Haddin was quickly back in action as wicketkeeper, gloving catches for the first two wickets to reach a milestone 200 dismissals in test cricket.
"The Gabba is one of those grounds where things can happen quite quick, especially with the extra bounce," said Haddin, explaining how the wickets tumbled so suddenly. "Sometimes when you do get on a roll here it's hard to stop."
England was coasting at 55-1 in reply before Johnson dismissed Jonathan Trott (10) just before lunch.
That and some verbal encouragement from bowling coach Craig McDermott swung the momentum after the break.
"I thought we built some pressure leading up to Nathan Lyons' two big breakthroughs and Mitchell Johnson letting some go," Haddin said. "You had to earn the right to have sessions like that and I thought we built the pressure quite well."
It was only three years ago that Johnson conceded 170 runs and didn't take a wicket in his previous Ashes test at the Gabba, where he grew up and made his name playing for Queensland. His return to Australia's XI for this series has no doubt given him confidence. He also contributed 64 in a valuable 114-run seventh-wicket stand with Haddin on day one after Australia slumped to 100-5.
The critics considered the first innings another failure from the Australian top order after winning the toss and opting to bat on a pitch that appeared to be ideal for scoring runs.
But England was quickly undone by the conditions.
Opener Michael Carberry top-scored with 40 in his second test and Broad, the pantomime villain for the local crowd, scored 32 in a rearguard innings to continue his excellent form after taking 6-81 with the ball.
Otherwise, the scorecard was grim reading for England.
"It was a disappointing session before tea, which really swung the game," Carberry said. "Credit to the Australian bowlers, they bowled really well through the innings, we never got away from it at any point. On a personal note I loved the challenge it was great to be involved with the start of the Ashes."
England has a recent trend of failing in the first innings of away test series, and Carberry said the second innings was destined to be an improvement.
The England batsmen "are proven world-class performers and you don't become bad players overnight," he said. "It's basically a bad session which can happen to any team, but I'm positive we'll come back strong."
Captain Alastair Cook (13) was out to Harris with the total on 28 and Trott (10) edged a legside catch to Haddin off Johnson just before lunch.
Kevin Pietersen, playing in his 100th test, got a reprieve on 8 when Peter Siddle put down a sharp return catch, but his dismissal for 18 by Harris triggered the stunning collapse as England slid from 82-2 to 91-8.
Left-armer Johnson started bowling around the wicket at Carberry and hit him once on the chest with a short ball, sent one skidding over his head and had him caught by Shane Watson in the slips in an inspired piece of bowling as England slipped to 87-4.
Lyon had Ian Bell (5) caught by Steve Smith at short leg and Matt Prior (0) out in the same manner next ball after the Australians referred the decision to the third umpire at Smith's adamant insistence.
Broad survived the hat-trick ball from Lyon, then had to watch as Johnson removed Joe Root (2) and Graeme Swann (0). Broad combined with Chris Tremlett to help England avoid the follow-on before Harris broke up the ninth-wicket stand and then added some late runs with Jimmy Anderson.
Coming off a 3-0 series win at home three months ago, England is aiming for a fourth consecutive Ashes series win, something it hasn't achieved since the 1800s. Australia hasn't won any of its last nine tests.