Jason Johannisen Biography

Jason Johannisen signs a two-year contract extension to remain at the Western Bulldogs until the end of 2024.

"The Western Bulldogs is a really special place to me and I couldn't be happier to get the chance to continue playing football here for the next few years," Johannisen told the club website.

"It's a really positive time to be a part of this team, our list is exciting as we continue to strive for sustained success."

Jason Johannisen will be out of training indefinitely as he deals with an ankle injury sustained at training.

Jason Johannisen starts 2019 back with the main group after recovering from off-season hip surgery.

"The work from the medical and rehab staff has got me to where I am today," he said.

"I'm just really looking forward to getting a good start in the JLT (Community Series) and playing some good footy."

Jason Johannisen will have off-season surgery to correct a lingering hip injury.

Johannisen had been battling the complaint in the latter part of the 2018 season, and will go under the knife early next week.

The Western Bulldogs have cleared star defender Jason Johannisen of any wrongdoing after he was involved in an incident at Melbourne's Crown Casino on the weekend.

However, the club expressed disappointment that the 2016 Norm Smith medallist was out late.

A club statement on Wednesday said Johannisen was at the venue with his partner and a small group of friends in the early hours of Sunday morning, when another group of males began acting "extremely inappropriately" towards some female members of his group.

An argument ensued between the males of both groups, in which Johannisen was not involved.

Crown security intervened immediately, the groups dispersed, and Johannisen's group left the casino and travelled home.

Easton Wood is named captain of the Western Bulldogs for the 2018 season, with Marcus Bontempelli serving as vice-captain.

"To become the custodian of the group is something really special to me," Wood said.

"I've been here my whole adult life. I've grown up here. It's definitely special."

Jason Johannisen, Lachie Hunter, Jack Redpath and Jordan Roughead round out the six-man leadership group.

Marcus Bontempelli claims his second successive Charles Sutton Medal as the Western Bulldogs' best and fairest for 2017, pipping defender Jason Johannisen by a single vote in a thrilling count.

In claiming the award, 21-year-old Bontempelli became the youngest dual best and fairest in the club's history, taking the honour from seven-time winner Scott West.

Bontempelli averaged 23 disposals and four marks per game in 2017 and kicked 20 goals across 22 matches.

He also led the club in contested possessions (11.8 per match), clearances (90), contested marks (21), tackles (138) and finished second in metres gained (8,474).

Jason Johannisen admits to feeling relieved after recently signing a new deal with the Bulldogs.

"I've lived in Melbourne for the last seven years now. I love Melbourne, I love the football club and even my parents don't want me back in Perth," he said.

"A lot of people were talking about it. Personally, I always knew that it was going to happen but signing on the dotted line definitely takes a little bit of weight off the shoulders."

Jason Johannisen signs a five-year deal with the Bulldogs that will keep him at the club until the end of 2022.

Industry sources suggested the Bulldogs had upped their offer to about $600,000 a season to get the deal over the line, meaning the 24-year-old speedster will earn up to $3 million over the course of his new deal.

"Jason is not only a key member of our playing group but a quality individual who is a big part of the future of the Western Bulldogs," Bulldogs list manager Jason McCartney said.

"To reach the heights he has after coming off the rookie list is a credit to not only his talent and work ethic, but at just 24 we think there's also still plenty of improvement in him.

"We've seen 'JJ' grow in leaps and bounds over the past few years, and we're looking forward to watching him continue to develop as a player and a person at our football club."

West Coast coach Adam Simpson has leapt to the defence of Mark Hutchings after Western Bulldogs counterpart Luke Beveridge slammed the Eagles' physicality against Jason Johannisen as "cowardly".

Hutchings had a shutdown role on the star Bulldogs playmaker and restricted Johannisen to just 12 touches in a crucial Eagles win at Etihad Stadium.

"Hutchings ran off the bench without him looking. It's cowardly and we got a free kick from it," he said.

"But he got away with that and 'J' has to put up with that at the moment.

"We're not going to go and belt Hutchings because we are a disciplined side but some of that stuff is a bit concerning.

"A free kick sort of doesn't seem enough."

But Simpson went into bat for Hutchings, who has performed effective stopping roles for the club against other teams.

"It's a pretty brutal competition, isn't it? You do what you do within the rules to win the game and I don't think that went outside the rules," Simpson said.

