AJ Watch

[Bloody Hell]

Gold Coast rookie

Yep - considering where they are and the Dew connection they may take a punt....particularly if they lose May.

[Markwebbos]

Now I’m going to contradict myself. I wonder if Rhyce Shaw might find a spot for him at North?

[Markwebbos]

Someone explain this to me. Having turned down exactly such a role at the Swans, AJ may take an off-field role at another club, such as North Melbourne

Category: | Herald Sun

The six-time ACL victim will meet with multiple clubs including North Melbourne in coming weeks but to discuss an off-field role in development of welfare.

He has made it clear he wants to play at an AFL clubs next year but to be honest that is an extreme longshot.

What could be more likely is that he rehabs his knee while working at a club next year and then if all goes well gets onto a rookie list for the 2020 season.

[Bloods05]

Johnson to GWS feels right. He can stay in Sydney, and if it works out, GWS will have a Shaw replacement.
They are in the premiership window, and can take a punt.

Aaaaarrrrgggghhhh!!!!!!

[0918330512]

Johnson to GWS feels right. He can stay in Sydney, and if it works out, GWS will have a Shaw replacement.
They are in the premiership window, and can take a punt.

Actually, from a GW$ perspective, it would be good PR. Offering a lifeline to a league-wide loved player cast who was mercilessly aside by his club in his darkest hour. I’m not saying that what we did, but if I was GW$ that’s how I would sell it. He would come cheaply (off-field role for 2019, then yet another rookie contract). It might turn some supporters GW$’s way too

[The Big Cat]

Someone explain this to me. Having turned down exactly such a role at the Swans, AJ may take an off-field role at another club, such as North Melbourne

Category: | Herald Sun

The six-time ACL victim will meet with multiple clubs including North Melbourne in coming weeks but to discuss an off-field role in development of welfare.

He has made it clear he wants to play at an AFL clubs next year but to be honest that is an extreme longshot.

What could be more likely is that he rehabs his knee while working at a club next year and then if all goes well gets onto a rookie list for the 2020 season.

Rhys Shaw is at North

[liz]

Rhys Shaw is at North

That, plus I imagine it would be tough for AJ to take a role that involved him interacting with his previous colleagues, particularly while he still desperately wants to be one of them. He'll witness the camaraderie between them and, while I am sure friendships will endure, there must be an invisible line between the playing group and the support staff. It will be tough for him in such a role at any AFL club but probably easier where he hasn't known his charges in another capacity.

I'd love it if he wanted to stay at the Swans but can fully understand why he might think a change of scene is better for him.

[Blood Fever]

That, plus I imagine it would be tough for AJ to take a role that involved him interacting with his previous colleagues, particularly while he still desperately wants to be one of them. He'll witness the camaraderie between them and, while I am sure friendships will endure, there must be an invisible line between the playing group and the support staff. It will be tough for him in such a role at any AFL club but probably easier where he hasn't known his charges in another capacity.

I'd love it if he wanted to stay at the Swans but can fully understand why he might think a change of scene is better for him.

Thoughtful and probably accurate post. No slight on the Swans.

[caj23]

He'd probably just prefer to go home to Melbourne to be closer to family and friends

Plus it appears that the Swans have indicated to him that his time is up and his chances of ever getting relisted are slim to none

[CureTheSane]

Can speculate all we want.
Could also suggest that he is ungrateful and bitter towards the Swans if he accepts the same role at another club as offered to him by the club that stood by him for all those years.
Will have to wait and see how it develops.
Hard to fault the Swans though

[stevoswan]

He'd probably just prefer to go home to Melbourne to be closer to family and friends

Plus it appears that the Swans have indicated to him that his time is up and his chances of ever getting relisted are slim to none

....and fair enough too. No one could ever accuse the Swans of not being loyal to Alex Johnson. Most clubs would have discarded him years ago.....

Actually, from a GW$ perspective, it would be good PR. Offering a lifeline to a league-wide loved player cast who was mercilessly aside by his club in his darkest hour. I’m not saying that what we did, but if I was GW$ that’s how I would sell it. He would come cheaply (off-field role for 2019, then yet another rookie contract). It might turn some supporters GW$’s way too

.....and if GWS indeed "sell it" that way, some fans may turn against them knowing that "sell" is just not true....knowing that the Swans actually stuck by AJ for six long years in the hope he could return, which he did. Most fans know the commercial realities of running a club and managing their player list and would see the Swans decision to delist AJ as a common sense reality, because......it was.

[Vonsteinman]

AJ was interviewed by Hamish Mc as the main guest speaker at yesterday’s GF Eve lunch at Crown. 20 or so minutes answering questions about his whole career with pics and footage. 1500 people and aside from gasps and groans of sympathy and the odd sniffing back of tears, you could have heard a pin drop. Very moving presentation.

[stevoswan]

With AJ now at Carlton, he will certainly be a handy sounding board and source of support for their vice captain Sam Docherty, who has just done his recently recovered ACL again, without playing a return game.....I couldn't think of a better person to be rehabbing with.

Top Blue Docherty goes down with second ACL rupture - AFL.com.au

[liz]

With AJ now at Carlton, he will certainly be a handy sounding board and source of support for their vice captain Sam Docherty, who has just done his recently recovered ACL again, without playing a return game.....I couldn't think of a better person to be rehabbing with.

Top Blue Docherty goes down with second ACL rupture - AFL.com.au

That's a great shame for Docherty (and the broader competition).

I could have sworn I read an article about him on the AFL site just a couple of days ago, talking about how he was getting over the mental hurdles of his recovery. The article seems to have been swiftly removed in the wake of today's news. I don't generally believe in karma, but maybe all players should refrain from talking about how well their ACL recoveries are coming along. It's an injury that restrikes at the most cruel of times.

[goswannies]

That's a great shame for Docherty (and the broader competition).

I could have sworn I read an article about him on the AFL site just a couple of days ago, talking about how he was getting over the mental hurdles of his recovery. The article seems to have been swiftly removed in the wake of today's news. I don't generally believe in karma, but maybe all players should refrain from talking about how well their ACL recoveries are coming along. It's an injury that restrikes at the most cruel of times.

David Schwarz did exactly the same thing