I would hope that how Johnno performs in the finals ways heavily on the decision made.
Johnson has enough footy for the balance of the season to show that he deserves another year.
Western Bulldogs Football Club "Where it's cool to drool"
Johnno deserves to be a 400 game immortal - let's hope his body and form allow it.
FFC: Established 1883
Premierships: AFL 1954, 2016 VFA - 1898,99,1900, 1908, 1913, 1919-20, 1923-24, VFL: 2014, 2016 . Champions of Victoria 1924. AFLW - 2018.
This is something we utterly fail at as a club sometimes, honouring our veterans… I still hurt at what we did to Dougie. Whilst generally you find yourself agreeing with the club when they say a player is past it and having trouble accepting that fact, I think it's bullshit that a player reaches 30, then for the next 5—6 years (if they're lucky to last that long) every time they get injured or have a small form drop their careers are in doubt.
If form were to be a factor, you'd need to 1. show the drop over a substantial period of time, not just the weeks following an injury and 2. show the young kid who offers more to the side, worthy of replacing a champion such as Johnson, West, Grant, Hawkins, etc who have bled for the club for decades.
Proof: Look at Dustin Fletcher. Oldest man in the comp.
By that logic we should have retired Johnno in 2008 as he seemed to carry an injury every second week. We then would have missed his awesome year last year (5th in the B&F). As a game I feel we retire our champions too early, I think if the player wants to go on and the only thing physically wrong with them is age then it's play on as far as I'm concerned.
As long as we all can see Johnno in a send off game fit enough to play, not calling it quits due injury. He deserves that respect.
Go Dogs..............................