SUSPENDED Fremantle utility Michael Johnson will return to the club on Monday and coach Mark Harvey is hopeful the 25-year-old’s off-field saga will be closed once he addresses his teammates.

Johnson, who was banned from the club and dumped from the leadership group after facing drugs charges, will train with Fremantle at 9.30am.

Harvey said the back-up ruckman, who was enjoying a superb start to the season, had been missed on and off the field and he would like Johnson to address the players at some stage.  

“I guess we’ll have that [discussion] tomorrow with the leadership group,” Harvey said after Fremantle’s 61-point win over North Melbourne on Sunday. 

“I think in time we will [like him to address] … the whole group.

“Once [the issue] is closed it’ll be closed and we’ll all be moving on. Michael needs to concentrate on coming back and making sure he contributes to a team that has missed him over the last two weeks.”

Harvey said he had seen a number of players return from adversity as better players and people, and he was hopeful Johnson would also make the most of his return to the club.   
 
“It’ll be interesting to see his response,” the coach said.

“We’ve had a lot of conversations about Michael the last few weeks. I guess it’s his turn to talk now and we’ll sit back and listen.

“He can’t wait to get back to the club, and to me that means a lot. That means that he’s on the right track.

“I think when players go through different sorts of issues, particularly off-field and some through injury, the mental application of coming back and being a better player and person … I’ve seen [that] happen a lot.”

Johnson was fined a maximum $5000 by the club and $500 by the Perth Magistrates Court. He will not be available for AFL selection until round 14.