"You find the line. That's where you push it to, and if you go over it you get reported or give away a free kick and then you keep going."

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says Jason Johannissen needs to focus on playing a team-oriented game as he deals with increasing attention from opposition taggers.

Since the Sydney Swans' George Hewett blanketed Johannisen in round 12, the Bulldog has averaged just under 14 touches a game and not had 20 touches in a game.

In the 36 games before that he had exceeded 20 disposals in all but five games.

"We don't need him to get 30 possessions to win. He is doing his best to fight against it… as long as he plays the team-based game," Beveridge said.

"He can help us if he focuses on the team-based aspect of it for 100 per cent of the game."

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge believes his team can gain an advantage out of the heavy opposition attention Jason Johannisen is receiving.

Johannisen was tagged for the third week running on Saturday night, with North Melbourne forwards Taylor Garner and Nathan Hrovat working over the Norm Smith medallist from the opening bounce.

"I think the important thing is, as coaches we don't panic, we don't need Jason to get 30 possessions for us to win the game," Beveridge said after the Bulldogs' one-point win at Etihad Stadium.

"They were trying to go to him and we weren't getting what we wanted high, so we'll just take Shane Biggs, or Matty Suckling, or Easton Wood up high and we'll get the same result.

"We sent Jason to Nathan Hrovat, who looked lively, and Jason shut him out and gave us rebound from deeper."

A giant Tom Bugg mural has popped up in Melbourne's famed graffiti gallery in Hosier Lane.

The mural, by local artist Lushsux, features the hashtag #youready?, referencing Bugg's Instagram message to Jason Johannisen.

Melbourne coach Simon Goodwin, however, said Bugg's friendly taunt was not endorsed by the club.

"Tom plays the game a certain way and I think his teammates love the way he goes about his footy but I'd be lying if we didn't have the discussion around what we saw last week," Goodwin said.

"As a club we want to be seen as respectful and humble and a club that's team-first and we've had an education with our group around what that looks like."

Tomas Bugg says hist Instagram post challenging Western Bulldogs backman Jason Johannisen was just a bit of fun between mates.

Bugg took a photo with teammates Jack Watts before Sunday's 57-point win against the Dogs and put it on Instagram, asking Johannisen: 'You ready?'.

"I know Jason, so it was just a bit of playful (banter) before the game," Bugg said.

"I didn't look too far into it. They're a great side so we knew they were going to come at us no matter what. I didn't read too much into it."

The Bulldogs will make a concerted effort to protect Jason Johannisen after he was physically targeted by Sydney in round 12.

Teammate Lachie Hunter said the players should have done more to help Johannisen.

"He obviously copped a fair bit," Hunter said.

"We did try and help him, and to a certain extent it drags people out of position.

"It wasn't one of (Jason's) better games, and we'll look to protect him – and anyone else – who that happens to this week."

Jason Johannisen's manager Tim Galic has confirmed that the Eagles have expressed interest in his client who is out of contract at the end of the 2017 season.

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge has admitted he's concerned that Jason Johannisen has put contract negotiations on hold until season's end.

"I think the simple way to look at it is (Jason) has backed himself to have a great year, and leverage a contract for the future," Beveridge said.

"It doesn't appear the lure of his (home) state (Western Australia) has anything to do with it.

"He wants to be a Bulldogs player, and that's encouraging. I take him at his word and he's a very honest person."

Jason Johannisen has put contract talks with the Western Bulldogs on hold until the end of the season.

Johannisen's manager, Tim Galic of SMA Sports Agents, said that there had been no movement in his recent talks with the Bulldogs, with the parties remaining a long way apart over the terms of a new contract.

Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy says he is confident that the Bulldogs will keep out-of-contract Jason Johannisen at the club beyond 2017.

"He's a star and if that means we have to pass the hat around for loose change to keep him, that's how we'll do it," Murphy said.

Possible No.1 draft pick Andrew McGrath believes he can fill a similar role to Jason Johannisen at AFL level, who he believes has brought the creative defender role back into vogue.

The versatile McGrath, who is one of up to five players vying to be the top pick in this year's NAB AFL Draft, can play at half-back or through the midfield, with his pace and decision-making notable assets.

"The emergence of Jason Johannisen has really helped me," McGrath said.

"Previously that dashing half-back hasn't really been a massive role, but this year there's been heaps of players go through there (for the Bulldogs).

