The Newtown & Chilwell Football Club has announced the appointment of former Geelong Cats star Steve Johnson as their new senior coach, becoming the next notable AFL name after Majak Daw to join the Geelong Football Netball League (GFNL).
Johnson, a three-time AFL premiership player with the Cats and a former Norm Smith Medalist, will take the reins of the club, aiming to guide the Eagles to success in the regional competition.
Johnson's coaching career has gathered momentum since his AFL retirement in 2017, when he transitioned from a player to a coach of the game.
After a brief stint as an assistant coach with the Sydney Swans, Johnson accepted the head coaching role at Yarrawonga Football Club in 2022, leading the team to the Ovens & Murray Football Netball League premiership in 2023.
Now, fresh off presenting the 2024 Norm Smith Medal to star Lion Will Ashcroft, he's set to tackle a new challenge with Newtown & Chilwell, a club rich with history.
The Eagles, who play their home games at Elderslie Reserve, have been a staple of the GFNL since 1979, when they were one of the ten founding clubs of the league after splitting from the Geelong & District Football League (GDFL).
Originally formed through the 1933 merger of two of Geelong's oldest clubs, the Newtown Football Club and Chilwell Football Club, Newtown & Chilwell has a storied past. The club boasts a notable connection to several AFL players, including current Geelong Cat Tanner Bruhn and former West Coast Eagles premiership player Will Schofield. Now, with Johnson at the helm, the Eagles will be looking to reach new heights under his leadership and experience with knowing what success looks like.
Johnson's return to the Geelong football scene brings his career full circle, following an illustrious playing career that included three AFL premierships with the Cats in 2007, 2009, and 2011, as well as the crowning accolade of his playing days; the 2007 Norm Smith Medal.
His appointment comes at a time of anticipation and hope, as the club looks to reach the pinnacle for the first time since 1986.