Chris Johnson (footballer, born 1976)

Christopher Lloyd Johnson (born 30 May 1976) is a former professional Australian rules footballer.

Chris Johnson
Johnson in 2010
Personal information
Full name Christopher Lloyd Johnson
Date of birth (1976-05-30) 30 May 1976 (age 48)
Original team(s) Jacana / Northern U18 (TAC Cup)
Draft 7th overall, 1993
Fitzroy
Height 180 cm (5 ft 11 in)
Weight 92 kg (203 lb)
Position(s) Back pocket
Playing career1
Years Club Games (Goals)
1994–1996 Fitzroy 059 0(67)
1997–2007 Brisbane Lions 205 (105)
Total 264 (172)
Coaching career3
Years Club Games (W–L–D)
2009 Indigenous All-Stars (1–0–0)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2007.
3 Coaching statistics correct as of 2009.
Career highlights
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

His career highlights as an Australian Football League (AFL) player include three premierships with Brisbane, All-Australian selection, captain of the Australian International Rules team and inclusion in the Indigenous Team of the Century.

Johnson was one of eight players to transfer to Brisbane when Fitzroy's AFL operations were taken over by the Brisbane Bears to form the Brisbane Lions and became the last Fitzroy Lion to play in the AFL.

After retiring from playing professionally, Johnson started coaching and played and coached Essendon District Football League team Avondale Heights Football Club between 2010 and 2012.

His son Lachlan Johnson was drafted to the Essendon Football Club in the 2019 rookie draft.

He now plays for his junior club, Jacana.[1]

Early life

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Johnson grew up in Jacana, a northern suburb of Melbourne. He played for the Northern Under 18 side in the TAC Cup, including their 1993 Grand Final winning team, when he kicked 7 goals.[2]

AFL career

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Johnson began his professional AFL career with Fitzroy in 1994. He was awarded a nomination in the 1994 AFL Rising Star award in round 21.[3]

He was one of eight players allowed to transfer to Brisbane when Fitzroy's AFL operations were taken over by the Brisbane Bears to form the Brisbane Lions.[4] His career highlights include three premierships with Brisbane, All-Australian selection and inclusion in the Indigenous Team of the Century.

Johnson is renowned for his creative play and composure running out of defence. Nevertheless, his 2007 preseason saw him playing as regularly in the forward line and the midfield as a defender, signalling the club's intention to use him as an impact player.

Johnson was appointed co-captain of the Lions in 2007, alongside Simon Black, Luke Power, Jonathan Brown, and Nigel Lappin.[5]

On 31 August 2007, Johnson announced that he would retire from football at the end of the season. He was the last former Fitzroy Lion still playing in the AFL.[6]

International rules series 2005

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In the 2005 International Rules series, Johnson was named co-captain along with Andrew McLeod.[7] In the second game of the series, Johnson started a brawl by clothes line tackling (or "coat hanger") Philip Jordan and striking Mattie Forde.[8] He was suspended for five matches after pleading guilty to striking, ruling him out until the second Test in 2008.[9]

Coaching career

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Following his AFL career, he remained involved in the game.

He became a runner for the Brisbane Lions, appearing in Round 11 against Fremantle Dockers. [citation needed]

Then he shifted into coaching. On Friday 14 September 2007, Johnson signed on with the club as a full-time development coach for the Brisbane Lions. [citation needed] His job is to continue to assist in the development of the club's young playing list in the new position and to show off field leadership. He was promoted to assistant coach to Michael Voss.

He coached Brisbane school and AFL powerhouse St Peters Lutheran College for two years, posting a 10–0 record over his two-year tenure as the head coach for the opens team. They captured the 2007 and 2008 AIC AFL Premiership after defeating Iona College in the Grand Final on both occasions, before the competition was abandoned due to an increase of in game fights. In 2008, the school defeated Cairns school Djarragun College at the Gabba, before the Lions-Saints game, in an exhibition match to promote the AFL's indigenous round.

