Very sad news. Vale Percy Johnson. From the Footy Budget 10th April, 2010.
A MAN who bleeds an abundance of blue and white, a lot of black and white and a little bit of all the other WAFL club colours, was added to this year’s West Australian Football Hall of Fame. Percy Johnson is a man who has a life-long passion and devotion for football and two teams that share a great portion of his heart meet in one of the clashes of Round 4 when Sharks and Swans “If you can’t read the game, can’t find the footy and make a good decision you couldn’t play then and you can’t play now.” Percy Johnson. at the heart of Percy’s Passion ercy’s Passion 4
www.mediatonic.com.au written by Tracey Lewis the unbeaten East Fremantle host one of the early premiership favourites, Swan Districts. “I played at East Fremantle because my old man loved East Fremantle and I was always an East Fremantle bloke,” said Johnson ahead of his induction into the Hall of Fame. “So I went to East Fremantle and I am a life member. Even my trotting colours are blue and white.” Johnson made his WAFL debut back in 1951 and has been involved in the game at some level or another every year since. “It’s been 60 seasons straight,” said Johnson who is working with the youngsters at Swan Districts this year. “I have been involved in WAFL and AFL football for that period of time. I have been lucky. I haven’t been crook, my head still seems to work alright and I train a couple of horses so that keeps me fit. “I am coaching at Swans and a young bloke came up to me last week and asked if I remembered Harold Foley. Harold was an Aboriginal bloke who came down from Carnarvon and played with us and won Swans fairest and best in the Under 18s. He had an apprenticeship in the Midland workshops and he was a heck of a good boxer. “But he got caught up with the wrong people and started getting into trouble. He came to me and said he wanted to go home so we got him out of his apprenticeship. “He was this kid’s grandfather – so that’s the kind of journey you go on with football and it’s a fantastic place to be. “Like Craig Callaghan who is the reserves coach at Swans – his dad was captain of my side at La Salle back in the 1960s. It’s a journey that’s interesting.” Having played with some of the greats in a career that spanned 241 games, Johnson forged a memorable career in the media and also developed a great passion for coaching. Young people continue to spark his interest and it is that interaction with today’s up-and-coming footballers that keeps him so involved. Johnson said people try to tell him that the youngsters of today are different than in the “good old days”. But he disagrees, saying that they still say the same dumb things, pull the same stunts and think they can still get away with the same tricks. “But they are as good today as they were yesterday and they were good yesterday so they are alright today I reckon,” he says with a quirky Johnson smirk.. After serving the role as captain-coach at Swans, Johnson was involved in coaching their juniors for 13 years, combining that with his high-profile media work. “I coached at Midvale and then at La Salle College. I had a super run up there with some super players. Johnny Hayes comes to mind, Paul Mountain and Barry Stockden amongst others,” he said. “My passion for coaching can be traced back to my time at Midvale. “I lost the job at Swans, played with Claremont then went back to East Fremantle and played with them in the 1962 grand final. But when I lost the job at Swans and Midvale came to me and they were a wild and woolly lot. “But they were some of the best blokes I ever coached in my life and I went and coached that Under 19 side and I got a feel for it. That was back in 1960.” Johnson put his longevity down to still having something to offer. He did some ruck coaching at the Dockers, at East Fremantle with Graham Melrose and he spent time at Claremont with Gerard Neesham, Darrell Panizza and Mark Riley. He was also consulted on the art of the ruckman by Don Hatto at South Fremantle, Ian Miller, Rob Wiley, Simon Eastaugh and Mal Brown at Perth. Some of his most memorable coaching moments though came from his time at West Perth. “That was one of the best playing group of blokes,” he said. “We had Bill Duckworth as captain, Ross Prunster, Les Fong and Laurie Heal amongst others. I have never met a group of guys who liked each other so much and gave you so much and they are still that way. “They keep inviting me every ANZAC Day. They were a great group of blokes and it was a bonus to put them in my life. “I have been around a bit and now I am back at Swans which is great because being involved in Midland was probably the greatest time of my life,” Johnson said. “My kids grew up in Midland and it was a great time with my young family. It’s great to be back there and it’s got a good feel for me. “This year Greg Harding, who is a great mate of mine, and Matthew Carr said I had better come to Swans. “I am working with the league group at midfield and ruck level and with the reserves with Callaghan which will be a bit of humour and with Harding considerably with the colts in development. “I expect I will probably die doing this – but not too soon I hope.” As for his take on football in 2010, Johnson laughs off suggestions that it is a great deal different to the football he played in his day. “Footy hasn’t changed much,” he said. “People tell you it has but the way we played in 1951 isn’t considerably different to the way they play today. “If you can’t read the game, can’t find the footy and make a good decision you couldn’t play then and you can’t play now. “Sure it has become more of a running game and there is less one on one marking, which I miss in the game, but the basic ingredient is still there. “I think footy is good, I think the WAFL is terrific and people don’t give it enough credit. It is enjoyable footy and I saw some scintillating games last year.”
