TALL forward Lewis Johnston has joined a chorus of delisted players seeking opportunity at a rival club, with the 23-year-old insisting he has plenty left to offer.
Known as one of the best set shots at goal going around - just ask AFL Hall of Fame Legend Barrie Robran – Johnston struggled to play his best football in recent seasons, held back by untimely and persistent injuries.
This year a ruptured tendon in his hand required surgery and sidelined him for 14 weeks; he missed another 13 last year thanks to a broken leg and an ankle injury.
But although he's capable of splitting packs and slotting goals from anywhere inside 65m, Johnston's often faced criticism about a perceived lethargy in his game.
His numerous returns from injury and particularly his switch to defence late in 2014 certainly suggested any appearance of laziness was just that – an appearance.
Johnston told AFL.com.au he had dealt with the knock his entire career, but hopes to prove the doubters wrong in the future.
"I'm a relaxed person but the bottom line is that I want to win," Johnston said.
"Whether that's in the AFL next year or not, I want to win games of football.
"I haven't been able to play as well as I'd have liked at the top level yet, not for long patches anyway.
"I know it's there and I do probably feel like I have a fair bit to prove – to myself and to a few others as well."
If Johnston doesn't find a new home in the AFL he'll play for North Adelaide in the SANFL.
He's been training at the Roosters' Prospect Oval base hoping to re-discover the 2012 form that saw him boot 57 goals (two behind SANFL leading goal-kicker Justin Hardy) as North Adelaide made the grand final.
The key to that season was fitness and consistency; given the success of the Taylor Walker/Kurt Tippett combination Johnston only played a single game for the Crows but managed 21 for the Roosters.
Having experienced life at the other end of the ground in 2014, he'll play with increased perspective next season – wherever that may be.
He said the move back into a rebounding defender role this year had definitely helped his attacking game.
"It does allow you to see the game differently, you get a little taste for how defenders think during actual games," he said.
"I only played a handful of games this year so I'm itching to get back into training and for games to start again.
"The silver lining out of my injury this year I guess was that I built up my running capacity, so with another pre-season I'll hopefully see the benefits next year."
