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Paul Johnson
Personal information
Full name	Paul Johnson
Born	8 May 1973 (age 51); Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Height	189 cm (6 ft 2 in)
Weight	100 kg (15 st 10 lb)
Playing information
Position	Prop, Second-row
Club
	Source:

Paul Johnson (born 8 May 1973) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s. He played for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL competition.

Playing career

Johnson was a Brisbane junior. In 1997, Johnson joined the Penrith Panthers after spending three seasons with the Brisbane Broncos in the reserve grade side. He was voted the Broncos' Most Consistent Reserve Grade Player for 1996 and he came to the Panthers looking for an opportunity to play first grade after not getting the chance at the Broncos. Johnson made his first grade debut at prop in his side's 30–20 victory over the Perth Reds at Penrith Stadium in the opening round of 1997 Super League season.^[2]

Despite being big, strong, and mobile, and known for being a strong defender with a good ‘football brain’, Johnson found it difficult to become a regular first grade player with the Panthers after suffering a career-threatening injury during the 1997 season.^[3] Doctors discovered that Johnson had kidney damage and there were fears he would never play again.^[4] With the emergence of new players such as; Ned Catic, Jody Gall, Lee Hopkins, Duncan MacGillivray, and Tony Puletua, Johnson found it very difficult to hold down a spot in first grade. Johnson played his final first grade game in his side's 27–16 loss to the Parramatta Eels at Penrith Stadium in round 1 of the 1998 season. Johnson would spend part of the 1998 NRL season on the injury list for Penrith.^[5]

He was released from the Panthers at the end of the 1998 season and subsequently never played first grade rugby league again.^[6]

References

^ "Paul Johnson - Career Stats & Summary - Rugby League Project". www.rugbyleagueproject.org.
^ "Super League Panthers Player Profiles".
^ Kent, Paul (28 April 1997). "Rams notch up another prize scalp". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales: Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited. p. 27.
^ "Penrith (news)". The Sydney Morning Herald. Sydney, New South Wales: Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited. 15 March 1998. p. 109.
^ de Kroo (29 July 1998). "Injuries Dent Penrith's Run". The Canberra Times. Canberra, Australia: Fairfax Media Publications Pty Limited. p. 14.
^ Collis, Ian (2018). The A to Z of Rugby League Players. New Holland Publishers. ISBN 9781921024986.