Steve Johnson embraces the pressure and thanks his coach for the advice that led to the superstar’s final minute clincher.
With just 45 seconds on the clock and the GIANTS trailing by three points in a see-sawing and thrilling contest, Johnson crumbed a Nathan Wilson long bomb to put the GIANTS in front in what would be the final score of the match.
Speaking to GIANTS TV following the match, Johnson said he had the advice of his coach front of mind when he made the decision to position himself at the front of the pack.
“The message from Leon the last one or two weeks for me has been to really focus on getting front and square at the contest and I guess that message was sort of ringing in my ears as I approached that contest,” he said.
“It was a long ball by Nathan Wilson and sometimes you sort of pick and choose whether you should go to the front, maybe go to the back but Leon’s got to take a lot of credit.
“I was thinking about it and I was thinking, ‘I’m getting to the front and giving myself a chance’ and it just fell in my hands.
“It’s a little bit lucky but I’ll take it.”
There’s been plenty of talk outside the GIANTS about Johnson’s future with the veteran below his best in his six appearances in 2017.
“I certainly heard it, I don’t necessarily feel the pressure,” he said.
“I know that I just need to come in and play my role and to be honest I don’t mind having that little bit of scrutiny, it can drive me at times as well.
“The main thing is that I play my role in the team and anything extra on top of that is a bonus.
“I felt like I played my best game for the season tonight so I’m really happy with it.”
The win was the GIANTS’ first over Collingwood in six attempts and made all the more difficult with the club losing defender Aidan Corr in the opening minute of the match and forward Sam Reid early in the second quarter.
The win leaves the GIANTS sitting with six wins and two losses for the season and face Richmond at home at Spotless Stadium next Saturday afternoon.
“It was pretty special, we had to dig pretty deep there in that last quarter,” Johnson said. “Or right throughout the game, losing ‘Corry' early and then ‘Reidy', both within the first one and a half quarters of the game.
“It puts a lot of pressure on the players to not bench as often as we would so we dug deep and were fortunate enough to be in front when it mattered.”
The GIANTS take on the Tigers at 4.35pm at Spotless Stadium next Saturday, May 20. Click here for tickets.
