The Steve Johnson/Gary Ablett interchange exchange explained

[Geelong_Sicko]

Ever since it happened during the Crows match on Friday night, I've been wondering what Stevie J and little Gaz were chatting about as they both sat on the pine. Here's the explanation;

Steve Johnson sprays Gary Ablett
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/sport/afl/story/0,26576,23979075-19742,00.html
Bruce Matthews | July 07, 2008

A VERBAL spat between Gary Ablett and Steve Johnson has emphasised Geelong's unswerving drive for perfection.

The pair exchanged words on the interchange bench during the Cats' 68-point win against Adelaide on Friday night.

TV showed an animated Ablett gesticulating with his hands towards Johnson as the Brownlow Medal favourite and 2007 Norm Smith medallist sat metres apart with no one between them at AAMI Stadium.

Johnson said yesterday he had chided Ablett for what he believed was an incident in which the ace onballer did not follow team rules.

"I actually just said, 'When you come down to the forward line, make sure you come down and play your role'," the Cats forward said on Seven's Game Day.

"I thought Gazza pushed up to the wing and he was probably down there for a rest and he was still trying to push up and get a few kicks, which is probably out of our structure."

Johnson's questioning of a fellow senior player stems from the AFL premier's frank leadership program, introduced this season in a bid to win back-to-back flags.

"What it has done is make players more comfortable to speak their mind in the group," Johnson said.

"Probably two or three years ago, a younger player wouldn't talk if he thought he was saying the wrong thing.

"He wouldn't say anything to a senior player because he wouldn't want to upset him.

"But what it has done is brought everyone down to the same level.

"I'm comfortable talking to anyone, just as I would be comfortable if a younger player came up and asked me a question as well."

Johnson also explained how coach Mark Thompson and his assistants had empowered the players to work on specific skill areas.

"It's actually a player-driven thing. We have a day a week where we go in and coach ourselves a little bit," Johnson said.

"Cam Mooney and myself will run that day, and just playing together over a period of time, we're starting to learn a lot about ourselves.

"At the moment, it doesn't matter who kicks the goals as long as we kick a winning score.

"We value sharing the ball and bringing others into the game just as much as kicking goals.

"Cam Mooney and myself talk just as much about goal assists as we talk about goals."

In an ominous sign, Johnson said the eclipse of the Crows, generally a tough away assignment, showed the Cats were building towards the untouched form of the second half of last season.

"We've got a few things to work on," he said.

"Obviously, it was a great win, but there were periods through the second and third quarters which we felt didn't go to plan and Adelaide came at us a bit.

"I think we were beaten in contested ball and also entries, which was a real focus before the game, to not allow (forward) entries. They beat us in that department.

"We don't go into a game thinking we're going to blow them (opponents) away. But the confidence is coming back a lot like it was towards the end of last year.

"We're in a pretty good spot right now. We've just got to make sure we go in with that attitude, week in, week out."

 

[Rosella]

I saw him saying this on Gameday. Says a lot about how far Steve Johnson has come.

 

[OldStyle2007]

Biggest beat up ever. Hardly even close to the Bock / Basset exchange in the same game

 

[ant0s]

I saw him saying this on Gameday. Says a lot about how far Steve Johnson has come.

Very refreshing to see the development in Steve Johnson both as a person and footballer. So many exciting prospects at Geelong now its like all our Christmas's are coming at once. Lets enjoy the ride!

 

[SriLankanCat]

Yeah the media do make something out of nothing...players always disagree on things....

As long it dont get personal and players dont take it that way tis all good...

 

[Whopper32]

Impressive to see the forwards are as focussed on goal assists as to who kicks them. Some of our vision and sharing of the ball in the forward line has been so pretty to watch.

 

[Cohzee]

Basically how Harley said it went down. Great to see though, as unlike the Bock/Basset(?) exchange, mentioned a few posts back, it looked like it was constructive and not a go at each other.

 

[Geelong_Sicko]

Just thinking... Am I a knob for posting media 'beat-up' stories like this? I mean, I don't usually like stuff of this ilk, but I missed Harls' appearance on Gameday (The Sunday Footy Show's enough for me on a Sunday) and ever since I saw it Friday I was wondering what it was all about.

Thought I'd shovel the shit onto the Cats board so we could all enjoy the smell together!

 

[OldStyle2007]

Just thinking... Am I a knob for posting media 'beat-up' stories like this? I mean, I don't usually like stuff of this ilk, but I missed Harls' appearance on Gameday (The Sunday Footy Show's enough for me on a Sunday) and ever since I saw it Friday I was wondering what it was all about.

Thought I'd shovel the shit onto the Cats board so we could all enjoy the smell together!

not really, the media made it a story so it's worth discussing

But is it news that 2 players are having a discussion about where they are positioning themselves on the ground??....

I think it's more to do with the fact that there were only 2 games last weekend

 

[bingle]

Basically how Harley said it went down. Great to see though, as unlike the Bock/Basset(?) exchange, mentioned a few posts back, it looked like it was constructive and not a go at each other.

kinda shows were both sides are at ATM.
i honestly thought the Bock/Basset exchange was twice as "news worthy" as the Johnson/Ablett one (and thats not much either). Agree with other poster that it probably had something to do with two games only in the round

 

[NEMINI]

kinda shows were both sides are at ATM.
Agree with other poster that it probably had something to do with two games only in the round

That and the fact the Herald Scum loves to take the piss out of any team that isn't the collywobbles, or in this case try to make something out of nothing.

 

[Motormouse]

Just thinking... Am I a knob for posting media 'beat-up' stories like this?

Nope. I was wondering about it too, and while I read loads about the Cats during the week, I missed this one.

I'm lucky to wrest the T.V. away from the family long enough to watch the game live let alone watching Before the Match, The Footy Show, On The Couch etc.

I'll take my news any way I can get it (newsworthy or not)