Johnson came back from VFL and delivered 58 in a 14-point ESS loss to GWS — beats his 39 BE but this is his first AFL game in several rounds after being dropped post-R3. The inconsistency (76, 26, then a VFL stint, now 58) makes him hard to trust as a cash cow, but at $263.2k with a 39 BE the ceiling is still there if he holds selection. Watch for R10 selection confirmation — if he's named again, the BE is low enough to generate some cash, but don't buy until he strings two scores together.
PLAYERS / ZAK JOHNSON
Updated 17 May 2026
Zak Johnson
#119/177·Bye Rd 12·⚠ out - Foot (TBC)
DEF
Price $263kBE 39Owned —Bye Rd 12Avg 63.0
ROOKIEBIBLEVerdict
◉ WATCH
Signals0/3 · No alignment
Form
DecliningTrajectory
FlatConsistency
VariableRecent formSeason avg 63
58▼
63
26▼
Comparable PicksWhy this comparison · Same primary position (DEF), ±$200k price band
Zak Johnson
DEFDarcy Gardiner
DEF—
—
Form
R1
48
R2
76
R3
26
R4
63
R9
58
R0
16
R3
71
R10
49
Pricing
Price$263k
Price$264k
Breakeven39
Breakeven39
Cash/wk+$0k
Cash/wk+$-1k
Decision
Should I trade Zak Johnson?
Form, breakeven, and a comparable replacement weighed up.
Intel feed
Recent intel
Breakout Signal· T3
Zak Johnson was among the best Essendon VFL players against Williamstown, carrying the ball well and defending solidly for three quarters before fading late. Match reporter identified him as a strong AFL squad replacement for El Hawli the following week.
Breakout Signal· T3
Zak Johnson was arguably the best player on the ground in the VFL vs Gold Coast: 31 disposals, 8 bounces, 90% efficiency, 4 rebound 50s. Community identifies him as a strong AFL recall candidate given Ridley absence, noting his running game and ball use out of defence.
Community Questions
What people are asking about Zak Johnson
Mentioned in
- Which player covers Jordan Ridley's role in the Essendon backline while he is out 3-4 games?31J. RidleyDEFTop: Prior is the direct replacement (45%)