Frank Johnson (footballer)

Frank Johnson (born 3 July 1932) is a former Australian rules footballer who played with South Melbourne in the VFL and Port Melbourne in the VFA.

Career

A 185 cm ruckman, Johnson began his senior career playing with Port Melbourne in the VFA in the 1950s. He won a record five best and fairest awards at Port Melbourne, in an era where the team reached eight consecutive grand finals (winning only once). He won the J. J. Liston Trophy for his efforts during the 1952 season and twice earned All Australian selection: the first time was in the 1953 Adelaide Carnival where he was named in what was the inaugural All Australian team, and he was selected as captain in the 1956 Perth Carnival team. He was the only VFA player to be twice selected, and the only to be selected as captain, in the All Australian team.

In 1960, at the age of 29, Johnson switched leagues to the VFL, playing for South Melbourne. He had immediate success by winning the club's Best and Fairest, and finishing fourth in the Brownlow Medal count the following year.

Honours

In 2007, Johnson was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame. He was named as captain of the Port Melbourne Team of the Century. The Frank Johnson Medal, named in his honour, is awarded by the Victorian Football League to its best player in each interstate representative match.

External links

• Frank Johnson's statistics from AFL Tables
• Full Points Footy Biography:Frank Johnson