Australian Football

AustralianFootball.com Celebrating the history of the great Australian game

 

Key Facts

Full name
Frank Johnson

Known as
Frank Johnson

Born
3 July 1932

Died
9 July 2016 (aged 84)

Age at first & last AFL game
First game: 27y 288d
Last game: 32y 43d

Height and weight
Height: 189 cm
Weight: 84 kg

Senior clubs
Port Melbourne; South Melbourne

Jumper numbers
South Melbourne: 8

Recruited from
Port Melbourne (1958); South Warrnambool (1960)

Hall of fame
Australian Football Hall of Fame (2007)

Frank Johnson

ClubLeagueCareer spanGamesGoalsAvgWin %AKIAHBAMKBV
Port MelbourneVFA1950-1957165520.32
South WarrnamboolHFL1958-1959
South MelbourneV/AFL1960-196464380.5927%31
Total1950-1964229900.39

AFL: 7,114th player to appear, 3,631st most games played, 2,507th most goals kickedSouth Melbourne: 830th player to appear, 248th most games played, 200th most goals kicked

Frank Johnson holds the distinction of being the only VFA representative player to achieve selection in two All Australian teams. Johnson was selected after the 1953 Adelaide and 1956 Perth carnivals. He later also represented the VFL with distinction.

Adjudged Port Melbourne's best and fairest player on a record five occasions the high leaping Johnson was also a Liston Trophy winner in 1952. He played in eight consecutive VFA Grand Finals with the Borough, albeit for just one win. Johnson spent the 1958 and 1959 seasons with South Warrnambool of the Hampden Football League. His earlier success with Port resumed when, in 1960 at the age of 29, he moved to South Melbourne and immediately won that club's best and fairest award also, edging out the great Bob Skilton in the process.

Standing just 189 cm in height Frank Johnson was by no means the tallest knock ruckman going around, but he more than compensated for this with his excellent judgement, tremendous spring, and all round athletic prowess.

Author - John Devaney

Sources

Full Points Footy Publications

Footnotes

* Behinds calculated from the 1965 season on.
+ Score at the end of extra time.