STRENGTHS:

+ Aerial ability
+ Intercept marking
+ Rebounding
+ Speed
+ Vertical leap

IMPROVEMENTS

- Consistency
- Raw

Johnston's game is a relatively simple one to summarise. He does two things with particularly natural fluency - intercept and rebound. It makes him the ideal attacking defender, with athletic traits which help him rule the airways and carve up the opposition with ball in hand.

Though still raw in terms of footballing development, Johnston reads the play beautifully from behind the ball and is a sound intercept marker. Playing above his 184cm standing in the NT Thunder's Under 18 side this year, he averaged 9.3 intercept possessions across three games, making full use of his springy vertical leap to do so.

With ball in hand, Johnston backs his pace and sets off in transition, burning off chasers in a flash and thumping running bounces across the turf. His ability to run and carry has made him a real rebounding asset at each level over the last year or so, with the potential to translate that game up on a wing - a position he spent a bit of time in for the Allies.

To play further afield and boost his consistency of production, building a good block of endurance running would serve Johnston well. He's so exciting in bursts and can deal serious damage, especially given how often he chooses to go by foot.

There remains a sense of rawness with Johnston, with plenty of upside to enhance. He can play multiple roles in the back half and has scope to improve his defensive acumen, while remaining a slingshot style weapon. All of his achievements have come in a relatively short span, having taken up football only a few years ago and quickly adapted to high levels of play. He could be anything.