The day that best sums up Travis for me was the second semi final against Adelaide in 2002. Melbourne had been pumped in the first quarter and faced an almighty deficit of 40 points. Enter Travis Johnstone and one of the most sublime 2 quarters you’ll ever see. By ¾ time and 4 deft Johnstone goals we were 22 points in front with a prelim beckoning. I was exhilarated and finally celebrating the talents of our no. 1 pick. Then the last quarter. It went pear shaped, horribly. Johnstone was spent. In fact, he inexplicably walked off as we were wilting. Needless to say, we lost.

Johnstone has teased the MFC and its supporters for 10 years. It’s too long. We’ve marvelled at his vision, at his footy brain, the way he made a forward lead to where he wanted them to, his slow motion movement whilst confusing those around him, and, of course, the effortless pinpoint passes from those soft feet. But it was all too little too often.

I look back at how quickly those 10 years have gone. I first saw him ‘hoover’ the ball against Sydney in a night game in NZ early ’98. The talent was there for all to see, but ultimately, it's always been “next year” for Travis. Coincidentally, this mirrored the MFC's roller coaster. Finally, he was diagnosed as lactose intolerant. I thought “great”, now TJ will get his body right next preseason and we’ll see the difference. And we did for a year. But here we are with Johnstone about to enter his eleventh AFL year and we’re still talking about that ‘potential’. More intriguingly, some supporters are baffled by his departure, “how could we let such a talent go?” they cry, and “he’s worth more than pick 14”. But instead I ask, “why are those supporters so easily pleased" ? And why are MFC players so easily pleased ? Put simply, Melbourne players don’t hurt enough. They don’t burn for success. They go through the motions. It’s a soft culture down at Melbourne and things need to change. The facts are Travis is lazy and half committed. But that's ok by those seduced by the occasional cameo. The continuous soft tissue injuries also seem to escape his defenders.

Johnstone is 28 next year and enters his 11th season. Ten years have yielded two top 10 B&Fs. He has massively underperformed. Nathan Jones in his second year finished second in the B&F. How embarrassing for Johnstone. We all know that Travis is an ‘elite talent’, but he’s never been an ‘elite player’ in the AFL. He’s never made AA. He’s never been ‘rated’ in AFL circles as one of the games best. He’s never been rated like Harvey, Kerr, Black, Lappin, West, Cousins, or Judd. He should have been. With Travis it’s always been about his ‘potential’.

Well I’m sick of finishing second best and sick of the adoration of an unfulfilled talent. I’m sick of Melbourne supporters accepting this under performing, culturally corrosive, waste of talent . I’m sick of excuses.

I’ll back Craig Cameron to draft a 150-200 game player with pick 14. TJ has about 50-60 games left. Go on to the thedrafter.net website and you’ll see that their rating system has Melbourne second to only Geelong over the last 5 years. After Cameron’s annus horribilus in 2001 he has hardly missed a beat. Bate, Bartram, Dunn, Bell, McLean, Newton, Petterd, Jones to name a few. Look at who we’ve picked on draft day during this period and who’s gone later and you’ll be impressed by our decisions. I’d say no club has done better.

I had high hopes that TJ would be our next Robbie Flower, but I stopped deluding myself years ago. I’ll back the MFC in their agenda to recruit the best new talent possible to compliment our impressive under 23’s. And I’ve no doubt we’ll stick to a no d!ckhead policy.

Travis is gone. It was time. And like that final in 2002 against Adelaide, ‘if only’.

Well done MFC.

nice touching article.. boy did i cry that night

While I agree with your sentiment, I'd like to know one thing. Do you have an appreciation for what Travis gave this club? Or was it all negative in your educated opinion? Not having a go at you, but would just like to know if you wish him well.

  dees_rule_4eva said:

While I agree with your sentiment, I'd like to know one thing. Do you have an appreciation for what Travis gave this club? Or was it all negative in your educated opinion? Not having a go at you, but would just like to know if you wish him well.

I have no respect for God given talent. None. He didn't work hard for his talent, he was born with it. In fact, he hasn't made the most of it. I respect those that make the best of their genetical makeup. I wanted Godfrey delisted but I have tremendous respect for what he achieved. Barassi was very hard on the gifted players because he expected so much more from them.

So, do I have an appreciation for what Johnstone gave the MFC ? No. He's done himself a disservice. He had so much more to give.

With the way we're currently headed I may have to use my old username name again...

  Jarka said:

With the way we're currently headed I may have to use my old username name again...

Which waS?

Hannabal....thats rubbish....its attitudes like yours that place such unreasonable expectations on travis are always demanding more no matter how much he gives!!

