It has become fact that Gary Ablett Jr is the best midfielder in the competition and arguably the best player. His peers say it, experts say it and stats say that no one can lay claims to being better than the little master.
The debate as to who is the second-best midfielder is much harder.
Is it Geelong’s Joel Selwood? Collingwood’s Scott Pendlebury? Essendon’s Jobe Watson? Adelaide’s Patrick Dangerfield?
As good as all those players are and for all they have achieved, there is one player that seemingly gets forgotten about but the time has come to recognise him.
Geelong’s magician Steve Johnson is now the competition’s second-best midfielder.
For the last season and five games, there has been no better or more consistent player than Steve Johnson.
In 2013, he had over 25 disposals in 14 games and over 30 nine times. This came from just 19 games, including finals.
Last year, Johnson went from half-forward who would pinch hit to elite midfielder.
He polled 25 Brownlow votes and could have won if he not missed four games due to suspension.
This year, he ranks only behind Ablett in terms of disposals, but statistics are not everything when judging the best.
In last year’s preliminary final, he was best afield in a losing cause. He had it 32 times and kicked four goals. His first quarter and a half was one of the best in a final.
Had Travis Varcoe kicked the goal to tie the game, we would have all gone back to Johnson, whose left foot kick around the body was as hard a kick as you could attempt in the heat of the moment.
Come yesterday against the same opponent, it was Johnson again that did the damage. 34 disposals and three goals, including the match sealer.
More importantly, it was his clearance work, his clean hands, his decision making and his elite endurance that made him unstoppable from the first minute to last.
At times Johnson can infuriate Geelong supporters, coaches and neutral supporters, but the brilliance that only he can do makes up for it and then some.
Cast your mind back to 2012 and again Geelong versus Hawthorn.
With Geelong down by four points with only 20 seconds remaining, he pulled off a left foot pass off one step pin point to Joel Selwood who would then mark and kick to Tom Hawkins for the match winning goal.
All the plaudits would go to Hawkins, but had the ball been in anyone else’s hands just 20 seconds earlier, the result would have been far different.
Johnson for so long has had to live in the shadows of Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Selwood, Corey Enright, Cameron Ling, Joel Corey, Matt Scarlett and all the Geelong champions of this dominant era.
However the time has come to appreciate Johnson as not just a champion of Geelong, but one of the competition’s best.
So far, he has kicked 411 goals in 220 matches, won a Norm Smith medal in 2007, is a three-time premiership player and a three-time All-Australian.
Last year, he was over-looked for All-Australian nomination and like so often in the past few years, we have overlooked him as a true great.
The modern game requires big midfielders. With congestion and stoppages, the best midfielders are those that can extract it under extreme physical pressure.
At 189 centimetres and 91 kilograms, Johnson fits the mould.
The game requires an ability to run and Johnson’s endurance has allowed him to become an elite midfielder.
It requires vision, elite decision making and precision skills and despite at times trying for the miraculous rather than the safe option. Johnson’s vision and decision making are without peer and execution of skills under pressure is second to none.
His heroics in the 2011 premiership cannot go unnoticed. Four goals, but it was the timing which was important.
As Tom Hawkins was struggling in front of goal, it was Johnson who took all the pressure off and kicked crucial goals from Hawkins marks.
Great players leave a trademark on the game. His decision to snap from a set shot on an angle rather than the traditional set shot has become the norm for most.
The only missing ingredient is a best and fairest. For someone so talented and gifted, he has never been named the best Geelong player.
On current form, this year may finally be it.
At 30, Johnson may be coming to the best part of his career and is no doubt in the form of his life.
For Geelong supporters and the footy world, if the last year and the start of this year is anything to go by, we are in for some more magical times.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
Geelong coach Chris Scott has hit out at the AFL Tribunal's decision to clear Charlie Cameron for his dangerous tackle on Jake Lever, saying…
Round 5 of the AFL provided plenty of action, from big scorelines to upset wins and pressure starting to build on some clubs and coaches already.
The AFL Players' Association has come out swinging against the league for their decision to hand Port Adelaide forward a three-match suspension for using…
Geelong has been crafty and creative in its list management and has quietly assembled a very exciting young group of midfielders and half-forwards.
Brisbane co-captain Lachie Neale will be looking to lead his team to a victory against Melbourne in what will be his 250th AFL game.
It’s high stakes with five teams having lost their first three games of season 2024, and in desperate need of a win.