"The Bulldogs have shown how important that role is. I've idolised him all year, and especially his Grand Final performance was just outstanding."

Jason Johannisen wins the Norm Smith Medal for being best on ground in the 2016 Grand Final.

The 23-year-old finished with a team-high 33 possessions and a game-high nine inside 50s, breaking the match open in the second half and providing the outside class needed in a brutal contested game.

"I'm speechless really. To see all the other players who have won this award, I'm truly honoured. I just can't believe it," Johannisen said.

"The club took a massive gamble on me as a young kid. I'm just thankful for the opportunity this fantastic club has given me and I just try and repay the faith."

The Western Bulldogs are breathing a sigh of relief after scans revealed exciting playmaker Jason Johannisen hasn't ripped his hamstring muscle off the bone.

Johannisen was expected to miss up to four months, but appears set to be back sooner his injury classified as a high-grade hamstring.

"He does have a high-grade hamstring injury, but he doesn't have separation of the hamstring from the bone," Western Bulldogs football boss Graham Lowe said.

"We're considering our options, seeking further specialist advice, and we'll know in the next 24 hours exactly how we plan to move forward."

Jason Johannisen is set for an extended stint on the sidelines after damaging a hamstring tendon.

Johannisen limped from the field clutching his right leg after kicking a goal from 55 metres in the third quarter of the Bulldogs' 36-point win over Carlton at Etihad Stadium.

On the eve of his 50th game, Jason Johanissen says his confidence as a player is growing.

"I feel very comfortable out on the field, and it's taken a bit of time to do so, but I now have the confidence and belief to play in this team," he said.

"Sometimes I can go into my shell, but I try and scrub that out of my game, be aggressive and take the game on."

The AFL's Multicultural Program will expand to 18 player ambassadors in 2016 and will also include two female players.

Sabrina Frederick-Traub and Darcy Vescio will be joined in promoting some of the many diverse backgrounds in Australia’s Game by Brisbane Lions Vice Captain Dayne Zorko, Geelong’s Tom Hawkins, Fremantle’s Tendai Mzundu, Gold Coast SUNS players Adam Saad and Tom Nicholls, Sydney Swan Aliir Aliir and Western Bulldogs player Jason Johannisen.

The new additions in 2016 join existing Australia Post AFL Multicultural Player Ambassadors David Zaharakis (Essendon), Stephen Coniglio (GWS GIANTS), Paul Puopolo (Hawthorn), Shem Tatupu (Hawthorn), Alipate Carlile (Port Adelaide), Jimmy Toumpas (Port Adelaide), Bachar Houli (Richmond), Nic Naitanui (West Coast) and Lin Jong (Western Bulldogs).

“The expanded list of 18 ambassadors, representing 13 AFL Clubs and two female Clubs, will play a crucial role in raising cultural understanding, inclusion and participation at all levels of Australian Football,” AFL General Manager Game and Market Development Simon Lethlean said.

Bulldogs are set to lose key players Jordan Roughead and Jason Johannisen to injury for Saturday night's elimination final against Adelaide at the MCG.

Roughead sustained a finger injury in the win over North Melbourne in round 22 while Johannisen has a minor calf injury.

"They're two big loses," Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge conceded on Tuesday.

"(Roughead) ripped a tendon off the bone on one of his fingers against the Kangaroos two weeks ago and he's been sore in another couple of areas.

"He's most likely not to play. We'll lose Jason Johannisen as well, unfortunately. He's got a minor calf injury."

Jason Johannisen has been ruled out for the rest of the season after it was confirmed he would require surgery on a dislocated right AC joint.

Johannisen suffered concussion and was substituted out of the game after being collected by Greater Western Sydney forward Jeremy Cameron in a heavy collision during the third quarter of their clash at Manuka Oval.

Jason Johannisen makes his AFL debut for the Western Bulldogs at Docklands Stadium with 17 disposals (9 kicks and 8 handballs), 4 marks and 2 tackles in a 54-point loss to North Melbourne.

He once dreamed of playing for the Springboks but South African born Dogs' rookie Jason Johannisen is now set to play in the AFL after being elevated to the senior list.

"My pace is my number one asset so I'd like to think I would use that and hopefully good ball use coming off the back line," Johannisen said.

"I would like to play half-back but I can also push up onto the wing and use the run going forward."