Cats could miss Johnson for final

Updated September 03, 2012 20:41:31

Geelong may have to face Fremantle without star forward Steve Johnson in Saturday's elimination final after Johnson was banned for one week for rough conduct by the AFL match review panel.

The panel handed down a number of charges, with Gold Coast's Campbell Brown set to miss six weeks of football after being charged with a level four bump on Adelaide's Aiden Riley.

But the biggest finals impact will be on the Cats, who will have to head to the tribunal if they want to call on Johnson for the final clash.

The mercurial forward was charged with rough conduct for his clash with the Swans' Daniel Hannebery in Geelong's win at Kardinia Park - because of his poor disciplinary record, Johnson faces a week out even with an early guilty plea.

Johnson could have also faced charges for his follow-up on the wounded Swan, when he pulled Hannebery to his feet. The panel found that although his action had been unnecessary, there was not enough force to constitute an offence.

In other finals-related news, Sydney defender Heath Grundy has been charged with a level three striking offence for his elbow hit on Geelong's James Podsiadly in the same match.

Due to his five-year good record, Grundy can accept a reduced one-match ban with an early plea.

Geelong's Paul Chapman can accept a reprimand and 60 points towards his future record with an early plea after being charged with a level one striking offence on Sydney's Ben McGlynn.

The Suns' Brown was charged with a level four bumping or making forceful contact from front-on offence, after he collected Riley in the second quarter of Gold Coast's final match of the season.

With his existing bad record, the veteran faces an eight-match ban, which can only be reduced to six matches with an early plea.

A series of Carlton and St Kilda players have been charged in relation to the melee that took place at the end of the first quarter of Sunday's match at Docklands.

The Saints' Stephen Milne and Tom Simpkin and Carlton's Andrew Walker have been charged with first offences for wrestling and face a $900 fine with an early plea.

Carlton's Mitch Robinson has been charged with his third offence for wrestling and can accept a $3000 fine with an early plea.

St Kilda's Leigh Montagna faces a week off, however, after being charged with a level one rough conduct offence against Walker when he knocked the Blues forward to the ground at the end of the melee.

Because of his poor existing record, Montagna will miss a week even with an early plea.

Gold Coast's Trent McKenzie, Brisbane's Amon Buchanan and North Melbourne's Cruize Garlett can all accept $900 fines with an early plea for charges of making negligent contact with an umpire.

Garlett's team-mate Jack Ziebell has not been so lucky, facing a $1950 sanction for making reckless contact with an umpire.

Greater Western Sydney's James McDonald faces a one-week ban - e ven with an early plea - for rough conduct against North Melbourne's Jamie McMillan at the start of Saturday's match in Sydney.

McDonald's team-mate Curtley Hampton can accept a reprimand and 60 ppints towards his future record for tripping the Kangaroos' Ryan Bastinac.

Tags: australian-football-league, australia

First posted September 03, 2012 18:41:15

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Grundy heads to tribunal, Johnson accepts ban

Updated September 04, 2012 13:57:53

Sydney's Heath Grundy is contesting his one-match ban at the AFL tribunal tonight in the hope of featuring against Adelaide on Saturday, but Geelong has accepted Steve Johnson will not play against Fremantle.

Grundy connected with a swinging elbow on James Podsiadly's chin but the Swans are hoping he will be free for the key game at Football Park.

Grundy has little to lose, as his ban would remain at one game whether he took the early guilty plea or was unsuccessful at the tribunal.

Cats talisman Johnson, who was also in danger of being out for two weeks, has accepted a penalty for rough conduct after clashing with the Swans' Daniel Hannebery

Because of his previous poor disciplinary record, Johnson would have been hit with a two-match suspension had he been unsuccessful in challenging the charge.

Geelong officials gave serious thought to challenging Johnson's level one rough conduct charge in an incident involving Sydney's Dan Hannebery, before deciding it was not worth the risk.

Elsewhere, Gold Coast's Campbell Brown will miss the first six games of next season after accepting a charge of level four bumping or making forceful contact from front-on offence.

St Kilda's Leigh Montagna is appealing his level one rough conduct charge against Carlton's Andrew Walker when he pushed him to the ground at the end of a melee during the MCG clash on Sunday.

He was offered the opportunity to accept a one-week penalty. His case will be heard next week.

The Saints' Stephen Milne and Tom Simpkin and Carlton's Walker all accepted fines of $900 for wrestling, while the Blues' Mitch Robinson accepted a $3,000 fine for the same offence.

