COLLINGWOOD coach Craig McRae says the example Ash Johnson set during a 10-week stretch on the sidelines this year helped laid the foundation for his breakout season.
The rise of Johnson from mid-season draftee to a key pillar of Collingwood's push for an unlikely premiership has been one of the stories of 2022, with the 24-year-old kicking 13 goals in six games to finish the regular season.
Speaking on Yokayi Footy, McRae said Johnson pushed himself to the limit during the 2022 pre-season and showed the new Magpies coach that he was ready for the highest level.
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But the coach said the way Johnson improved his fitness again during his recovery from a hamstring injury in the middle of the year was perhaps even more impressive.
"He doubled his fitness," McRae said of Johnson's stint on the sidelines.
"He trained so hard and was a great role model for many others at our club about what to do when you're injured.
"He came back fitter and stronger, and look at what he's doing now. All the credit must go to him.
"(In pre-season) I saw this young man grow enormously and find new boundaries of what he's capable of in terms of fitness levels.
"He was pushing himself to a whole new level and challenging himself mentally to see if he could do it."
In a wide-ranging chat, McRae also addressed the recent racism scandal at the Magpies with co-host Andrew Krakouer, who returned to the club earlier this year alongside former teammate Leon Davis after the pair had shared their experiences of racism during their playing days at Collingwood.
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