Ted Johnson

Born and raised in the heart of South Melbourne, Ted Johnson was a nuggety key forward who became the club's focal point in attack throughout the 1920s. A local product recruited from the Leopold Redlegs—South's junior affiliate at the time—Johnson bucked his family trend, signing with the Southerners despite his two older brothers, John and Cyril, playing senior football for Melbourne. He made an immediate impact upon his 1923 debut, quickly establishing himself as a reliable avenue to goal. Unlike many forwards of the era who relied on the place kick, Johnson preferred the drop punt and was renowned for his rapid groundwork and clever snap-shooting, traits that helped him top the club's goalkicking list for six consecutive seasons between 1923 and 1928.

While he was a consistent scorer who regularly booted 50 to 60 goals a season, Johnson was also a versatile utility capable of playing in defence, a role he fulfilled more frequently in his twilight years. His standing in the game was significant enough to earn selection for Victoria, but his hold on the full-forward spot eventually slipped with the arrival of the legendary Bob Pratt in 1930. As the prodigiously talented Pratt took over the goal square, Johnson was pushed to half-back and eventually dropped from the senior side. He left the VFL prior to the 1932 season, remembered as the steadfast spearhead who carried the South Melbourne attack in the decade before their famous "Foreign Legion" era.