishing second in the Coleman Medal with 70 goals, an amazing feat considering that he had played the final 11 games of the season with a shoulder injury that later required surgery.[1]

He started the 2008 season against the Adelaide Crows in his 300th game and kicked five second-half goals, including three in the last seven minutes as the Bulldogs came out on top by three points.[2]

In recent seasons, Johnson has had the misfortune of missing shots on goal after the final siren to win the game. In Round 9, 2008, against North Melbourne, Johnson missed a shot at goal from 35 meters out on a 45-degree angle. A year later in the same round, Johnson had the same opportunity but this time against the Geelong Cats from 10 meters in front of goal on a tight angle in which he also missed.

On 6 September 2010, Johnson announced his retirement from AFL at the end of the 2010 season. Johnson played his final game on 18 September 2010, after the Bulldogs' second consecutive loss to St Kilda in a preliminary final.

Playing positions

Brad Johnson regularly played as a half forward flank but when he was heavily marked or out of play he was able to play as a forward pocket or midfielder.

Statistics

[3]
Legend
 G  Goals  B  Behinds  K  Kicks  H  Handballs  D  Disposals  M  Marks  T  Tackles
Season Team # Games G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
Totals Averages (per game)
1994 Footscray 33 9 7 7 90 24 114 23 8 0.8 0.8 10.0 2.7 12.7 2.6 0.9
1995 Footscray 6 21 10 9 199 91 290 78 33 0.5 0.4 9.5 4.3 13.8 3.7 1.6
1996 Footscray 6 22 14 13 264 85 349 90 20 0.6 0.6 12.0 3.9 15.9 4.1 0.9
1997 Western Bulldogs 6 24 16 15 375 125 500 122 25 0.7 0.6 15.6 5.2 20.8 5.1 1.0
1998 Western Bulldogs 6 24 29 14 330 133 463 120 26 1.2 0.6 13.8 5.5 19.3 5.0 1.1
1999 Western Bulldogs 6 24 26 21 382 162 544 133 22 1.1 0.9 15.9 6.8 22.7 5.5 0.9
2000 Western Bulldogs 6 21 32 16 346 121 467 120 35 1.5 0.8 16.5 5.8 22.2 5.7 1.7
2001 Western Bulldogs 6 22 48 32 327 109 436 124 36 2.2 1.5 14.9 5.0 19.8 5.6 1.6
2002 Western Bulldogs 6 22 44 28 334 154 488 137 47 2.0 1.3 15.2 7.0 22.2 6.2 2.1
2003 Western Bulldogs 6 22 42 23 335 167 502 146 40 1.9 1.0 15.2 7.6 22.8 6.6 1.8
2004 Western Bulldogs 6 21 19 24 332 120 452 133 51 0.9 1.1 15.8 5.7 21.5 6.3 2.4
2005 Western Bulldogs 6 22 42 23 329 139 468 149 42 1.9 1.0 15.0 6.3 21.3 6.8 1.9
2006 Western Bulldogs 6 24 74 42 332 135 467 174 30 3.1 1.8 13.8 5.6 19.5 7.3 1.3
2007 Western Bulldogs 6 21 59 26 292 114 406 165 37 2.8 1.2 13.9 5.4 19.3 7.9 1.8
2008 Western Bulldogs 6 25 50 28 331 118 449 172 37 2.0 1.1 13.2 4.7 18.0 6.9 1.5
2009 Western Bulldogs 6 25 37 26 353 185 538 176 66 1.5 1.0 14.1 7.4 21.5 7.0 2.6
2010 Western Bulldogs 6 15 9 8 170 69 239 91 14 0.6 0.5 11.3 4.6 15.9 6.1 0.9
Career 364 558 355 5121 2051 7172 2153 569 1.5 1.0 14.1 5.6 19.7 5.9 1.6

Honours and achievements

Brownlow Medal votes
Season Votes
1994 —
1995 —
1996 2
1997 4
1998 7
1999 3
2000 6
2001 6
2002 4
2003 2
2004 3
2005 6
2006 19
2007 14
2008 —
2009 1
2010 —
Total 77
Key:
Green / Bold = Won
* = joint winner
Red / Italics = Ineligible

Individual

Media and personal life

Johnson co-hosted children's AFL show Auskick'n Around on Fox Footy Channel with former Essendon Football Club captain Matthew Lloyd before the show was cancelled at the end of 2005.[4]

Brad Johnson is currently the Mix 101.1 Resident Footy Expert on Friday Morning with Brigitte Duclos and Anthony Lehmann.

He has also appeared as a panellist on the Seven Network's AFL Game Day as well as on their coverage of the 2010 AFL Grand Final.

After retirement Johnson made his debut for 3AW Football and Fox Sports in season 2012.

He also contributes to the website the Roar under the moniker of Johnno.

References

  1. ↑ Stevens, Mark (19 September 2006). "Ausse (sic) skipper needs surgery". Fox Sports. Retrieved 2009-08-03.
  2. ↑ AFL Fixture, 2008 AFL Fixture – Round 1, droppunt.com, 23 March 2008, Retrieved on 3 January 2009
  3. ↑ Brad Johnson's player profile at AFL Tables
  4. ↑ Connolly, Paul (1 April 2007). "The field commanders". Sun Herald. Retrieved 29 June 2014.

External links

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