In an AFL preliminary final which didn’t deserve a loser, no one deserved defeat less than Geelong’s Steve Johnson.

Few do September as well as the Cats midfielder, who loves putting on a clinic come AFL finals time.

In a preliminary final which hit the highest of heights, Johnson spent much of it hovering in the most rarefied of air.

But his four goals, 32 touches and a last-minute moment of brilliance which could have sent the Cats to a fifth grand final in seven seasons weren’t enough to lift his side over the line against Hawthorn at the MCG.

Seventeen of his possessions came in the first half.

His three first-half goals came when the Cats needed them.

All as Hawthorn – starving the Cats of possession – appeared to be on top and on track to break their 11-match losing streak against Geelong far more comfortably than they eventually managed.

By his 15th touch for the half, Hawks coach Alastair Clarkson moved to quell Johnson’s influence by moving his best tagger Liam Shiels to him.

So Johnson’s touches became fewer, but more telling.

Other Cats lifted to cover the quantity.

As Geelong’s petrol gauge hit empty, and their 20-point lead evaporated to become a six-point deficit with less than a minute left, Johnson still nearly managed to pull the match from the fire.

His pinpoint kick found Travis Varcoe in space and near goal, but Varcoe was unable to convert from 30 metres out, and the Cats lost by five points.

Johnson, 30, is a Norm Smith Medallist for best on ground in a grand final.

He’s a three-time premiership player – the third of them won on one leg as he carried in a knee injury. He even managed 30-plus touches in the Cats’ 2008 grand final.

A fourth will have to wait another year at least.

But it would be a brave person to bet against the new Mr September eventually doing it.