‘Call me Norm’: Steve Johnson takes fans inside THAT three-quarter-time huddle

It was a ‘personal joke’ that has since grown a life of its own, but Steve Johnson has taken footy fans inside the three-quarter-time huddle of Geelong’s 2007 premiership win over Port Adelaide where he famously ignored assistant coach Ken Hinkley, who was calling his name.

Johnson then asked Hinkley to call him ‘Norm’ – a cheeky reference to the Norm Smith Medal he was playfully predicting he’d win as the best player on the ground.

Press PLAY below to hear the full episode

And he was right, kicking four goals and collecting 23 disposals in the historic 119-point win.

“That wasn’t supposed become public,” Johnson told 3AW’s Footy: Then and Now podcast when asked about the story.

“And that wasn’t being a smartarse to the opposition.

“Kenny and I used to love a bit of banter, so there was always a bit of fun and a bit of seriousness with our relationship.

“If I was doing the wrong thing, he was the first one to criticise me and pull me back into line, but he was also the first bloke to have a joke with me.

“He was renowned for it during his career.

“He called me a couple of times and I refused to answer him, I was having a drink of water, I just ignored him – I could definitely hear him, he was only a couple of metres behind me – eventually he came over and basically tapped me on the shoulder and said ‘Stevie! We are having a meeting’ and I turned around and said ‘Kenny, call me Norm’.

“As I said, I thought I’d had a reasonable day and was a chance to win it but, to be honest, it could have been three or four others that were in line to do it.

“It was just a bit of a personal joke that has now become pretty famous.”

‘Footy: Then and Now’ is a new weekly podcast that gets you excited for the weekend ahead by revisiting famous VFL/AFL moments with the people who shaped them. Follow/Subscribe on Spotify, Apple, and Google Podcasts