#20 Ash Johnson

[Jezza]

Lots of potential here.

Good mark and kick for goal. Looked lively in the first quarter.

[Meredith1965]

Of all the big news from yesterday’s game, this might be the biggest. Someone compared this young man to Phil Carman, a while back. I think that might be very prescient. He will kick 6-7 a game soon, when we start winning clearances. He is powerful overhead, quick, nerveless, and a long kick with that kind of loose-limbed natural action characteristic of indigenous players. Can he and Henry work together ? If so, what (apart from lack of supply) could stop a forward line of Johnson, Henry, Elliott, McCreery, Mihocek and Ginnivan ?

[MatthewBoydFanClub]

Thing with Ash is that he plays tall, can take a mark and is extremely mobile. We play he and Mihocek in the forward line we have the spine we need since Cox played forward back in 2018. Henry is our medium forward, McCreery is our defensive forward and then we build up our forward line around those four. Kreuger and McStay could change the formula next year. What showed us up last night was being killed by Gawn and Brown in our backline. We need another defensive tall to help out Moore - maybe McStay could fill that role next year.

[Haff]

Thing with Ash is that he plays tall, can take a mark and is extremely mobile. We play he and Mihocek in the forward line we have the spine we need since Cox played forward back in 2018. Henry is our medium forward, McCreery is our defensive forward and then we build up our forward line around those four. Kreuger and McStay could change the formula next year. What showed us up last night was being killed by Gawn and Brown in our backline. We need another defensive tall to help out Moore - maybe McStay could fill that role next year.

Checkers looked a little lost last night which maybe we chalk up to missing a week or two. He was also the key focus of the number 1 defensive team. With Ash starting to find his place and McStay/Krugs to play tall, does Checkers go back to shore up defence?

[Big T]

Thing with Ash is that he plays tall, can take a mark and is extremely mobile. We play he and Mihocek in the forward line we have the spine we need since Cox played forward back in 2018. Henry is our medium forward, McCreery is our defensive forward and then we build up our forward line around those four. Kreuger and McStay could change the formula next year. What showed us up last night was being killed by Gawn and Brown in our backline. We need another defensive tall to help out Moore - maybe McStay could fill that role next year.

That's what everyone is missing. McStay is being recruited for defence. And an ageing Howe.

[sherrife]

That's what everyone is missing. McStay is being recruited for defence. And an ageing Howe.

Agreed. We need another KPD for sure, and McStay has the perfect build to free up Moore and Howe to be more flexible.

On Ash, the guy is smooth as silk and yet extremely powerful. One grab hands, a great kicking action, lots of self-belief and - most importantly of all - knows how to lead up and down in straight lines to dangerous parts of the ground. Watching him lead and double back, repeatedly, in the forward fifty is a joy, and contrasts quite a lot to how most of the others stand around waiting for the ball to be kicked on their heads.

I can't believe this guy was playing in the SAFL at the age of 24. He's already better than players like Georgiadis who've been in the system for years. The same applied to Checkers I guess, who came in and was instantly a team improver. I reckon we should try recruit more mature players from those lower leagues, they come more easily and the returns seem to be much higher.

[Return of the baldfacts]

Thing with Ash is that he plays tall, can take a mark and is extremely mobile. We play he and Mihocek in the forward line we have the spine we need since Cox played forward back in 2018. Henry is our medium forward, McCreery is our defensive forward and then we build up our forward line around those four. Kreuger and McStay could change the formula next year. What showed us up last night was being killed by Gawn and Brown in our backline. We need another defensive tall to help out Moore - maybe McStay could fill that role next year.

That's what everyone is missing. McStay is being recruited for defence. And an ageing Howe.

But is McStay any good in defence? Been playing forward for many years, so not sure if he is any good as a defender.

[inxs88]

He moves like a ballerina in a positive way.

[gobbles21]

That's what everyone is missing. McStay is being recruited for defence. And an ageing Howe.

If that were true, they’d simply explain that to Ollie Henry and he’d re-sign. It’s widely reported that Henry’s currently waiting to see what happens because he’s asked the club to let him know how he fits in next year if we’re recruiting McStay.

Wright is on record earlier in the year when asked about specifically McStay, his response was basically along the lines of saying a key forward is on the agenda and if a Key Fwd free agent is available of course we’ll look at them. All but confirming our interest in McStay as a key forward.

So no, it’s not “what everyone’s missing”. It’s your opinion, based on absolutely zero evidence whatsoever.

So stop making BS up and stating it as fact, when it’s nothing more than an extremely uneducated opinion.

[RudeBoy]

'Magic' Johnson has transformed our forward line imo. He may not be the big power forward we've been longing for, but he is big enough, plays tall, is a one grab mark, leads perfectly, is super fast, is a beautiful kick for goal, is a team player, with supreme confidence. That's not a bad package.

[thesoretoothsayer]

"Love seeing the boys, they get around me every day. Love every bit of it."

[VicParkTragic]

Johnson has the attributes that sees him looking like a cross between Andrew Krakour and Sean Rusling. This is very exciting to say the least.

[lazzadesilva]

Johnson has the attributes that sees him looking like a cross between Andrew Krakour and Sean Rusling. This is very exciting to say the least.

A very nice observation. Maybe it’s because I loved the man (and got to know him well when he played in Bendigo), Johnson reminds me of a young Phil Carman skills wise. I know it’s a high bar but I think he is a gun.

[RudeBoy]

You're right Lazza, he reminds me of fabulous Phil too, minus the white line fever. He has a similar build, is mobile and has a terrific leap. As his confidence grows I expect to see him take some screamers. Hopefully next year we'll see both he and Henry flying for marks and kicking bags of goals for us.

[Marvelos]

This bloke has something different, mad hands, wicked leap and can kick set shots and has size, scary thing is he’s just getting warmed up IMO, he could be the key come September.