In February 2009, Johnson coached the Indigenous All-Stars to victory against Adelaide in Darwin.[10]

In 2011 he was appointed the Australian Institute of Sport/AFL Level One Academy Coach.[11]

Statistics

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[12]
Legend
  G  
Goals
  K  
Kicks
  D  
Disposals 
  T  
Tackles
  B  
Behinds 
  H  
Handballs 
  M  
Marks
Season Team No. Games Totals Averages (per game)
G B K H D M T G B K H D M T
1994 Fitzroy 2 17 23 19 132 71 203 49 34 1.4 1.1 7.8 4.2 11.9 2.9 2.0
1995 Fitzroy 2 20 25 18 142 79 221 57 42 1.3 0.9 7.1 4.0 11.1 2.9 2.1
1996 Fitzroy 2 22 19 15 213 176 389 76 85 0.9 0.7 9.7 8.0 17.7 3.5 3.9
1997 Brisbane Lions 2 19 11 12 160 65 225 56 33 0.6 0.6 8.4 3.4 11.8 2.9 1.7
1998 Brisbane Lions 2 14 20 14 87 46 133 42 16 1.4 1.0 6.2 3.3 9.5 3.0 1.1
1999 Brisbane Lions 2 20 25 14 121 52 173 55 24 1.3 0.7 6.1 2.6 8.7 2.8 1.2
2000 Brisbane Lions 2 21 6 4 159 121 280 84 24 0.3 0.2 7.6 5.8 13.3 4.0 1.1
2001 Brisbane Lions 2 21 4 9 234 137 371 105 34 0.2 0.4 11.1 6.5 17.7 5.0 1.6
2002 Brisbane Lions 2 22 7 3 203 114 317 103 47 0.3 0.1 9.2 5.2 14.4 4.7 2.1
2003 Brisbane Lions 2 21 9 2 185 126 311 91 44 0.4 0.1 8.8 6.0 14.8 4.3 2.1
2004 Brisbane Lions 2 25 3 4 221 164 385 117 51 0.1 0.2 8.8 6.6 15.4 4.7 2.0
2005 Brisbane Lions 2 22 6 5 243 123 366 122 48 0.3 0.2 11.0 5.6 16.6 5.5 2.2
2006 Brisbane Lions 2 8 3 1 77 38 115 34 19 0.4 0.1 9.6 4.8 14.4 4.3 2.4
2007 Brisbane Lions 2 12 11 6 91 47 138 62 25 0.9 0.5 7.6 3.9 11.5 5.2 2.1
Career 264 172 126 2268 1359 3627 1053 526 0.7 0.5 8.6 5.1 13.7 4.0 2.0

References

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  1. ^ "Chris Johnson stands aside as Avondale Heights coach". Archived from the original on 25 May 2014.
  2. ^ Chris Donald (1 January 2005). Fitzroy: For the Love of the Jumper. Pennon Pub. p. 288. ISBN 978-1-877029-18-9. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  3. ^ Lovett, Michael (ed.). AFL 2002. p. 461. ISBN 0-9580300-0-6.
  4. ^ "Lion's body of work worth the weight". The Age. Melbourne. 31 May 2003. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  5. ^ "Jonathan Brown named Lions' sole skipper". Herald Sun. 26 October 2008.
  6. ^ "AFL's last Fitzroy player calls it quits". 31 August 2007. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  7. ^ "Aussies name line-up for Ireland clash".
  8. ^ "Future Tense". Irish Independent. 28 October 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  9. ^ "GAA to meet AFL over rules series". BBC News. 18 January 2006. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  10. ^ "Johnson to coach Indigenous All-Stars". 30 January 2009. Archived from the original on 10 October 2009. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  11. ^ "Chris Johnson announced as 2011 AIS-AFL Academy Level One coach". 23 August 2011. Archived from the original on 23 March 2012. Retrieved 30 October 2012.
  12. ^ Chris Johnson's player profile at AFL Tables
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