Eagles announce Cats legend as coach

GEELONG Football Club legend Steve Johnson will coach Newtown & Chilwell in 2025, the club confirmed on Sunday.

Johnson arrives to Elderslie Reserve following two success-filled seasons in the Ovens & Murray League as a senior coach, leading Yarrawonga to a premiership in 2023 and a grand final loss last month.

The move is the latest of several coaching changes since the end of the 2024 Geelong Football League home and away season, with former Eagles coach Damien McMahon announcing his departure from the nest earlier this year.

Johnson is already the third coach announced to be arriving to the GFL next season following Rick Munn to St Albans, Brett Henderson to Lara.

Colac and Leopold are already lining up new senior coaches for next season with Rowan McSparron and Garry Hocking leaving the competition.

Meanwhile at Kardinia Park, St Mary’s co-coach Glenn Keast has also packed away the whiteboard, leaving the club and allowing Luke Rayner to solely lead the Saints.

Johnson is a name synonymous with the local footballing community, playing 253 AFL games with the Cats from 2002 to 2015 before moving to Greater Western Sydney to finish out his career in 2017.

A three-time premiership player, Johnson is also a three-time All Australian and the 2007 Norm Smith medallist.

Johnson will also take over the mantle of potentially leading the Towners to a premiership for the first time in at least 39 years, as the Eagles regressed to eighth in 2024 with six wins and 12 losses.