# Jason Johannisen

Jason Johannisen (born 8 November 1992) is a South African–born professional Australian rules footballer who plays for the Western Bulldogs in the Australian Football League (AFL). At 180 cm (5 ft 11 in) tall and 82 kg (181 lb), he plays as a running half-back who can move up forward.
Johannisen was selected by the Western Bulldogs with the 39th selection in the 2011 rookie draft. Since then, he has been an AFL premiership player and a winner of the Tony Liberatore Most Improved Player Award, which he received in 2015. As of the end of season 2024, he has polled a total of 25 Brownlow Medal votes in his career.

## Early life

Johannisen was born in Johannesburg, South Africa, to mother Sonya from Zambia and father Eldrid from Durban. The family moved to Perth, Western Australia, in 2000 when Jason was eight years old.
Jason played rugby union with the Southern Lions Rugby Club in Perth as a junior for switching codes to Australian rules at the age of 15. Johannissen played his senior football with East Fremantle.

## Career

Johanissen was recruited by the Western Bulldogs in the 2011 Rookie Draft, with pick #39, and made his debut in Round 19 of the 2012 AFL season against North Melbourne at Docklands Stadium.
Johanissen was adjudged best afield in the Western Bulldogs' Grand Final victory over the Sydney Swans in 2016; he recorded 25 kicks among 33 disposals and 7 marks to win the Norm Smith Medal. After speculation about his playing future at the Western Bulldogs in 2017—previously being linked to both Western Australian clubs and Essendon—he re-signed with the club for a further 5 years to remain at the Bulldogs until at least 2022.

## Statistics

    Statistics are correct to the end of Round 8 2021
| Season | Team | No. | Games | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Totals | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Averages (per game) | Votes |
| Season | Team | No. | Games | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | G | B | K | H | D | M | T | Votes |
| 2012 | Western Bulldogs | 39 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 29 | 20 | 49 | 9 | 3 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 9.7 | 6.7 | 16.3 | 3.0 | 1.0 | 0 |
| 2013 | Western Bulldogs | 39 | 13 | 2 | 4 | 138 | 70 | 208 | 40 | 19 | 0.2 | 0.3 | 10.6 | 5.4 | 16.0 | 3.1 | 1.5 | 0 |
| 2014 | Western Bulldogs | 39 | 11 | 2 | 4 | 111 | 67 | 178 | 42 | 26 | 0.2 | 0.4 | 10.1 | 6.1 | 16.2 | 3.8 | 2.4 | 0 |
| 2015 | Western Bulldogs | 39 | 20 | 7 | 3 | 270 | 128 | 398 | 107 | 35 | 0.4 | 0.2 | 13.5 | 6.4 | 19.9 | 5.4 | 1.8 | 4 |
| 2016$^#$ | Western Bulldogs | 39 | 17 | 6 | 8 | 283 | 130 | 413 | 112 | 37 | 0.4 | 0.5 | 16.6 | 7.6 | 24.3 | 6.6 | 2.2 | 10 |
| 2017 | Western Bulldogs | 39 | 20 | 10 | 12 | 258 | 171 | 429 | 58 | 41 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 12.9 | 8.6 | 21.5 | 2.9 | 2.1 | 7 |
| 2018 | Western Bulldogs | 39 | 22 | 7 | 10 | 277 | 187 | 464 | 89 | 47 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 12.6 | 8.5 | 21.1 | 4.0 | 2.1 | 3 |
| 2019 | Western Bulldogs | 39 | 20 | 6 | 6 | 285 | 152 | 437 | 83 | 44 | 0.3 | 0.3 | 14.3 | 7.6 | 21.9 | 4.2 | 2.2 | 1 |
| 2020 | Western Bulldogs | 39 | 17 | 6 | 5 | 165 | 102 | 267 | 65 | 29 | 0.4 | 0.3 | 9.7 | 6.0 | 15.7 | 3.8 | 1.7 | 0 |
| 2021 | Western Bulldogs | 39 | 25 | 15 | 10 | 152 | 99 | 251 | 67 | 41 | 0.6 | 0.5 | 6.1 | 4.0 | 10.0 | 2.7 | 1.6 | 0 |
| 2022 | Western Bulldogs | 39 | 7 | 6 | 4 | 50 | 32 | 82 | 28 | 11 | 0.9 | 0.6 | 7.1 | 4.6 | 11.7 | 4.0 | 1.6 | |
| Career | Career | Career | 175 | 68 | 68 | 2018 | 1158 | 3176 | 701 | 333 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 11.5 | 6.6 | 18.2 | 4.0 | 1.9 | 25 |
Notes
* ↑ The 2020 season was played with 17 home-and-away matches per team (down from 22) and 16-minute quarters with time on (down from 20-minute quarters with time on) due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

## Honours and achievements

AFL
* Team
** AFL premiership: 2016
* Individual
** Norm Smith Medal: 2016
** Tony Liberatore Most Improved Award: (2015)
VFL
* Team
** VFL premiership: 2014