That adelaide game was amazing....off his own boot he put us in a winning position for that game. But you blame him for not continuing on in the last quarter? Why dont you just acknowlege the almost superhuman 2 quarters he had just put in and ask what the hell the rest of the team was doing!??!? Why was it all up to travis....he got us into a winning position by giving his all and his teammates were to pathetic to stick up for him and help him out...thats why we lost...

Goodluck at Brisbane Travis, we will miss ya!

  Don24 said:

Hannabal....thats rubbish....its attitudes like yours that place such unreasonable expectations on travis are always demanding more no matter how much he gives!!

That adelaide game was amazing....off his own boot he put us in a winning position for that game. But you blame him for not continuing on in the last quarter? Why dont you just acknowlege the almost superhuman 2 quarters he had just put in and ask what the hell the rest of the team was doing!??!? Why was it all up to travis....he got us into a winning position by giving his all and his teammates were to pathetic to stick up for him and help him out...thats why we lost...

Goodluck at Brisbane Travis, we will miss ya!

Go no. 16

A nice way to mark your 900th H. I liked what Robinson said on SEN today. He said something to the effect that footy is all about supporters loving their club and loving those who play for their club and as a consequence we (irrational fans) find it hard to rationalise losing a favoured son. H you could never be accused of this. You've always got your eyes on the ultimate prize! TJ was a favoured son because he could do the impossible. He's the type of player who sees things most can't on a footy field but like so many who show glimpses of genius, he is also flawed. Timing, in footy, like life, is everything and this was the time for the MFC to make a statement - to the playing group, to the supporters and to the opposition that near enough is no longer good enough. We've thrown around words like 'character' and 'ruthlessness' for too long without backing it up with action. TJ sent a card of congratulations to mark my recent wedding, he was my favourite player and one of the few players in our team who genuinely sends a shiver down my spine but the bottom line is, he had to go. H is right, talking about potential is a disgrace when you're talking about a ten year player. This club needs to find young men who share a single-minded obsession to do all within their power to achieve success as a team and despite the near endless list of Travis Johnstone highlights I've reminisced about today, the harsh reality is that he simply didn't provide the example a player of his experience needed to. He will certainly be missed and he may well star for Brisbane next year but its hard to argue that this wasn't the right time.

  Hannabal said:

Johnstone is 28 next year and enters his 11th season. Ten years have yielded two top 10 B&Fs. He has massively underperformed. Nathan Jones in his second year finished second in the B&F. How embarrassing for Johnstone.

I’ll back Craig Cameron to draft a 150-200 game player with pick 14. TJ has about 50-60 games left.

Well done MFC.

So true. Nathan Jones, as a 19 y/o carried this midfield and will do so for many years.

Give me week to week grunt and commitment to occasional, appreciated sublime skills any day.

Accusing Travis of giving up when coming off against Adelaide is dumb. He busted his ass to get us back into that game, and he did so. In the last quater he hit the wall. If you have ever experienced that you would know that you can't give ne more cos u simply don't have it. No matter what you say about guts and determination if you are spent you are spent! And Trav was spent!

Thanks Trav for all the highlights. We all expected so much, and whilst you may not have reached those lofty heights you have provided us with some great memories, the Troy Broadbridge tribute after that goal probably being my favorite.

  whelan_rocks said:

Accusing Travis of giving up when coming off against Adelaide is dumb. He busted his ass to get us back into that game, and he did so. In the last quater he hit the wall. If you have ever experienced that you would know that you can't give ne more cos u simply don't have it. No matter what you say about guts and determination if you are spent you are spent! And Trav was spent!

Thanks Trav for all the highlights. We all expected so much, and whilst you may not have reached those lofty heights you have provided us with some great memories, the Troy Broadbridge tribute after that goal probably being my favorite.

He was more than spent. I think he was concussed by a collision with a team mate and had no option but to come off. A Great game by him.

Good luck with the Lions.

  whelan_rocks said:

Accusing Travis of giving up when coming off against Adelaide is dumb. He busted his ass to get us back into that game, and he did so. In the last quater he hit the wall.

H didn't suggest he willingly gave up. But the suggestion that he gave up during the hard slog of many a pre-season certainly has credibility. The real question you must ask is why did he hit the wall so often? Why was he started on the bench so regularly?

  whelan_rocks said:

Accusing Travis of giving up when coming off against Adelaide is dumb.

I said it "summed up his career".

I remember being excited and happy at 3/4 time, then my mate who was living in Adelaide so was getting the game live and called and said i cant beleive you lost, i then cried.

  Hannabal said:

I said it "summed up his career".

I always got the impression TJ loved the big stage and the cut and thrust of the contest. His love of the training track and the necessary disciplined lifestyle and dieting regime, however, was a completely different matter. Suggesting 'giving up' sums up a career is as critical as it gets.

