Two years of hard work and sacrifice has secured Ben Brown his AFL dream after the 20-year-old was drafted to North Melbourne.
The ruckman-forward was questioned back home in Tasmania as to whether it was the right choice to give up a walk-up start with Glenorchy in the TFL to move into what some felt could be a bit-part role for the Werribee Tigers in the VFL.
But Brown arrived last year with one motto: “The sky’s the limit.”
Never for a second did he doubt that he could lock down a starting position with the Tigers.
By season’s end, Brown, one of the first picked for Scott West’s team, would become one of the most sought-after versatile ‘bigs’ in the league.
“There were some people saying I shouldn’t have moved to Werribee and, ‘You’re going to play Tassie league football for the rest of your life’,” Brown said. “I set myself goals and I expect to achieve them.”
Brown had the sporting world at his feet as a teenager, representing the Tassie Mariners in the TAC Cup and playing basketball for his state at under-18 and -20 levels.
Then came the biggest setback of his career – a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).
Brown sustained the injury in a training drill with Jimmy Webster, a good mate who was recruited by St Kilda in the 2011 draft.
It was a massive setback for Brown at a critical juncture in his career, but he never gave up hope of one day making it to the big time.
His football comeback was aided by Tassie Mariners strength and conditioning coach Dave Kinsella.
“He had a massive influence on me getting back after I did my knee,” Brown said.
“As far as getting to this point, he’s one of the guys who has influenced me the most.
“Some people might say your coaches or your family – and they have had a massive influence on me – but I made sure I messaged him [Kinsella] straight after the draft and thanked him for everything he’s done.”
Also in Brown’s corner was a persistent Werribee recruiting officer Mark Stone, who believed Brown had what it takes to become at least a fully fledged VFL player.
Stone called Brown at the end of the 2011 season, his comeback year with Glenorchy, but Brown wasn’t ready to make the move to the mainland.
Stone is a persistent fellow and was not taking no for an answer last summer when he organised a trial run for Brown.
“He came down to Glenorchy and had a coffee with me at a little coffee shop and said, ‘Would you like to come over?” Brown
recalls.
“He persisted with it and said come over for a two-week trial … I did that in November last year. I liked the club and the people and decided to make the move. Obviously it’s paid dividends.”
Brown landed at Watton Street with undeniable athleticism and sound football skills.
But what stood out from the first time he donned the Tigers’ black and gold training singlet was his work ethic. There was no harder worker on the training track, nor was there a more willing learner.
“The first couple of games in the season, it was probably the structures and things like that that I struggled a little bit with,” Brown says.
“I did ask ‘Westy’ when I came over whether I would get more of a chance to play forward, and he welcomed that with open arms.
“I probably played 80 per cent forward and 20 per cent in the ruck this year, so it was learning about when and where to lead and how forward structures work.”
Brown, who worked closely with forward-line coach Keenan Reynolds and ruck coach John Barnes, finished the year with 29 goals in 18 matches and was named among the Tigers’ best four times.
The move to the football capital would be deemed a full success after Brown heard his name called out on AFL draft night this month.
“It’s been a couple of years in the making, sitting through three national drafts and three rookie drafts, so this was lucky seven,” Brown says. “I was just really relieved to hear my
name read out and ecstatic at the same
time.
Brown was taken aback by his selection at pick 47. The 199-centimetre, 99-kilogram key position player had only spoken to North Melbourne once in a casual chat.
There was interest from other clubs, but the Kangaroos, armed with inside knowledge through their alignment with Werribee, were not letting this hot prospect slip through their fingers.
“It was a little bit surprising, but the best surprise possible because it’s a great club with a rich history,” Brown said.
He knows getting drafted is just the first step on a long road to cracking it for an AFL game.
He’ll meet his new teammates in Utah for his first AFL preseason training camp and wants to earn their respect first and foremost.
Then the hard work will begin.
Asked if his goal is round one, Brown reiterates his motto, but with a twist.
“The sky’s the limit for me and I’ve always said that – but I can only control what I can control at the moment, and that’s training really hard, making sure I have a good preseason, improving my strength and fitness base,” he said.
“I can’t wait to get over to meet the blokes, get to know them a bit more and start training with them and prove to them that I’m worthy of being one of their teammates.”
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