Essendon drafted Johns at the 2002 rookie draft and bought him over from East Fremantle. The 18-year-old was tipped to go in the top 20 at the National Draft last season until a hip injury ruined his chances. The Bombers decided to take a punt on the 192cm tall forward and have spent the last 10 months attempting to get his hip injury right. The Engine Room caught up with Johns.
Q. You were basically told you would never play again but Essendon decided to take a punt and try and get you right. What exactly was the problem?
A. I actually had a fall last August before the start of the finals and chipped off a bit of cartledge off the head of my femur bone near the hip joint. Because it is such a pressure bearing area I had to have a scrape. They cleaned it up for me and I wasn't allowed to run for over four months because the scar had to heal. I slowly got back into it and almost 11 months back into it and I am nearly only almost right.
Q. When you did the injury last August - how disappointed were you because the talk was that you would have been drafted in the top 20?
A. When I did it I didn't actually think it was as bad as it turned out to be. I still thought I had a fair chance at the draft and then afterwards I found out why I hadn't been picked up. That is when it really hit me and I was pretty disappointed. I just set myself to get it right and play another season with East Fremantle and hope to get drafted next year. I was lucky enough to get picked up by Essendon in the rookie draft.
Q. You have been on a modified program since you have been at the club. What has been involved in your training?
A. At the start when I got here I didn't do much. I did a bit of walking and then slowly into running and then slowly into a bit of speed work and then agility. I also did a lot of boxing and then I slowly got into the skill work when the agility was there. Now I am pretty much training flat out when my hip feels good. If it feels a bit sore I just back off and do some pool work.
Q. It is fantastic that Essendon has taken a punt and picked you up, but what are the chances that you will get the injury 100% right?
A. A lot of people have said that I will never play. The doctor that did my surgery has always said to me that I will play. I am taking his word and being really positive. I am almost there now so hopefully by the end of the season I will be playing full games.
Q. At the moment how much are you playing?
A. I have been playing pretty much a half a game each week and then just seeing how I pull up.
Q. It must give you great confidence that the club isn't pushing you too hard and see you as a long term prospect?
A. Definitely because with an injury like this if you don't have that support it is pretty hard to do it all yourself. I have been given a lot of support from the coaches and all of the medical staff. They don't want to rush me so they are taking their time with me, so hopefully I will get up for them.
Q. You have played most of your junior days as a key position forward and said you have often modelled your game on a player like Scott Lucas. It must be fantastic to actually train alongside these players you have followed and learn from them?
A. It has been unreal training alongside players that you have modelled yourself on. I have played a fair bit at full forward so I have been watching Matthew Lloyd and the way he leads. That is helping progress my football.
