By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
AMID the ongoing debate about the possible retirement of Geelong’s older players, Steve Johnson made a valid point at training this week.
But he did it with his boot, not his mouth.
After a tongue-in-cheek challenge from one of the training staff, Johnno steered a drop punt through an open window in the top deck of the Brownlow stand.
The miraculous shot surprised Cats video and IT staff monitoring training from the lofty vantage point – and possibly caused some collateral equipment damage.
But the point was made given the degree of difficulty in kicking a ball through a three-square-metre aperture 45 metres away and 30 or 40 metres high.
The feat added to a list of incredible trick shots at Kardinia Park by Johnson, Steve Motlop, Travis Varcoe and Gary Ablett.
Motlop recently curled his shot through goals with a midair kick from a tight angle in a forward pocket – after heading the ball with a teammate several times.
While still a Cat, Varcoe kicked a ball from the grandstand into a bin on the ground.
A competition between Ablett and Johnson to kick a ball into a bin from various positions at the rear of the Brownlow grandstand is still winning You Tube hits.
Johnson’s latest effort flew in the face of commentators who have decided his magic has deserted him and thus retirement awaits.
Johnson’s bravado backed by a high-level skill set means he’s always a threat during a game.
But coach Chris Scott has faced a barrage of questions about his older brigade at the past two media conferences.
Scott reiterated the list management group would have “ongoing, respectful conversations” with players about the club’s general list-management plan.
“We love these guys but we love the club just a little bit more and we’ve got to make sure we do the right thing,” he said
“They’re all different. Treating them on an individual basis is the respectful thing to do,” Scott said.
“It is easy to group them all together. They’re a similar age and almost all played exclusively for Geelong and been champions of the game.
“It’s just the wrong thing for me to speak publically about those situations in detail before we’ve worked it through with them in private.
“As is the case with Hamish McIntosh it is up to the individuals themselves to speak up rather than my view of what might happen by the end of the season.”
Hours later McIntosh called time on his 13-year AFL career, with looming surgery for a fresh ankle injury forcing him to retire immediately.
The 30-year-old arrived at the Cats from North Melbourne in late 2012 but injury sidelined him in his first year at the club.
McIntosh went on to play 19 games for the Cats in 2014 but managed just two VFL games this season due to injury.
Simonds Stadium welcomes back former Cat Allen Christensen with the Brisbane Lions on Saturday afternoon when Josh Caddy plays his 50th game.