Hannabal u clearly have been too busy up at the snow and not a real supporter of the club able to appreciate the player that TJ was for us, u can back in an unknown pick 14, there is no way i would trade 1 of our few matchwinners, and its very clear u have never played or understood what it involves to play a game of footy, im sorry that you have had this disadvantage

He said inexplicably walking off.

He may not have trained hard enough, I dont know, I don't attend any pre-season training sessions. I know that he isn't a supreme athlete, but I don't know if he has the capacity to be. I know that no matter how hard I trained, I could never be a super athlete like Crawford, Buckley and Cousins. If you look at James Mcdonalds time on ground every game, he never plays anywhere near a full game. Dane Swan comes off the bench all the time and doesnt play massive minutes. Not all players can go flat chat for all game all year. I wouldn't say I noticed TJ hitting the wall often either.

Trav definatly had his issues with how hard he worked on the ground in games. It would infuriate me as well. His inconsistency stemmed from this I believe as well as soft tissue injuries and the lactose intolarance or wateva you call it he had. I don't disagree with the clubs decision to trade him as it may be the best for both parties. But its a bloody sad day. He did alot for the club and provided so many truely awesom memories!

I think TJ gave what he could, and what his body would allow. He improved his hardness latter in his carrer and he was always heavily tagged. I'll miss him heaps, just watching him move through traffic like it is not even there and hit people with passes with pinpiont accuracy. I think he was worth more than pick 14 and I think that Brisbane with Lappin, Adcock, Black, Power and Johnstone in the middle and Brown up front are going to be a very good side.

However this is a statement from a new coach. I think he's stetting the benchmark of what he wants each individual in the team to achieve as high as possible. I don't think that is a bad thing.

Go Dees!

Well said Hannabal, great post.

I need to go to that drafting website. Well done CAC.

But yeah, our culture is currently f**ked.

  macdaddy said:

Hannabal u clearly have been too busy up at the snow and not a real supporter of the club able to appreciate the player that TJ was for us, u can back in an unknown pick 14, there is no way i would trade 1 of our few matchwinners, and its very clear u have never played or understood what it involves to play a game of footy, im sorry that you have had this disadvantage

i hold hannabal and his views in the highest regard on this site, as do many others. your first post makes me think maybe you have not spent much time reading all the discussion on this site about trading trapper. maybe if you take the time to you will realise that there are more important things going on in the mfc. greater things than a match winner for next year. the club is changing. we are entering a new era. trav wouldnt have been part of that era, he has now helped us move into that era with an extra draft pick.

for the good of the club, trav is gone.

Travis gave us plenty of blood sweat and tears in his time with the club. Home many times did he gather a ball on deliver it SUBLIMLY to neitz at FF? He was one of the most skillful players to play at the club.

The time was right for both parties to part. Travis will be a bit like Chopper Lovell for me, although he went elsewhere towards the end, he will always be a demon in my eyes.

Thanks trapper.

BRING ON PICK 14!

I was enthralled by that game at the time. I watched it with a big Crows fan at the time. I was quite drunk by the endof the game , but one thing that has stuck with me ever since is the fact that despite TJ's efforts we didn't win. I can name any number of games that Robbie or Garry or Neita or Jimma won off their own boot. Name one that Travis did? He's not a champion. As H has so aptly put it ... he's just a very lazy boy.

Nicely done H. I remember that game well.

To be a complete footballer you need skill and the metal attitude and application to win and succeed. If you need examples look no further than Nathan Buckley and James Hird. Travis could have stood comfortably besides these players but for his inability to apply himself.

But perhaps where I differ to many is I don't blame Travis for his failing. As skills are handed out on the one hand so too is an ability to apply it. Travis has half the package. As it wasn't Godders fault he didn't have skill it's not Trav's fault he didn't have application.

Good luck Trav.

As always, you incite such anger and debate H

I love watching TJ, and I have stood up for him countless times. Up until late this season I was against trading him, however it was his game in Round 22 against Carlton that finally changed my mind.

He was very good that day, racked up possessions at will and some of his disposal was, as always, sublime. Which begs the question why doesn't he play like this every game? He's capable, hell, he's more than capable. He could have been as good as Judd, that's how brilliantly skilled he is, and yet so rarely does he perform when the heat is on, when a hard tag is applied, when he is NEEDED!

We've needed TJ to perform for 10 years, but he hasn't. Now, as he turns 28, the club is facing a new era under a new coach, and a young playing group. We no longer need him, and the harsh realities of the competition state that when someone is no longer needed, you let them go.

I don't know why TJ never turned out to be the player he should have been. I suspect it was a combination of fitness (or lack thereof), lack of determination and above all immaturity on his behalf. If he was hungry like Godfrey, or competitive like Neita, he would have been the equal of any player to ever play for this club. But coulda, woulda, shoulda don't win premierships.

I JUST WANT AN F'ING PREMIERSHIP!!!!