All other players have accepted the charges levelled against them.

ABC/AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, sydney-2000, geelong-3220

First posted September 04, 2012 11:52:42

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Johnson helps Cats claw past Dogs

Raman Goraya

Updated May 25, 2012 23:27:44

Geelong relied heavily on the influence of Steve Johnson to avoid slipping dangerously out of finals contention with a hard-fought 20-point victory over a wasteful Bulldogs on Friday night.

The welcome 14.11 (95) to 11.9 (75) win arrested a two-game losing skid for the reigning premier, but after yet again being well beaten in contested possessions and clearances, the Cats were let off the hook thanks to some costly misses in front of goal by the Dogs.

Geelong jumped out to an early three-goal lead with Johnson running free off half-forward in the first half before the classy veteran turned half-back orchestrator in the second to hold off the Bulldogs' surge.

Johnson finished with 36 disposals and 14 marks while fellow premiership star Paul Chapman also stood tall with two goals and 27 touches as the Cats moved to 5-4 and into the eight.

Cats defender Harry Taylor said Johnson's elite work rate was on full display.

"He really set himself to have a good game for us tonight," Taylor told Grandstand.

"I noticed him up and about during the week in training, particularly our main session. He seemed to be covering the ground similar to what he was tonight.

"He is an elite player in terms of fitness. It is probably underestimated a little bit how fit he is."

Captain Matthew Boyd (34 possessions) led a terrific midfield performance by the Bulldogs, ably supported by young guns Mitch Wallis and Tom Liberatore, which bettered the Cats by 18 in contested possessions and 16 in clearances.

But the advantage was nullified up forward with the Dogs, now 4-5, registering just 20 scoring shots from 48 inside 50s - the same number of entries as Geelong.

Down by 23 points half-way through the second term, the slow-starting Bulldogs responded with four of the next five goals to trail by just seven points at the main break.

The margin shrunk to just a point early in the third quarter, and despite two goals in the space of 90 seconds by Chapman, the Dogs looked like running over the top of the worried Cats.

But the Bulldogs relinquished their chance to pounce after two set-shot misses by Jordan Roughead and another by fellow forward Liam Jones either side of the final change and Geelong duly made them pay with consecutive majors.

Three goals in a many minutes to Daniel Giansiracusa (three goals), Shaun Higgins (three goals) and substitute Zephaniah Skinner miraculously helped the Dogs close the gap to just three points.

But the pace of Steven Motlop (three goals) proved pivotal late on as he grabbed his second for the last term, before the uncharacteristically quiet Jimmy Bartel and forward James Podsiadly goaled to seal the points.

Cats coach Chris Scott called his charges in for a meeting after the final siren, something Taylor described as unusual.

The dominating topic, however, did not come as a surprise.

"There wasn't any panic stations in there, we just wanted to re-iterate the fact that we struggled in the contested ball area again," Taylor said.

"We did fight back and the last quarter was better. But unfortunately we got beaten around the ball a bit too easy in the first three quarters."

"I don't think it is a lack of effort. We are certainly going in hard at the ball as per usual.

"Unfortunately the numbers show we just aren't winning them."

Geelong takes on GWS next week while the Bulldogs travel to Sydney to take on the Swans.

Cats: 14.11 (95) - S Motlop 3, T Hawkins 3, P Chapman 2, A Mackie, J Bartel, J Selwood, J Podsiadly, J Hunt, T West.

Bulldogs: 11.9 (75) - D Giansiracusa 3, S Higgins 3, M Wallis, T Dickson, L Jones, T Liberatore, Z Skinner.

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, geelong-3220, footscray-3011, vic, australia

First posted May 25, 2012 22:52:45

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Johnson to challenge charge

Updated April 24, 2012 12:46:54

Steve Johnson will challenge a rough conduct charge at the tribunal on Tuesday night, although the Geelong forward has pleaded guilty to a separate report for tripping.

Johnson will miss Saturday's clash with Brisbane if he is unsuccessful in overturning the charge of rough conduct against Richmond captain Chris Newman during Sunday's match at Kardinia Park.

Due to his existing bad record, Johnson could not have got the sanction lowered from one match to a reprimand with an early guilty plea.

But he was reprimanded and had 78 demerit points added to his record for tripping Tigers midfielder Daniel Jackson.

North Melbourne forward Lindsay Thomas will also appear before the tribunal on Tuesday night in a bid to overturn a three-match ban for a level three rough conduct charge from an incident that left Sydney speedster Gary Rohan with a broken leg.

