The former AFL-listed player, who has returned to Hampden league club North Warrnambool Eagles in 2021, is dividing his time between playing and junior coaching work as he enters the next phase of life as an apprentice plumber.

Johnstone was drafted to Melbourne with pick 64 in 2016 and was listed for two years but didn't feature for the Demons. He did, however, amass more than 50 VFL matches for both Casey and Port Melbourne before shifting back to the south-west.

The 23-year-old said he was relishing the chance to pass on knowledge to the Eagles' next generation.

"I'm loving that, which is good. I've been working with the under 18s, the under 16s and some of the under 14s," Johnstone told The Standard.

"It's been something we'll do for an hour or so before senior training. I'll help out with (Adam) Dowie and just take an optional training for (older juniors).

"We just work on skills, running patterns, ball movement sort of drills. It's been great. Adam sort of said I can be involved as much or as little as I'd like. It hasn't been like a high-pressure sort of role." Johnstone said he was grateful for the opportunity to hone his coaching craft so early in his playing career.

"I was sort of a thing I wanted to take the next step with," he said.

"Having the experience I've had, there are things I've learned throughout my footy journey so far.

"I just thought 'why not step out of my comfort zone and a bit and take on another role?'." North Warrnambool Eagles are flying in 2021 despite several departures from the side which made the Hampden league decider in 2019. Johnstone's side is currently equal on points with first-placed Koroit but is sitting second on percentage.

"I think we were going into the season with a lot of people looking at the players we'd lost," Johnstone said.

"We've been managing each week. We've only lost one game so far. We've trusted the blokes we already have and the young kids coming through the system have proven they can play senior footy."

He revealed he was enjoying life back in the south-west after a seven-year stint in Melbourne, which included boarding at Scotch College and his AFL stint.

"I got sick of Melbourne pretty quick. Once I got out of the AFL system, I just got sick of the Melbourne lifestyle," Johnstone said.

"I think deep down it was always going to be something in the back of my head, whether to move back home or to continue living up there.

"I'm happy with the choice I've made to come back. I'm loving it so far."

Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.