FREMANTLE's Mark Johnson will use his 200th AFL game to close the chapter on his Bombers career at Subiaco Oval on Sunday.
The 30-year-old is delighted with the move west and wants the chance to finally say goodbye to everyone at the Bombers.
"It will give me closure. I was disappointed with how I had to leave Essendon as I didn’t get the chance to say goodbye to the staff, physios, doctors, players and the supporters who always treated me well," Johnson said, who was taken by Fremantle in last year's NAB AFL Draft after playing 194 games with Essendon.
"I ended up here, I am playing my 200th game and whoever wrote the script did a good job because it's against the team that I used to play for. That's how it has panned out and I'm happy with it."
Johnson had to work his way up off the Essendon rookie-list before becoming a crucial member of the Bombers side, including the 2000 premiership team, but is not committed to playing on beyond 2008 despite seeing how good Robert Harvey is still playing firsthand last Friday.
"Growing up as a young fella in Sunbury I didn’t ever think that I would have the opportunity to play 200 games, not to mention living on the other side of the country and doing it for Fremantle. It's a dream and something I'm very proud of," he said.
"I'm just concentrating on playing out this year and then seeing where I'm at as far as next year goes. Being 30 shouldn’t mean you are near the end. I just played on a bloke who is 36 and he's running around as well as anyone, so how you are playing should matter not your age."
Johnson has not had the best start with his new club. After a terrific pre-season, he suffered a knee injury in round one and found some form with WAFL club Perth before copping a two-match suspension. After playing well again for Perth, he has played the last three games with Fremantle and is happy with how he's travelling and feeling.
"I've worked very hard. I got myself really fit over pre-season, but unfortunately had a stress fracture in my knee from the first game and then got a two-week suspension in the WAFL, which didn’t help," he said.
"I feel I'm doing my job for the team and my fitness is exactly where I want it to be. Doing beach swimming at Cottesloe has helped me drop some upper body weight and I'm feeling like I'm running the best I can."