St Kilda key forward Justin Koschitzke has accepted a one-match ban for striking former team-mate Zac Dawson in Friday night's clash with Fremantle.

Geelong's Trent West (rough conduct) and Sydney's Ted Richards (striking) have both pleaded guilty to incidents from round three and been reprimanded.

Greater Western Sydney defender Chad Cornes ($1,800) and Adelaide's Matthew Jaensch ($900) have been fiend for wrestling with each other.

AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, geelong-3220, vic, australia

First posted April 24, 2012 12:46:54

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Johnson gets good news on knee

Updated September 25, 2011 19:49:07

Geelong star Steve Johnson has received a massive piece of good news as he tries to prove his fitness for the AFL grand final.

Scans on Sunday ruled out structural damage to his left knee, meaning he is certainly in contention to make the side for Saturday's clash against Collingwood.

The key words in Geelong's media release were that his knee was "clinically stable".

"The results have been analysed by the club's medical staff and show that the knee is clinically stable," the Cats' statement read.

"It is swollen and Steve will be utilising a hyperbaric chamber to aid in his recovery."

Johnson wrenched his knee when West Coast midfielder Andrew Embley tackled him in Saturday's preliminary final.

The 2007 Norm Smith medallist was in agony as he was stretchered from the field, but was walking without crutches soon after.

Cats fans greeted Johnson with rousing applause as he gingerly walked around the boundary to the interchange bench later in the match.

Four-time premiership coach Leigh Matthews said earlier on Sunday that if Johnson's knee did not have serious damage, the Cats player was a big chance to play.

He pointed to Brisbane captain Michael Voss in the 2003 grand final and Lions key forward Jonathan Brown a year later.

Matthews said they went into the grand finals with knee injuries, but painkillers meant they were able to play.

"As long as you're structurally OK, if there's just some discomfort, sometimes they can just deaden the knee joint so you don't feel any discomfort," Matthews told Channel Seven's Game Day.

"But it has to be structurally sound at least to do that."

While Johnson starred in the 2007 grand final, he went into the same game two years later suffering from soreness and only had nine disposals as Geelong narrowly beat St Kilda.

Captain Nick Maxwell (ribs) and team-mates Darren Jolly and Ben Reid, who have upper leg injuries, are the main injury concerns for Collingwood at the start of grand final week.

Maxwell suffered a knock late in Friday night's epic preliminary final win over Hawthorn, but should play.

Reid went into the match with his upper leg heavily strapped after missing the qualifying final through injury.

The All-Australian key defender clearly was not at his fittest against Hawthorn.

Jolly had to come off late in the match and was hobbling by the end of the game.

Of the trio, Jolly appears in the biggest doubt.

But coach Mick Malthouse was confident on Sunday that they will play.

Asked about Reid and Jolly, he said: "They are both pretty comfortable, the medical staff seem to think they both should play".

AAP

Tags: australian-football-league, sport, geelong-3220, vic, australia, collingwood-3066

First posted September 25, 2011 16:01:46

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Pies get good news on Johnson

Updated June 1, 2011 12:41:00

Collingwood has had good news on Ben Johnson's troublesome hamstring, with scans showing the defender has not re-torn the muscle after another injury playing for the reserves last weekend.

Magpies captain Nick Maxwell said Johnson only had hamstring tightness, and despite the setback should come into contention in a fortnight to return to senior football.

"He'll probably struggle to come up this week given he only played a quarter, but he'll definitely be in the mix for next week, especially given we've got nine days until the next game (against Melbourne)," Maxwell said.

The Magpies play St Kilda in the grand final rematch at the MCG on Saturday night, with both teams having contrasting seasons.

Collingwood has lost just once and sits second on the ladder, while the Saints have struggled badly and look long shots to even make this season's finals.

Ruck-forward Leigh Brown looms as the most likely inclusion after overcoming a calf problem which has sidelined him for the past two matches.

-AAP

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, vic, collingwood-3066

First posted June 1, 2011 12:24:00

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Johnson towers over the Suns

Published:Saturday, May 28, 2011 10:14 AEST

Steve Johnson of the Cats attempts a mark during the round 10 AFL match against the Gold Coast Suns at Metricon Stadium on May 28, 2011 in Carrara. Johnson slotted home a career-best seven goals as Geelong won by 66 points.

Tags: sport, australian-football-league, australia, qld, carrara-4211, vic, geelong-3220

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