Star Greater Western Sydney forward Steve Johnson has a message for the knockers: don't judge me on one average week.
In his first game for the GIANTS against Melbourne last week, Johnson had 23 possessions and kicked 2.2 but came under plenty of heat for ignoring teammates in better scoring positions inside 50 during the first half against the Dees.
The 32-year-old looked dangerous – one of the few GWS forwards to do so at the MCG – but has been labelled 'selfish' by more than one media commentator after the disappointing two-point defeat.
A three-time premiership player with Geelong and the 2007 Norm Smith medallist, Johnson said on Thursday that the negativity over his GIANTS’ debut hadn't affected him.
"I don't think we were as composed as we needed to be as a team, and when you kick as inaccurately as we did you open yourself up for criticism," Johnson said.
"I guess from my point of view I wouldn't want to be judged on one week.
"If it's a thing that continues to be a trend, well then you guys (the media) can go as hard as you want, but at this point in time, internally we've addressed what we need too and we expect there to be some improvement this week."
Johnson will face his former side for the first time since he left the Cats at the end of last season after being told he wasn't in the club's future plans under coach Chris Scott.
It was a tough decision to take for the man who kicked 452 goals for Geelong in 253 games across 14 seasons, but Johnson said although it will be strange to run against the navy and white hoops, he hasn't let the occasion engulf his week.
"I've played in some big games in the past and I guess the advice I've always been given is to not play the game in your head before it's actually happened," Johnson said.
"I'm just treating the game as normal as I possibly can and whatever emotions come up I'll just have to adapt to them.
"It's crossed my mind. I'd be lying if said I hadn't looked straight at the fixture as soon as it came out to see when we played them, but that's about as much thought I've put into it.
"If you look too far ahead in this caper it can bite you on the bum, and at the moment I'm solely thinking about how we can play our best footy to get our first win on the board.
"I'm sort of conscious of not making contact because I don't want them to feel uncomfortable about me trying to extract some information or anything like that, and vice versa.
"I'm happy to say I've got some great relationships (with them), but hopefully we can have a laugh after the game."
Never one to lack confidence in his own ability, Johnson said he was happy with his "serviceable" start last week, and even jokingly put his hand up to play on Geelong midfielder Patrick Dangerfield, who dominated reigning premiers Hawthorn on Monday.
"I've got the pace to go with him, let me at him!" he laughed.
Stephen Coniglio is the man more likely to get the shut down role on Dangerfield, who had 43 possessions - 21 of those contested – plus seven clearances and 10 inside 50s in his first game for the club.
Coniglio got through a NEAFL practice match last week after missing the GIANTS’ last two NAB Challenge matches with hamstring tightness, and was Cameron's go-to stopper last season on his way to a fifth-placed finish in the club's best and fairest. 
