Lions assistant coach to lead team against Adelaide
BRISBANE Lions' triple-premiership player Chris Johnson has been appointed coach of the Indigenous All-Stars team to play Adelaide in Darwin next year.
The 264-game player and three-time AFL All-Star who retired at the end of 2007, will call on his experience through his current role as development coach at the Lions.
It's a great honour to be appointed head coach", Johnson said in a statement yesterday.
Especially following in the footsteps of ex-coach Michael McLean. I looked up to him as a young player, I still do look up to him. It is a fantastic opportunity to coach great players against a quality opposition. I'm very excited."
The dual All-Australian was named in a back pocket in the AFL's Indigenous Team of the Century and represented his country as captain of Australia in the International Rules series, as well as leading Brisbane as co-captain and the All-Stars as captain.
Jason Mifsud, AFL Foundation CEO, said Johnson clearly demonstrated a 'vision and passion to ensure that the whole program best reflects the standards of an AFL club'.
He understands and articulated the requirements needed to produce the necessary professionalism to set a standard of the highest order," Mifsud said.
And as the only current AFL Indigenous coach he was an obvious choice."
Former Essendon Football Club high performance manager, John Quinn, will coordinate and oversee all medical staff and conditioning requirements for the team.
* Tickets are now on sale for the game and can be purchased through the Darwin Entertainment Centre on (08) 8980 3333.
AFL NORTHERN TERRITORY
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Last Modified on 02/12/2008 22:06