Despite being early days, Steve Johnson told 3AW News Talk that he’s pleased with the way the Cats are looking and is glad to be going into Round 3 with two wins.
“It’s been a good start to the season,” Johnson said.
“I’ve been really confident with our core group of players and pleased with how our younger players have performed… and it’s nice to get a couple of wins on the board - but the challenge is not going to get any easier this week.”
Last week the Cats flew home with a 25-point win over the Lions after beating the oppressive heat at the Gabba.
“Yeah the heat was a massive factor, it was overcast and spitting rain which probably cooled it down a little bit, but just the humidity up there - we’re just not that use to it,” Johnson explained.
“We had a few hot days over the summer and it certainly takes it out of you.
“We had a few things in place to try and help us out with ice baths at halftime, slush puppies and all those sorts of things but really nothing can prepare you for it.”
Although Johnson found the 12:10pm start of Sunday’s game strange he says the Cats weren’t at all bothered by it.
“It was a bit unusual I guess, but from a players point of view you can’t worry too much about what happens with the draw. We just do what we’re told and try and prepare as best we can to play at whatever time or day it is.”
This year Johnson says he won’t spend as much time in the midfield as he has done in previous years.
Johnson admits the reduced number of rotations will affect the time he spends in the middle, which means he’ll have more of a run up forward.
“Over the past two years I’ve spent a lot more time through the midfield but I guess with the rotations coming down there will be times in the year that I’ll probably spend a lot more time forward as you need a good mix of players.”
“I guess you cant have the same four or five players playing a whole season through the midfield because it would be just too hard with how long you have to stay on the football these days.”
With the Cats meeting the Pies this Saturday night at the MCG, Johnson recalls the time when he was nearly sent to Collingwood.
“It got pretty close not because I wanted to leave but I think Geelong had just about had enough of me,” Johnson said.
“Probably with the way I use to attack my training and my professionalism wasn’t as good as what it needed to be as an elite AFL player and I had a lot of troubles with injuries.
“So at the end of 2006 it come pretty close. I had a meeting with Mick Malthouse and Neil Balme was actually there then and he tells me now that Geelong never actually wanted to get rid of me but I think it did come pretty close.
