Alex Johnson Is Set To Play Local Footy In Geelong Next Year

Luckless Sydney defender Alex Johnson will play in the Barwon Football League with Lara next year, according to the Geelong Advertiser.

Johnson made his return from five knee reconstructions in round 20 against Collingwood this year, before suffering a sixth ACL rupture the following week against Melbourne.

The Swans delisted the 26-year-old at the end of the season.

The knee reconstruction means Johnson won’t be able to play for Lara until at least midway through the year, but club president Shane Bennett told the Geelong Advertiser that having his professionalism around the club is a boost.

“[Lara coach] Tony [Armstrong] and he are very good mates and we have had a number of discussions going back to last November, and the connection is there with Tony (from their time in Sydney) but he is also keen to work with a young group,” Bennett said.

“He has met a couple of the guys and he is really keen to be involved with the club as well…  just having him around — the way he operates and conducts himself and has come back from some fairly serious adversity — means our guys and the whole club will be better for having Alex Johnson involved.”

Johnson had hoped for a return to an AFL list but finished his career on 47 games between 2011 and 2018, although he missed all of 2013-17 through injury.

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