Johnson played in the 1939 premiership decider for South Sydney. He also played in the 1939 State Championship final for South Sydney.
Not to be confused with Ray Johnston. Johnson became one of the first players in the game to publically confirm his indigenous heritage. Born Allen Johnson, he went to school in Tamworth. Johnson came to South Sydney from Northern Suburbs in Newcastle, where he was playing with his brother. He quickly established himself in the fullback role in the trials at South Sydney, making his first grade premiership debut in the 1938 Round 1 clash against Balmain at Leichhardt Oval.
Johnson was nimble in his agility, a safe handler and had judicious placement with his kicks, with the ability to kick with both feet. Added to this he was also clever runner of the ball. These skills saw him called up into representative teams, and he was considered Australia's top fullback at the outbreak of World War II, and unlucky not to play for Australia.
Johnson only played 2 seasons with South Sydney between 1938 and 1939. He played 32 first grade club games with South Sydney which included 29 first grade premiership games and 3 first grade cup games with South Sydney. At South Sydney he played his whole senior grade career in first grade. Johnson also played 2 short-Form knockout games for South Sydney.
Johnson made his representative debut in the 1938 Sydney City seconds match against NSW Country, stepping his way up into New South Wales fullback position for the 1938 tour of Queensland, making his interstate debut in Brisbane.
Johnson played his final first grade premiership game with South Sydney in the 1939 premiership decider against Balmain at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He would play a few more end of season cup games, before finishing his South Sydney senior grade and first grade club career in the 1939 State Championship Final against Caterbury-Bankstown at the Sydney Cricket Ground, before he returned to Newcastle to play with Cessnock. In 1941, Cec Blinkhorn did all he could to lure Johnson back to South Sydney after he trialed with the club in the pre-season, but without success.
In 1996, Johnson was inducted into the Aboriginal or Islander Sporting Hall of Fame.
Player Relatives
Brother - Johnson, Lin (Norths-Newc)
(Canterbury-Bankstown)
Brother - Johnson, Stan (Jockey)
Playing - Height / Weight
5ft 10.5in / 11st 7lb
Representative Qualification
Indigenous
NSW Country
Date of Birth
Quirindi - 1st January 1916 (Died - 1984)
Previous Clubs
Northern Suburbs (Newcastle - 1937)
Playing Career at South Sydney (1938-39)
South Sydney First Grade Debut
1938 Apr 23 Rd01 Leic v Balmain (22y 112d)
First Grade
Premiership : State Championship : Tour
M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
1938 13 13 - 1 - - 3
1939 16 16 - 1 - 1 5 : 3 3 - 1 - - 3 : - - - - - - -
1941 (trialed)
TOTAL 29 29 - 2 - 1 8 : 3 3 - 1 - - 3 : - - - - - - -
SS Cup 3 3 - 1 - - 3
SS FG 32 32 - 3 - 1 11
Lower Grades
Reserve Grade : Third Grade
Year M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
1938 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
1939 - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
TOTAL - - - - - - - : - - - - - - -
South Sydney Senior(FG/RG/3G) Grade Career
Premiership : Cup : All Matches
M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
CAREER 29 29 - 2 - 1 8 : 3 3 - 1 - - 3 : 34 34 - 1 2 - 7
Short Form
Short-Game Knockout
M S R T G/A FG Pts
1938 1 1 - - - - -
1939 1 1 - - - - -
TOTAL 2 2 - - - - -
SS SF 2 2 - - - - -
Captaincy Record at South Sydney
never
Suspension Record at South Sydney
Year Grade v Wk CHARGE never
Player Awards
Year Award 1996 - Aboriginal or Islander Hall of Fame
Representative Honours at South Sydney
Domestic CvC / Interstate : Tourists : Other
M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts : M S R T G/A FG Pts
Sydney City II 1938 : : 1 1 - - - - -
Sydney City 1938 : 1 1 - - - - - :
New South Wales 1938 1 1 - - - - - : :
TOTAL 3 3 - - - - -
International
none
ALL REPS 3 3 - - - - -
Year Pos Team Versus Match T G/A FG
1938 Flbk Sydney City II v NSW Country II - - -
1938 Flbk Sydney City v New Zealand - - -
1938 (Queensland Tour Squad)
1938 Flbk New South Wales v Queensland 3rd Match - - -
After Leaving South Sydney
Subsequent Clubs First Grade
M T G FG Pt
Cessnock (1940-42)
Military Service (1942-46) RAAF Leading Aircraftman 9 Airfield Construction Squadron
Western Suburbs (1943-45) 15 - 8 - 16
Canterbury-Bankstown (1946-48) 38 1 2 - 7
Subsequent Rep Honours M T G FG Pt : M T G FG Pt
NSW Country (1941-42) 2 - - - - :
Rest of New South Wales (1942) 1 - - - - :
New South Wales (1941-45) 6 - - - - : 1 - - - -
Sydney City (1945) 1 - - - -
Sydney City II (1946) 1 1 1 - 5
Ref - SSFC / WSA / CB / Wiki / OR p376 / RLP / ANC / NAA-72408 / FN-46
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