Collingwood has a wealth of veterans to call upon to provide guidance when the magnitude of finals reaches a boiling point this month.
After missing the last two years through injury and form, Ben Johnson will be a welcome return to the Magpie lineup this finals campaign.
His stint on the sidelines during the club’s loss to St Kilda in the semi final reignited the 28-year-old's flame for the footy.
“Last year when I could have played in the finals but I didn’t, it hurt. I learned a lot from last year and I am very hungry now", he said on PieCast on Magpie Radio.
Click HERE to download the podcast and listen to the full interview with Ben Johnson on iTunes“I have a passion to play footy again. Last year I didn’t really want to play to tell you the truth but watching the boys in the finals got that hunger back.
“I am dying to get out there.”
The finals specialist proved he relished the September stage in the 2002 qualifying final, laying a tackle on Port Adelaide’s Peter Burgoyne to save the game and arguably his career.
“I played the worst game of my life in the 2002 final against Port Adelaide. In the last quarter Burgoyne took a mark and tried to play on and I got a fingernail on his shorts and dragged him down. It probably saved my footy career.”
Two weeks later Johnson played a pivotal role collecting 18 possessions in the side’s win over Adelaide.
“I remember playing in the preliminary two weeks later and I was running down the race and throwing up because I was so nervous because I didn’t want another bad one. To this day I say that was my best game in my career.”
Johnson believes this current side possesses the skill and talent to carry on deep in September.
“I am looking forward to watching our progression during the finals. We are a more balanced and skillful side than in previous years. We can go far.”
Click HERE to download the podcast and listen to the full interview with Ben Johnson on iTunes
