Geelong Cats star Steve Johnson’s family fight highlights drug scourge as Victorian Premier urges AFL to lead the way

DANIEL Andrews has called on the AFL to take its own stand against ice as he detailed the harrowing experience with family friend Terry Johnson, whose son, David, is addicted to the drug.

News.Premier Daniel Andrews and Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan spruiking Metro at corner Swanston st and LaTrobe streets in Melbourne . Picture : Andrew Tauber

VICTORIAN premier Dan Andrews says community football clubs must rid themselves of ice, urging players to report any illegal activity in their team to police.

Andrews yesterday called on the AFL to take its own stand as he detailed the harrowing experience with family friend Terry Johnson, father of Geelong star Steve.

Terry Johnson spoke last month of having to report his son David to police to help cure him of his addiction to ice.

Andrews said on Wednesday that the family’s situation in Wangaratta showed how pervasive ice was in communities. He said football should be a sanctuary rather than a place to foster addiction.

The Herald Sun last month revealed the extent of ice addiction in football clubs across Victoria, with clubs believing they are powerless to stop the spread of the insidious drug.

“I think footy clubs are part of the answer, not part of the problem’’ Andrews said.

“Anyone who has even a hint of suspicion or evidence that the wrong thing is being done in a footy club or anywhere, they should be straight on the phone to Triple 0,’’ Andrews said.

“And the police should deal with them. My view and I have seen it first hand is that footy clubs are the places people get saved, not brought into this.”

PROBLEM: Coaches supplying ice to players at grassroots level

The premiers’ office said last night Andrews was a close friend of Terry Johnson, who spoke out in March about having to “dob in” his son to save him.

“Stevie J’s father is a good mate of mine and my old man was the president of the footy club where Stevie J played,’’ Andrews said on Wednesday.

“Stevie’s brother ... and I have no problem saying this because Terry has been out there and is a really proud advocate about this. They know how this works. It is really very difficult.”

Wangaratta is one of the regional centres battling the flood of methamphetamines.

His son is now “80 to 90 per cent” recovered, according to Terry Johnson, who said he had no way out other than to report him to police.

“It was a very desperate move (going to the police) and I have only just told him in the last month that it was me who dobbed him in, so to speak,” he told the Border Mail.

“I didn’t really know people who had taken drugs and become dependent on them but I now know first hand and it is devastating.

“It’s been nearly 12 months now, but it takes two years for full recovery I’m told, but I’d say he is 80 or 90 per cent there.”

LISTEN TO DAN ANDREWS ON SEN TALK ABOUT ICE IN FOOTY, THE SAINTS’ POTENTIAL MOVE TO MOORABBIN AND THE GRAND FINAL PARADE:

listen to ‘Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews joined the Morning Glory boys in the studio’ on audioBoom

Geelong said last night that Steve Johnson was aware of Andrews’ comments.

Andrews told SEN Radio he believed in the power of football clubs to help young men and women.

“That’s what keeps people together and gives them focus. I know the AFL takes this very seriously, I have spoken to club presidents about this and I am sure Gill is right onto this,” he said.

“The AFL have led the debate whether it be about family violence or racial vilification and that’s what defines footy as our game. That’s the leadership position footy clubs have.

“(Our $45 million of funding) is for the things that couldn’t wait but this is a very big issue and it has got away from us.

“We did (underestimate) it, all of us have to stand up and say this has got away from us and we need to do more.”