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Good read...
http://www.carltonfc.com.au/tabid/4311/Default.aspx?newsid=70963
HE MAY have felt like a true Blue for nearly two months, but Chris Johnson was relieved and happy his status was officially confirmed at Tuesday's pre-season draft.
When recruiting manager Wayne Hughes called his name it put an end to months of uncertainty that began when the 22-year-old made the tough decision to seek greener pastures outside the walls of the club where his father Alan had been a dual best and fairest winner.
"I'm rapt. I feel great now that it's finally all over and I'm officially a Blue," Johnson said.
"It hasn't been official but I've been training down there for six or seven weeks now and it's been great getting to know the boys and all the staff … I feel like I'm at home."
It's was a tough transition from Demon to Blue, but Johnson credits a strong support network, including his and girlfriend Emma's parents, for helping him through the worst of it.
It was backing he needed right up to the end thanks to a late curve ball thrown by the Dees.
"There was still a little bit of doubt when that stuff came out about Melbourne thinking of taking me again," he says.
"That put a little bit of doubt in my head, but I was confident I was going to get there in the end.
"I didn't think there was much in it really. I think it was just that they had an obligation to their members. I think it was sort of just so they could say they might go after me again so they could say that they'd made that last effort."
It certainly wasn't how Johnson envisioned the year playing out after a purple patch during the season resulted in career-best form.
Despite that, and what he describes as a good relationship with Demons coach Dean Bailey, Johnson slowly became concerned by a lack of movement on a new contract and a curious episode late in the season well and truly set alarm bells ringing.
"Chris Connolly had this '22 and under' team floating around the place and he put it in the paper and what not," he recalls.
"I'm 22 at the moment and I was playing half-decent footy at the time … He put that team up on the board to show it to the members to show what the future was going to look like and I wasn't up there.
"The title was 'the 22 and under team' and I didn't really question him about it, but it crossed my mind that it might be [best] to start looking elsewhere because I wasn't in their future plans."
Once it became known Johnson was on the outer at Melbourne it didn't take long for Carlton coach Brett Ratten to get in touch and offer the defender a new home.
It was an approach Johnson admits to being flattered by.
"There weren't any guarantees, but when a coach approaches you and is keen to give you another opportunity and another chance at a career, you've got to make him confident that he's doing the right thing and made the right decision," he says.
"It was a little bit hard for me early when I wasn't in the main group at training and I wanted to get out there and work as hard as I could.
"Hopefully I've shown him that he's made the right decision and he's got nothing to look back on and regret."
Groin and hip issues confined Johnson to the rehab group initially, but he's over them now and is drawing on previous experience as he works to become an integral member of his new team.
"There's a particular way you've got to act, train, play and even stuff like your mannerisms around the place. I've been there once before and I think it's an advantage for me now," he says.
"It's an exciting time down at the Blues. There's a real feeling of confidence and a momentum building down there within the group that you can almost feel.
"The boys want to play finals badly. That's what we're aiming for and that's what we're working hard for on the track at the moment."
Exclusive to AFL BigPond Network
http://www.carltonfc.com.au/tabid/4311/Default.aspx?newsid=70963
HE MAY have felt like a true Blue for nearly two months, but Chris Johnson was relieved and happy his status was officially confirmed at Tuesday's pre-season draft.
When recruiting manager Wayne Hughes called his name it put an end to months of uncertainty that began when the 22-year-old made the tough decision to seek greener pastures outside the walls of the club where his father Alan had been a dual best and fairest winner.
"I'm rapt. I feel great now that it's finally all over and I'm officially a Blue," Johnson said.
"It hasn't been official but I've been training down there for six or seven weeks now and it's been great getting to know the boys and all the staff … I feel like I'm at home."
It's was a tough transition from Demon to Blue, but Johnson credits a strong support network, including his and girlfriend Emma's parents, for helping him through the worst of it.
It was backing he needed right up to the end thanks to a late curve ball thrown by the Dees.
"There was still a little bit of doubt when that stuff came out about Melbourne thinking of taking me again," he says.
"That put a little bit of doubt in my head, but I was confident I was going to get there in the end.
"I didn't think there was much in it really. I think it was just that they had an obligation to their members. I think it was sort of just so they could say they might go after me again so they could say that they'd made that last effort."
It certainly wasn't how Johnson envisioned the year playing out after a purple patch during the season resulted in career-best form.
Despite that, and what he describes as a good relationship with Demons coach Dean Bailey, Johnson slowly became concerned by a lack of movement on a new contract and a curious episode late in the season well and truly set alarm bells ringing.
"Chris Connolly had this '22 and under' team floating around the place and he put it in the paper and what not," he recalls.
"I'm 22 at the moment and I was playing half-decent footy at the time … He put that team up on the board to show it to the members to show what the future was going to look like and I wasn't up there.
"The title was 'the 22 and under team' and I didn't really question him about it, but it crossed my mind that it might be [best] to start looking elsewhere because I wasn't in their future plans."
Once it became known Johnson was on the outer at Melbourne it didn't take long for Carlton coach Brett Ratten to get in touch and offer the defender a new home.
It was an approach Johnson admits to being flattered by.
"There weren't any guarantees, but when a coach approaches you and is keen to give you another opportunity and another chance at a career, you've got to make him confident that he's doing the right thing and made the right decision," he says.
"It was a little bit hard for me early when I wasn't in the main group at training and I wanted to get out there and work as hard as I could.
"Hopefully I've shown him that he's made the right decision and he's got nothing to look back on and regret."
Groin and hip issues confined Johnson to the rehab group initially, but he's over them now and is drawing on previous experience as he works to become an integral member of his new team.
"There's a particular way you've got to act, train, play and even stuff like your mannerisms around the place. I've been there once before and I think it's an advantage for me now," he says.
"It's an exciting time down at the Blues. There's a real feeling of confidence and a momentum building down there within the group that you can almost feel.
"The boys want to play finals badly. That's what we're aiming for and that's what we're working hard for on the track at the moment."
Exclusive to AFL BigPond Network
