Injury Steve Johnson - on-going back problem

[mac_cat]

This has been touched on in a few different threads, but as suggested by Seeds and Vdubs I thought the discussion of Steve Johnson's back injury is worth its own thread. Since his wonderful start to the season, Johnson's form has been down the last few months, and we know that he's had back "soreness", which is being "managed".

According to the Panic Room in Herald Sun, Johnson received an epidural injection to enable him to play the Gold Coast game http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...for-sundays-game/story-fni5f6yf-1226977992220

And NotSoFatBastard posted this even more dire information in the Essendon game thread

My brother brought a mate to the game tonight, and he went out at 1/2 time for a smoke.

While he was out there he ran into SJ's dad who told him that SJ is undergoing almost daily injections for a back injury, not exactly the same as Hawkins last year but similar.

He asked his old man whether he could just play forward, his response was SJ is seriously contemplating hanging up the boots, possibly next year.

Definitely explains SJ's output recently... I knew there had to be something wrong with him

If Johnson's back problem is chronic, then like Hawkins last year, we will probably not see much improvement in his output from his current form this season, even if he can get out on the field each week. So we lose a lot of his clearance grunt as well as his creativity around the whole ground.

And if he does end up retiring at the end of the year, this is a massive loss, as despite just turning 31, Johnson's form and fitness at the start of the year made it seem like he would be able to keep on playing at a high level this year and next year. Despite the fact that we have some good young midfielders coming through, ideally we wouldn't want Johnson, as well as potentially Bartel and Kelly all retiring at the end of the year, as couldn't cover all of these players going.

So let's hope things aren't as bad as they seem, and that Johnson does have a chance to get over his back issues, if not during this season, then afterwards. I for one do not want him to hang up his boots at the end of this season.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Despite the fact that we have some good young midfielders coming through, ideally we wouldn't want Johnson, as well as potentially Bartel and Kelly all retiring at the end of the year, as couldn't cover all of these players going.

I was of the conclusion that Kelly had recently signed on for another season. I could be wrong though.

Johnson should never have been moved into the middle of the ground.

 

[sarah.13]

This has been touched on in a few different threads, but as suggested by Seeds and Vdubs I thought the discussion of Steve Johnson's back injury is worth its own thread. Since his wonderful start to the season, Johnson's form has been down the last few months, and we know that he's had back "soreness", which is being "managed".

According to the Panic Room in Herald Sun, Johnson received an epidural injection to enable him to play the Gold Coast game http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/a...for-sundays-game/story-fni5f6yf-1226977992220

And NotSoFatBastard posted this even more dire information in the Essendon game thread


If Johnson's back problem is chronic, then like Hawkins last year, we will probably not see much improvement in his output from his current form this season, even if he can get out on the field each week. So we lose a lot of his clearance grunt as well as his creativity around the whole ground.

And if he does end up retiring at the end of the year, this is a massive loss, as despite just turning 31, Johnson's form and fitness at the start of the year made it seem like he would be able to keep on playing at a high level this year and next year. Despite the fact that we have some good young midfielders coming through, ideally we wouldn't want Johnson, as well as potentially Bartel and Kelly all retiring at the end of the year, as couldn't cover all of these players going.

So let's hope things aren't as bad as they seem, and that Johnson does have a chance to get over his back issues, if not during this season, then afterwards. I for one do not want him to hang up his boots at the end of this season.

Kelly and bartel are contracted till 2015, both are playing well aand will go on.
If SJ does retire due to his back who could blame him. Has been a great player but life goes on and injuries are a bitch

 

[mac_cat]

I was of the conclusion that Kelly had recently signed on for another season. I could be wrong though.

Johnson should never have been moved into the middle of the ground.

I missed that about Kelly (and Bartel). But I think he has been extremely effective since moving to the midfield, he has one of the best tanks in the team, one of our most contested, clearance-getting midfielders. At a time when we've been blooding young players, this has allowed younger players like Murdoch to rotate between the forward line and on-ball, when they don't have the endurance to play a whole game in the midfield.

 

[vinum coupe]

Johnson should never have been moved into the middle of the ground.

????

He has been enormous for us.
We lack creativity when he isn't there.

Not sure who is going to replace him either.
We might get it through a combination of Guthrie, GHS, Christensen, and Motlop.

Time will tell.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

????

He has been enormous for us.
We lack creativity when he isn't there.

Not sure who is going to replace him either.
We might get it through a combination of Guthrie, GHS, Christensen, and Motlop.

Time will tell.

He has been immense, but it's also put more strain on his body and the forwardline has suffered as a result.

 

[vinum coupe]

He has been immense, but it's also put more strain on his body and the forwardline has suffered as a result.

Maybe so regarding the body.

But we don't want SJ in the forward line, we want him setting up how the ball gets in there.

 

[Jhye Clark 13]

Maybe so regarding the body.

But we don't want SJ in the forward line, we want him setting up how the ball gets in there.

It's certainly a rob Peter to pay Paul scenario, but I look at where we need him the most.

We have an abundance of midfield talent now that Bundy, Caddy and Motlop are back, but it's up front where we're seemingly struggling to give Hawkins ample assistance. We really don't have anyone other than Hawkins who can supply a consistent array of goals.

