GIANTS DROP STEVIE J

TRIPLE premiership player Steve Johnson hasn’t given up on the dream of winning a finals recall for Greater Western Sydney, despite being dropped for tonight’s qualifying final clash with Adelaide at Adelaide Oval.

The 34-year-old’s omission wasn’t the only big selection news last night with star Adelaide midfielder Rory Sloane losing his race against time to recover from appendicitis and Giant Devon Smith also ruled out with a knee injury.

Johnson flew to Adelaide with the team yesterday, but Giants coach Leon Cameron made the tough call of leaving him out after on-going knee soreness contributed to recent poor form, including only eight disposals against his old side Geelong in Round 23.

The 291-game veteran, who may have played his last game, said he still felt “like I have got a moment there for a game to help this club achieve what it wants to achieve.”

Johnson could play for the Giants’ reserves against the Crows’ reserves in a trial game on Friday at Football Park, if he doesn’t win a late call-up due to the expected wet conditions.

Cameron was not prepared to close the door on Johnson, saying he would remain in the mix in the finals.

“His performances over the past couple of weeks probably haven’t been at the level they needed to be at,” Cameron said.

“He’s the first one to walk into the office and say ‘I haven’t been playing some great footy’.

“On top of that, we’ve had to juggle his injury with his knee, but whether he does play or he doesn’t play, he’ll be participating somewhere along the line in September action.”

Johnson and Smith (knee) have been replaced by Matt de Boer and Harrison Himmelberg. The Crows welcome back Taylor Walker, Daniel Talia and Hugh Greenwood for Sloane, Alex Keath (omitted) and Wayne Milera (omitted).

Sloane had his appendix removed last Tuesday week and has only recently stepped up his training levels.

“Like every player, I would love to be out there because it’s the best time of year,” Sloane told the club’s website.

“I’ll be getting around the 22 blokes out there and, as everyone has been saying all year, we are a team that thrives on everyone chipping in and getting the job done.”

The Crows said last night the club’s medicos had ruled Sloane out, making the decision an easy one.

“Naturally players want to play so we gave Sloaney every opportunity to get up, including training this morning,” Burton said.

“Ultimately it’s a medical decision and the advice was that it was too short a turnaround between the surgery and (the) game.”