AFL trades 2015: Steve Johnson to play for GWS Giants

LEON Cameron says he will urge recruit Steve Johnson to play with the same instincts that turned him into a triple premiership star.

Stevie J flair can light up Giants

LEON Cameron says he will urge recruit Steve Johnson to play with the same instincts that turned him into a triple premiership star.

Johnson, 32, joined Greater Western Sydney on an initial one-year deal, but he ­believes he can play for longer.

Geelong coach Chris Scott grew frustrated with some of Johnson’s stranger on-field ­decisions and the Cats delisted him despite his 30 goals for the season.

Giants coach Cameron told the Herald Sun he thought Johnson wanted to play with flair and also make his teammates better.

JAY CLARK, MICK WARNER AND SAM LANDSBERGER DISCUSSED ALL THE LATEST DEVELOPMENTS IN THE TRADE HQ PODCAST. LISTEN BELOW OR ON ITUNES

The Cats enhanced their reputation as football’s good guys, trading Johnson for a 2016 fifth-round pick to ensure he got to the Giants.

“When you look at most forwards in the competition, they play with instinct and make their opponents defend them because of their unpredictability,’’ Cameron said.

“There is the right balance of that instinct and system. Geelong’s system has stood the test of time.

“He doesn’t just want to be remembered for that reason (flair), he wants to be remembered for being a competitive animal. He is a competitive man and whether that’s a hard tackle or winning his own ball or short-passing to someone in a better position, it all comes from competitive juices.”

Johnson could move into coaching at GWS after his first season there, but said his body could keep him going for more than one year.

He met with at least four clubs, including Brisbane, but he said the decision was “straight-forward”.

“I believe I still have a lot to offer as an AFL player and I wouldn’t be continuing my playing career unless I thought I could make a difference,” he said.

“Everyone knows the Giants have an outstanding playing list and that was certainly a big influence on my decision.

“I believe this club has a great opportunity to be successful and it’s an exciting time to be joining a young up and coming team.”

Johnson toured the Giants’ facilities last week and believes GWS is an ideal fit for him given the Giants’ lack experience and a quality small forward.

Johnson was retired by the Cats after 253 games including three premierships and the 2007 Norm Smith Medal. He played 20 games this year, kicking 30 goals.

How Steve Johnson looks in orange, in an image on the Giants website.

In the days leading into the trade deadline last year Johnson was offered a five-year deal by GWS that included playing and coaching.

He was in America on a golf trip and never had enough time to seriously consider that offer.

That deal would likely have seen Geelong attain pick 4 for the Geelong star.

Now after being delisted by Geelong in a line-ball call he was happy to play on somewhere that would also see him explore his coaching potential.

Johnson, 32, also has huge marketing appeal at a club that needs some spark in an expansion market.

He said recently he still had the fire in the belly to play on.

“I’m certainly open to playing on,” Johnson said.

“I still feel like I have got a bit left in the tank. I the right scenario came, where a club thought I could fit in well to their system, I would certainly consider that.

“But until those opportunities arise and they are put in front of me, I guess I won’t know.”

Johnson was not determined to go to a flag fancy but GWS was pushing hard for the finals this year until some untimely injuries to their senior players.

Steve Johnson celebrates a goal in his final game for the Cats. Picture: Colleen Petch

Cameron said Johnson was playing on for the right reasons, not to prove Geelong wrong.

“I think he’s got a great relationship with his teammates and the Cats coaches,’’ he said.

“He doesn’t see that as a driving force.

“The driving force is he only gets to play once in his life, he doesn’t want to sit back and say, ‘What if I had another year or two left?’

“He wants to come in and earn his stripes as a Giant.”

With Johnson in the line-up, Jon Patton playing a full year off a knee reconstruction and a star midfield, they would be expected to play finals in 2016.