Stevie J passes test, now it’s his decision

STEVE Johnson came through yesterday’s fitness test with flying colours and if the GWS veteran pulls up well he will be set for Saturday’s preliminary final clash with Richmond at a packed MCG.

The three-time premiership winner waited for the media to leave Spotless Stadium yesterday before being put through his paces for 30 minutes.

Johnson has played backto-back games just three times since Round 9 and has missed six matches over the same period because of his degenerative knees.

Such is the trust coach Leon Cameron has in Johnson – whose six goals against West Coast last Saturday helped put GWS just one game from the grand final – he will take the superstar’s advice on whether he is fit to play against Richmond.

“He’s old enough to say he’s feeling pretty good or he’s struggling a little bit,” Camer- on said before yesterday’s training session.

“He’ll lean towards the first bit because he likes to play these sort of games.

“If he gets through that unscathed we expect him to pull up well and play from there. If he struggles today then we are on the back foot a little bit.

“He did everything right yesterday, he did his normal thing yesterday. He and Brett Deledio will train about the 30-minute mark today.

“If they get through and pull up we expect they’ll be right for Saturday.”

Johnson has played three or more consecutive games just twice this year and both were in the first half of the season but Cameron says he is not thinking past Saturday’s grand final qualifier.

“I don’t look at it as rolling the dice – if he’s fit, he plays,” Cameron said. “I’m not worried about the week after. If we are good enough to win we will deal with that then.

“Our focus is on the Tigers on Saturday because if we lose it doesn’t matter.”

If Johnson does play it will be the 27th final in his remarkable 17-year career.

“But if his fitness bid fails Devon Smith looks the most likely to replace him.

“He [Smith] trained well,” Cameron said. “We’ve had him on this running program with his knee and his last two or three weeks have improved dramatically. He’s gone from 80 per cent up to 90-plus.”