CASEY Demons captain Samantha Johnson is the pivotal part of a side that is charging towards another finals berth in the VFL Women’s. She had another great game on the weekend, as her side comprehensively beat Port Melbourne by 56 points. Her efforts in that match are our Player Focus for the round.

Final stats vs Port Melbourne

Disposals: 24 (11 kicks & 13 handballs)
Marks: 5
Tackles: 6
Clearances: 3

First Quarter

As her team got a fast start against the Borough, Johnson was in the thick of the action. She began the game in the midfield, playing in the centre square. When the ball first went into the Port forward 50, Johnson stayed the kick behind the pack, ready for the quick exit. She laid a strong tackle in the first term and proved how she is hard in contests and can bust through packs. However, she did give away a high contact free kick.

In the first quarter she took an excellent intercept mark just outside her own forward 50, but unfortunately for her the subsequent kick got intercepted. Later in the term she helped shepherd a Port player out of the way so that teammate Maeve Chaplin could take the mark.

She took another good intercept mark later in the term, this time just outside defensive 50. The subsequent kick was smothered, but her second efforts to collect the spillage set up teammate Tahlia Fellows to go for a run and then kick Casey’s first goal of the match. Later on in the quarter she proved that she can win a centre clearance, she is a good clean kick and is strong in a one-on-one contest.

Second Quarter

Johnson did not light the game up in the second quarter as much as she did in the first. She still got plenty of the ball and did a few crucial thing, but not as many as she racked up in the first. In the opening few passages she put some defensive pressure on a Port midfielder that caused her to step back with the ball and appeared to put some doubt in her mind, which can be really productive and can lead to mistakes.

She took another defensive intercept mark, and later in the quarter took a mark inside Casey’s forward 50. Unfortunately for her, her kick fell short, but the scrimmage that followed did eventuate in a goal to the Dees.  

Second Half

There was not too much to highlight from Johnson’s game in the third term either (except from a few strong tackles late) but there was one element of her game that was on display.

She was able to prove how much of a running machine she is. What you what from a good midfielder is a good running capacity, and Johnson has got that in spades. She was able to run up and down the ground all quarter with ease, and did not look tired.

Her running capacity was once again on display in the final term, and she continued to run and up and down the ground all quarter.