Career
Recruited from Perth Football Club in the WAFL with selection 8 in the 2004 Preseason Draft, he is a graduate of the Clontarf Football Academy. He made his debut against Richmond in Round 4 of 2005 when Matthew Carr was a late withdrawal from the team due to illness. Due to promising performances at both WAFL and American Federation of Labor-Congress levels and his versatility, he announced a three-year extension to his contract in 2006 and then a two-year contract extensions to remain at Fremantle until the end of the 2011 season.
In 2006, Michael finished equal runner-up (with Peter Bell) in Fremantle"s Doig Medal Best & Fairest count, further underlining his credentials as a prospect for the future.
His 2007 season started badly when he was suspended for four matches after colliding with Lachlan Hansen in a National Association of Broadcasters Cup match and being one of the first players to be charged under the American Federation of Labor-Congress"s crackdown on front-on contact to the head In 2009 he was appointed captain of the club for a pre-season derby and despite missing the second half of the 2009 season due to an ankle injury, he was officially included in the leadership group for the 2010 season.
In May 2010 Johnson was investigated by the police in relation to a drug-related matter. He was charged on summons with possessing cocaine, suspended for five matches and fined $5,000 for bringing the American Federation of Labor-Congress into disrepute.
He pleaded guilty and was fined $500 in court.
