Mark Johnson set to play 200th AFL match
Former Bomber Mark Johnson says he will achieve closure when he lines up against his old side for his 200th AFL game.
Johnson was thrown a career lifeline by Fremantle at the end of last season when the 30-year-old was told by Essendon coach Matthew Knights that after nine seasons and 194 games in the black and red, his services were no longer required at the Bombers.
In an ironic twist, Johnson will notch his 200-game milestone against his former club when Fremantle tackles Essendon at Subiaco Oval this Sunday.
"To me I think it will give me a bit of closure," Johnson said.
"It was pretty disappointing in the way I left Essendon. I didn't get a chance to say goodbye to the staff there, the physios, doctors, players and most of all the supporters, who were fantastic for me.
"Growing up as a young fella in Sunbury I didn't ever think ... I'd ever have the opportunity to play 200 games, let alone be living on the other side of the country and getting it over at Fremantle.
"It's a dream and something I'm very proud of."
But Johnson's time at Fremantle has been far from smooth sailing.
A knee injury in round one followed by a two-week suspension in the WAFL, where he was trying to regain match fitness, has restricted the premiership midfielder to just five games for the Dockers.
But he has played the last three games and said he was feeling as good as ever.
"I'm running a lot better than I have for a long time. My fitness now is exactly where I want it to be," he said.
Johnson, who was recruited to the Dockers on a one-year deal, said he would talk to coach Mark Harvey at the end of the season before deciding whether to play on in 2010.
But he conceded the club would be under pressure to move on their older players.
"You should look at how they're playing, how they're moving rather of what age they are. but the world's not like that so you just have to move on," he said.
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