 

[nomoreklondikes]

I remember that game against a rampaging Hawks where Orren played in the ruck giving SJ silver service and we were 40 odd points up early in the second quarter. Watching up in the nosebleeds, it was some of the best clearance work I've ever seen. A born midfielder. (Not a bad finish to that match as well.)

 

[Baudolino]

Despite the fact that we have some good young midfielders coming through, ideally we wouldn't want Johnson, as well as potentially Bartel and Kelly all retiring at the end of the year, as couldn't cover all of these players going.

It's absolutely essential that we stagger the timing of the Johnson, Kelly and Bartel retirements. I don't want any more than one of them retiring in the same season; my hope is that we'll be able to distribute their departures out evenly over the course of three or four years. Theoretically speaking, losing one per season between 2015-17 should help mitigate the inevitable hurt that losing their individual quality is going to cause, as it will allow us to transition in replacements more slowly. It's worth remembering that while the aforementioned trio are all undeniably in the veteran age range, none of them are actually that old, all three of them turned 30 only recently. It's not unreasonable to expect another two or three more seasons of top-class football out of at least one or two of them.

 

[Catastic82]

If SJ retires I'm going to be a very very shattered sad panda

 

[nomoreklondikes]

It's absolutely essential that we stagger the timing of the Johnson, Kelly and Bartel retirements. I don't want any more than one of them retiring in the same season; my hope is that we'll be able to distribute their departures out evenly over the course of three or four years. Theoretically speaking, losing one per season between 2015-17 should help mitigate the inevitable hurt that losing their individual quality is going to cause, as it should allow us to transition in replacements more slowly. It's worth remembering that while the aforementioned trio are all undeniably in the veteran age range, none of them are actually that old, all three of them turned 30 only recently. It's not unreasonable to expect another two or three more seasons of top-class football out of at least one or two of them.

Kelly's looking the most durable at this stage. Has been really good this year.

 

[mac_cat]

If SJ retires I'm going to be a very very shattered sad panda

Agreed, no-one can replace the Stevie J magic (not even Motlop).

If he does retire, I hope he stays on at the club in a coaching role, as there are few deeper thinkers about the game than SJ.

 

[Catastic82]

Agreed, no-one can replace the Stevie J magic (not even Motlop).

If he does retire, I hope he stays on at the club in a coaching role, as there are few deeper thinkers about the game than SJ.

Menzel looked like the perfect SJ replacement

Damn you injuries

 

[sarah.13]

Agreed, no-one can replace the Stevie J magic (not even Motlop).

If he does retire, I hope he stays on at the club in a coaching role, as there are few deeper thinkers about the game than SJ.

Agree, we need a midfield coach

 

[Willo_]

If its true that he is needing epidural injections almost daily I think I would prefer him to retire

From a living life perspective he has a young son, being able to enjoy his time with him and not having a f**ked back the rest of his life are more important than footy

 

[Partridge]

Agreed, no-one can replace the Stevie J magic (not even Motlop).

If he does retire, I hope he stays on at the club in a coaching role, as there are few deeper thinkers about the game than SJ.

Yeah, well, once he started racking up suspensions his awesome intelligence dissipated a bit I'm afraid.

 

[James44]

Saw him walk out of the Epworth in Richmond with a brave / back support on during the week.

 

[Bobby_]

Why is he playing for?
If true, don't let him play contact sport for the next 4-6 weeks. Hawkins said he did nothing but swimming, yoga and plenty of rest in between and the back began to heal (or feel much better) itself.

Understandable Johnson is a freak and game breaker but we have a month of playing teams positioned well outside the top eight. They will trouble us as always but I seriously doubt Johnson will be needed. Really disappointing news and more disappointing to know he can be resting as of this weekend.
Bring in Stringer or Sheringham if need be, blokes who can at least do a job at the top level without necessarily starring to relieve the pressure on the other blokes.

 

[GFrost]

Rest him. I don't want Hawkins V2 all year. I'd rather have him for the last few weeks and 2015.

 

[catempire]

Why is he playing for?
If true, don't let him play contact sport for the next 4-6 weeks. Hawkins said he did nothing but swimming, yoga and plenty of rest in between and the back began to heal (or feel much better) itself.

Understandable Johnson is a freak and game breaker but we have a month of playing teams positioned well outside the top eight. They will trouble us as always but I seriously doubt Johnson will be needed. Really disappointing news and more disappointing to know he can be resting as of this weekend.
Bring in Stringer or Sheringham if need be, blokes who can at least do a job at the top level without necessarily starring to relieve the pressure on the other blokes.

It's a bit of a worry given a similar situation with Hawkins last year. If asked, I'm sure they'd say "playing isn't going to make it any worse and we are very confident he'll be playing his best football in September."

 

[Vdubs]

Saw him walk out of the Epworth in Richmond with a brave / back support on during the week.

A brave face and a brace?

 

[Vdubs]

I have no fear about SJ's treatment and where do the talks about retirement come from? Nothing here is permanent, he's had heaps of injuries in the past, hip, foot/ankle, knee, he will get through this one. TH has. And, if it becomes so severe he has to retire, we have had the best of SJ, and it is only inevitable he, like Bartel, Kelly, Boris, Lonergan will start to get near retirement. Somebody will step up.

 

[Seeds]

a fit Johnson is critical for our premiership chances. this news is a bit devastating. but he has made comebacks from the dead before.

 

[cynical]

He should be rested unless he plans on retiring at the end of the year.