Johnson a Royals great after five stunning years to end careerFriday, September 9, 2016 - 8:29 AM - by Chris Pike

PAUL Johnson's career had been a rollercoaster ride before arriving at East Perth in 2012 but over five years he proved himself the best and most consistent player in the WAFL and he retires content that he got everything out of his body.

Before returning to Perth and joining East Perth for the 2012 season, Johnson had already played 70 AFL matches between West Coast, Melbourne and Hawthorn along with 32 in the WAFL with Swan Districts and achieving some impressive feats in the VFL.

Johnson played in a premiership with Sandringham and won a J.J Liston Trophy as the VFL's best player but it had been a frustrating career for the big man who could never quite cement a spot, or lockdown time in the ruck especially in the AFL and instead spent a lot of time forward.

But when he got to East Perth that all changed. He was put in the ruck and virtually left there to battle it out on his own especially in the early years until the last couple when he's had the likes of Scott Lycett and Jonathan Giles from West Coast as support.

What Johnson has been able to do over five years has been remarkable. He has been the dominant ruckman in the competition often doing 90 per cent of the ruck work on his own in games and often against multiple opponents.

But the bigger the work load the more Johnson seemed to thrive and not only was his tap work exquisite, but he often would rack up midfielder numbers and his ability to cover the ground and deliver on his left boot was outstanding.

Add in the fact that he was the most physical ruckman in the competition as well and it's hard to argue that Johnson has been the best player in the WAFL for five years now but all good things have to come to an end.

Over 110 games at East Perth the past five years, Johnson won two fairest and best awards, played in two grand finals, a preliminary final, a first semi-final and elimination final, and represented Western Australia four times including as captain in wins over Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania while also winning the 2012 Simpson Medal.

The only thing missing was that elusive East Perth premiership and a Sandover Medal that isn’t even out of the question still in 2016.

But Johnson retired after Sunday's elimination final loss for East Perth against Peel Thunder in Mandurah and does so with no regrets.

"It's a long drive down to Mandurah and I probably had too much time to think but I started playing footy when I was four and haven’t missed a season since then and haven’t missed any weeks during a season except when I've been injured," Johnson said.

"What I've got out of myself the last five years is what I'm most proud of. I came to East Perth playing five games one year and the year before that six or seven, so to get through and only miss two games in five years is something I'm happy to get out of my body.

"A big hats off to the fitness staff here and my coaches Tony (Micale), Brian (Dawson) and Jaymie (Graham) for making sure I can do that.

"It's probably not until a couple of weeks' time when I sit down and realise what I've got out of my life and I was lucky enough to win a premiership at Sandy, a Liston and some fairest and best awards here along the way that it will hit me. You don't regret anything but I will miss it a hell of a lot."

It is only fitting that despite having shared East Perth's ruck duties with Giles for much of 2016 that he finished his career with the Royals how it started – by defying the odds against multiple opponents.

Despite going up against Zac Clarke, Jack Hannath and Michael Apeness on Sunday against Peel, Johnson was outstanding with 16 possessions, seven tackles and 32 hit outs, but his body has told him it's had enough.

"The last couple of weeks has ticked the box to make the decision easier and especially in my last game to go up against two quality ruckman like Zac and Hannath and then even Apeness at times," he said.

"It's hard work and the grounds over here don't make it easier being bloody big. The rain this year has made it even harder again but it's what you do.

"They are the little obstacles you overcome during games and you play to be competitive. You play to be the best that you can be and to improve. If that's what it takes to improve then that's what you have to do."

Johnson's last ever play on a WAFL field was with Peel veteran Rory O'Brien earning a free-kick for a high tackle. That's enough to make Johnson laugh, but he has plenty of time for him off the field.

"It's very frustrating, he knows how to sucker a free-kick old Rory but hats off to him. He is an old timer like me and he's a lovely guy off the field," Johnson said.

"We shared a room in Northam when we played against the Vics and geez he's an eager boy. He's like a little 10-year-old in an old man's body. He is still going smooth and racking them up there so hats off to him and hopefully he can get one before it's his time."

Johnson wasn’t the only East Perth legend to retire on Sunday either with captain and games record holder Craig Wulff calling time following 286 matches. Johnson was honoured to play with him and to retire alongside him.

"Wulffy is an absolute legend of the club and the WAFL. He is the games record holder here and everything else, but unfortunately we couldn’t get a premiership under him," he said.

"He will be missed and he's not just a teammate, he's a best mate so we'll be catching up with each other. It was very honourable to finish up on the same day as him and leave the field alongside him."

Johnson had been a journeyman before arriving at East Perth but now five years later and it is the Royals that he will always have the strongest bond with as he heads into retirement.

"What this club has given me and what I've been able to give back hasn’t repaid half of it, but as I told the boys it's not a club it's a family. You look at the support staff and the supporters, they bleed black-and-blue and it's a very emotional and hard club," Johnson said.

"They've always been the club who doesn’t get any recognition from other clubs, you are East Perth against the rest. I've absolutely loved my time here. I started back at Swan Districts when I first came over and they are very similar being very black-and-white. To come to East Perth it's a strong club and it's a family."

Despite the difficulties of not being able to recruit to replace the players at East Perth now either retiring or departing for different reasons, Johnson feels the club can still be successful and he looks at the partnership with West Coast as a positive despite the challenges.

"You look at the young guys coming through and our twos who finished on top of the ladder and the future is exciting for the club looking ahead. It's just a matter of giving them time and developing them," he said.

"Jaymie is developing them well and LD (reserves coach Luke Dwyer) down there my hats are off to him.

"They have some of the hardest positions in WAFL football with us having four and six changes every week so it's a hard gig for Jaymie and even harder for LD because sometimes we roll up on game day not knowing if we have two or three players. But that's the way it comes with the alignment. The positive is it's secured the club financially so it has been great for the club."

Given he has been involved in football for almost 30 years now, Johnson would like to stay involved but he's not sure in what capacity just yet. Perth is home, though, that much he does know.

"I will sit back for a couple of months and relax, and reflect on what my career has been. I married a Perth girl and she would like to stay here with her family and everything here, and I enjoy it here and where we live," Johnson said.

"Perth will be our home, it's just a matter of where to from here. I'll take it easy for now but I couldn’t see myself stepping away from footy 100 per cent for the rest of my life. I love footy, I love the game and I love the way it moves so there will be a role there somewhere down the track."