Steve Johnson will have a point to prove when he takes on former club Geelong
GEELONG is expecting dumped champion Steve Johnson to have a score to settle when he confronts his former side for the first time on Sunday.
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GEELONG is expecting dumped champion Steve Johnson to have a score to settle when he confronts his former side for the first time on Sunday.
Controversially delisted at the end of last season, Johnson will attempt to plot the Cats’ downfall in Canberra as his Giants look to respond from last week’s loss to Melbourne.
Geelong defender and former long-time teammate Andrew Mackie admitted Johnson would have mixed emotions coming up against a club he didn’t want to leave.
“It’s going to be a strange thing for Stevie, obviously he was a champion of our club and he’s got some great relationships with a lot of us, so it will be a different time,” Mackie said.
“But we’re all professionals now, so no matter who gets the job, like any other player, from our point of view, they’ve got a job to do and we hope they do it.”
Mackie joked Johnson has “probably got the notebook” out crafting a series of witty sledges aimed at the teammates he played with over 253 games at the Cats.
Johnson kicked two goals from 23 disposals in his first match for the Giants last week after making an instant impact with a strong NAB Challenge campaign.
The Cats last year said the decision to let Johnson go was a “marginal call”, and Mackie expects the Norm Smith medallist to have a point to prove.
“We’re professional AFL footballers, every weekend we try to go out and prove to ourselves and our teammates and our coaches what we’re made of,” Mackie said.
“I don’t expect anything different from Steve this week, or any of our players.”
As for the on-field banter, Mackie said: “He’s probably got the notebook, writing it down now”.
“He’s good fun, he’s quite quick-witted with that sort of stuff. Hopefully we’re having a laugh at the end of the game, but like I’ve said, we’ve both got a job to do as well as the 40-odd players who are playing on the day.”
Originally published as Steve Johnson will have a point to prove when he takes on former club Geelong
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