By: Daniel Cencic
TIM Johnson is the last-remaining player in Vermont’s senior line-up from the club’s most recent premiership triumph in 2009.
At just 20 years of age, Johnson experienced the ultimate as Vermont took out an unlikely premiership victory despite a slow start to its ‘09 campaign.
The Eagles haven’t won a senior premiership since, having appeared in the 2012, 2016 and 2017 deciders.
It signals the club’s second-longest premiership drought of the Eastern Districts/EFL era in the club’s illustrious history – eight seasons – which is an eternity in Vermont terms given the Eagles have claimed 19 senior EFL premierships.
The club’s longest wait between drinks was from 1972-1981, where it enjoyed a golden period thereafter with senior flags in 1982, ‘83, ‘86, ‘88, ‘89, ‘90, ‘91, ‘93, ‘94, ‘95, ‘97, ‘98, 2001, ‘05, ‘06, ‘07 and ’09.
The ex-club captain Johnson, now 29, is in hot pursuit of the taste of premiership glory once again when he lines up against South Croydon tomorrow.
Tim Johnson is hungry for success again. PICTURE: Christopher Chan/Leader Newspapers
“It’d be nice to have some teammates who can share the same sort of success and it’s funny how quick it goes – as a 20-year-old I didn’t really appreciate just how hard they were to win,” Johnson said.
“I certainly enjoyed it a lot and it meant a lot to me and probably later on in your career you realise the chance to win them doesn’t come along that often and there’s a reason they’re so sought-after.”
The 2009 premiership holds pride of place for many at Vermont given the club had recorded just two wins from its opening seven starts that season.
“I think we were one game off the bottom of the ladder (after Round 7, 2009) – we got on a bit of a roll and from memory, a few guys re-invented themselves in new positions and it really worked for us – we got heaps of momentum through the second-half of the year and hit form at the right time,” Johnson said.
“We still had to do it the hard way through the finals as we lost to Croydon in the semi, but managed to turn it around a couple of weeks later.
“At that time, I think we’d won four premierships in five seasons and they were coming along pretty regularly, and we thought that sort of success would keep going.
“That was my second season and in two years I played in one winning grand final and one losing one so it sort of felt like as a 20-year-old at that stage that I might end up with a few more but it hasn’t panned out that way, but we’ve still been a successful club in this period.
“It is a bit of a so-called ‘drought’.”
The honour of donning the purple and gold on the Eastern Football League’s biggest day is not lost on Johnson.
“It’s a massive privilege and it’s one of the most well-known local footy clubs in the country I’d say because the club’s been so successful and it’s got so much history,” he said.
“There’s a bit of a special feeling about Vermont and it’s something that’s really nice – current and past players really respect the club’s history and feel really privileged to play a small part in it.”
Any advice the Eagles’ last active ’09 premiership hero can impart onto teammates ahead of the bounce at 2.20pm this Saturday is simple – stick to routine.
“For the most part it’s about trying to enjoy the occasion without letting it be too distracting and you stick to your routine and the things that have worked for you all year because those are the same things that’ll hopefully work for you in grand final week and day,” Johnson said.
“The only real advice is to keep your composure throughout the week and try not to play the game in your head too much.”
