[3] However, he played 14 games for Melbourne's affiliate club in the VFL, Sandringham, and at the end of the season was awarded the J. J. Liston Trophy as the best and fairest player in the league, having tied with the Tasmanian Devils' Ian Callinan on 16 votes, including five best on ground efforts.

[3] After his delisting in 2010, Johnson was asked to join Hawthorn's pre-season training squad as one of three players competing for an extra spot on the club's rookie list.

[8] He was eventually selected to join the list, but was forced to miss eight weeks at the start of the season due to a stress fracture in his foot.

[9] Johnson was upgraded to Hawthorn's senior list in May 2011, after injuries to key position players and strong form for the club's affiliate in the VFL, Box Hill.

[12] In May 2012, he was named in the state squad for the match against the South Australian National Football League,[13] and was later awarded the Simpson Medal as the best player on the ground for Western Australia.