Johns suffered a minor setback in the pre-season when surgeons decided to operate on his hip region after a MRI scan revealed abnormalities. Luckily for Johns there was no permanent damage and a loose bit of cartilage was removed. Johns is set to return to training in the coming weeks.
STRENGTHS
Johns is a tall, athletic and an aggressive key forward. He has great hands and is impressive overheard. His 191cm frame and 90kg build ensures that he comes out on top in heavy traffic. Johns’ determination and dedication to his career is unquestioned and he is prepared to do whatever it takes to make it at the top level.
POSITION
Essendon is in the luxurious position of being inundated with quality talls – Matthew Lloyd, Scott Lucas, Sean Wellman, Dustin Fletcher and Mark Bolton are just some of the names that can hold down key position roles. Johns will be keen to join this illustrious list in 2004 and make a name for himself. Johns will ideally hold down a key forward role. The main question is whether he will play at centre half forward or full-forward and move spearhead Matthew Lloyd out of the goal square. This is an ideal dilemma for the Essendon coaching staff to resolve.
2004
After being told by medical experts that he will never play football again, making the Essendon senior list is a dream come true for Johns. In the handful of games he played for the Bendigo Bombers in 2003 Johns proved that he has the ability and skills to become a top line player. He is an exciting new talent for the Essendon side and could definitely be the ‘x’ factor for the Bombers in 2004.
WHAT SHEEDY SAYS
We haven’t seen enough of Courtney Johns to make an honest assessment of him. He is a player that in many ways we and the medical staff are trying to get him to have a career because all other clubs didn’t draft him and we took a risk on him. I believe in taking risks – you won’t get all the risks correct but the day you stop taking risks, is the day you should get out of footy.
