Michael Johnson (Australian rules footballer)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Michael Johnson | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 Johnson playing for Fremantle in March 2016 | |||
| Personal information | |||
| Full name | Michael Johnson | ||
| Date of birth | 20 October 1984 | ||
| 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) | |
| 2002–2010 | Perth | 49 (15) | |
| 2005–2018 | Fremantle | 244 (68) | |
| 2018 | Peel Thunder | 5 (0) | |
| Total | 298 (83) | ||
| Representative team honours | |||
| Years | Team | Games (Goals) | |
| 2005 | Indigenous All-Stars | 1 (0) | |
|
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2018. 2 Representative 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.
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]
