Ward spent the best part of eight years playing against Johnson and looking up to see the 33-year-old on the lead last week was a welcome sight.

Johnson returned from a knee injury as the Giants dismantled the Sydney Swans - the perfect lead in to a clash with reigning premiers the Western Bulldogs at Manuka Oval.

Ward expects the Bulldogs to have a plan in place to limit Johnson - having seen how damaging he can be from both sides of the fence, he thinks any team would be mad not to.

"If I was the opposition I would definitely have some headaches playing on him," Ward said.

"Every time we played against him we always had a plan with him because he's an extremely dangerous player. I'm sure other teams would definitely go in with a plan against him.

"He plays more that high half-forward role, almost as an extra on-baller, and I think it throws some confusion to opposition teams as well when he's up there and they don't know what to do with him.

"He's always dangerous close to goal as well. He mixes it up for us at stoppages, he gives us an extra look going forward as well - he's pretty dangerous on the lead.

"As we know he can do some clever things in that forward line. He was pretty smart around goals last week, and sets goals up as well... I think he'd be extremely hard to play on."

Johnson's experience will come in handy with the Giants set to play the first Friday night match in the club's history against the Bulldogs at Manuka Oval.

Just 12 of the club's 43 listed players have tasted Friday night footy, and Johnson has the most experience with 56 games in the prime time slot.

The biggest AFL game ever seen in the nation's capital pits the reigning premiers against the competition favourites under Manuka's "diamonds in the sky".

The Bulldogs ended the Giants' season last year with a solitary kick separating the two sides - but Ward says that isn't providing any extra motivation.

The Friday night timeslot is usually reserved for the competition's biggest drawcards, an indication of just how far the Giants have come in recent years.

"I remember when I was a kid I used to love watching footy on a Friday night," Ward said.

"Even now when I'm playing on a Saturday, I still love to watch the footy on a Friday night.

"It's definitely exciting for the footy club to be involved on a Friday night because we know that plenty of people watch that game and they're always pretty entertaining.

"I know that if I was living in Canberra I'd be definitely buying a ticket early and I'd be getting down there on a Friday night."

AFL ROUND SIX

Friday: GWS Giants v Western Bulldogs at Manuka Oval. Bounce at 7:50pm. Tickets available from Ticketek.