On a Saturday afternoon at the MCG in August 2009, a young Bombers outfit and the hungover Hawks played off for the final spot in the final eight.
The Bombers were down by 4 goals at the half and Matthew Lloyd in an effort to inspire his young teammates or inject himself into a game that he had little impact on, made a choice.
Lloyd ran off the centre square at the third quarter bounce and ironed out Brad Sewell as picked up the footy. His intent was clear, but he was unlucky that Sewell had lowered himself and moved sideways meaning Lloyd collected him in the face, rather than the shoulder.
Wild melees commenced as Campbell Brown and Luke Hodge, both regarded as tough brave players for the Hawks, remonstrated with Lloyd.
Regardless of what you think about Lloyd as a player or the hit, it was effective.
The Bombers would kick 11 goals to 5 in the second half and go on to play in their first finals under Matthew Knights. Brad Sewell’s cheekbone was fractured and Lloyd would never play another game.
Campbell Brown after being involved in the melee, gestured at the Bombers officials and interchange players on the bench while being taken off. The Hawks players were understandably incensed by the hit and lost concentration.
After the match, Luke Hodge who was the first to remonstrate with Lloyd and who had just missed out on playing finals, walked up to him and offered his hand. He let Lloyd know that what happens on the footy field stays on the footy field and regardless, you shake hands after the game. Tough, but fair.
Brown did not share the same sentiments.
After the game, Brown went on radio calling Lloyd out as a “sniper” and warning revenge should he ever play him again. The incident quickly became more about Campbell Browns reaction and threats than the hit itself.
Fast forward to April 2011 and Brown is now a vice captain at the Gold Coast Suns, an on field leader, one of the few hard bodies in the squad and a protector of the many rookies running around alongside him.
Twenty metres behind play as Shaun Higgins walked back to line up for goal, Brown elbowed a young Bulldog in the face. He was knocked down and dazed but escaped any serious injury.
The Dogs remonstrated as the Hawks did, but Brown seemed to avoid any scuffles, back peddling behind the protection of such hard nuts as Seb Tape.
Later on in the game, Brown had an opportunity to go hard, put his head over the footy and take on Barry Hall and show his young teammates an example of tough, brave football. He did not.
Big Baz was the one who put his head over the footy and Brown decided to hip and shoulder his exposed head and neck. He is extremely lucky no damage was done and in the eyes of the match review panel, this was more serious than the elbow to Ward.
In the ensuing days, the following quotes have been given by Brown;
“Whether you call that crossing the line, I’ve done that my whole career.”
“If things happen out there, they’ve happened. I’m not going to stew over them.”
“I don’t think Ive got anything to apologise for. That’s the way it goes.”
When Campbell Brown publicly called out Lloyd, he made his opinion clear. Now, he looks like a hypocritical thug who attempted to knock out youngster behind play.
I can say that Luke Hodge plays tough, hard footy and that I respect him. I can say that Lloyd was unlucky but also made a poor choice but at least stood his ground and copped his punishment.
I can’t say any of that about Brown.
CDFCFTW
Roar Rookie
I'm with you. Brown is undeniably a thug. That's why GC got him. That's what he's for. Why else, given the assortment of out of contract decent midfielders would you go for Campbell Brown? Because, maybe, sometimes, you'll need a bloke who's willing to hurt people and take the suspension. The risk is he'll do it too early or too often, but Brown was kept in hand at Hawthorn most of the time, so with leadership like Ablett and Bock, he'd be fine. Add to that a fairly good quality footy mind, and you have the perfect enforcer.
CDFCFTW
Roar Rookie
Just as an aside, snipers aren't blatant. Elsewise they'd be killed. Matty Lloyd pretended to be an upstanding player, Campbell Brown's never done so. He knows he's a thug, and he's good at it, too.
Swampy
Guest
Brown. A poor example to his young teem mates. Didn't learn from the mistakes of his father who still excuses his sons gutless thuggery. The game has progressed and left them behind. The Hawks are lucky to be rid of him. As for Loyd. He always loved to go the elbow.
woodsman
Guest
Both Lloyd's hot and Browns were unsportsman-like. With Lloyd's arguably given it was over a contest for the ball it was less of a dog-act, but Cambell Brown quite clearly and deliberately aimed to knock out his opponent off-ball- at a mere 5'9 he had to jump to make contact high enough to fell the poor bloke. My view is that while the hit on Hall was more likely to cause damage, as it was in contest over the ball it was not his intent simply to knock someone out.
Swampy2
Guest
Great piece. Brown trying to be his old man but can't. I thought little of his comments about Lloyd being a sniper at the time, case of the pot calling the kettle black. In time so it has proved. He is a hypocrite and a fool and to be truthful, not a very good player. -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
mattamkII
Guest
5'9, 84kg enforcer from Scotch College. Dont make me laugh.
jtwohands
Roar Rookie
Dont worry, I have my issues with the MRP but this article isnt about the punishment handed out to him nor is it about dissecting various off-ball incidents over the last decade. It is about Campbell Brown and his actions and post match comments in two games which have proved him to be a hypocrite and not at all this hardman image he has tried to cultivate. I specifically used Hodge as an example as a player who stood up for his teammates but left it on the field, Brown did not. And now in my opinion, he looks like a fool.
BigAl
Guest
And the funny thing is that Brown went on the record for calling Mathew Lloyd a 'sniper' - for doing something far less blatant !
Sherrin-Burley-Faulkner
Guest
I thought the bump on Hall, was very dangerous, especially as Hall had his head down, could have been a very serious injury, anyone can be a sniper, pretty gutless i would have thought, obviously frustrated at being flogged. For a guy with a silver spoon upbringing, he is a trying to hard to be an enforcer. Play football instead, he can do it.
MRP a disgrace
Guest
Just wondering if you wrote the same about M lloyd when he 'IRONED' out Josh Thurgood with a cast, maybe you wrote Daniel Kerr is 'really just a thug' after doing his best UFC impersonation by ramming his elbow into L Blackwell's head 2 weeks ago or when Barry Hall (who you make out to be the Patron Saint of clean fair play) knocked Brent Staker into next week? While Brown's actions on C Ward were dirty and uncalled for he is not the first and certainly won't be the last. Your rage should be aimed at the inept MATCH REVIEW PANEL. Maybe writing an article about the inconsistency and mind numbing penalties handed out by the half wits of MRP would be slightly less bias.
Football Fan
Guest
Campbell Brown is one of the most overrated players the game has ever seen. His 'slapping' of Monfries (I think) after the Llloyd incident was laughable. Brown reminds me of that character Ben Stiller played in the movie 'Mystery Men', I can't remember the name, but he'd get really, really, really angry... And then nothing would happen. Even his cheap shots off the ball using a elbow to the face can't cause any damage!
Richard
Roar Guru
You're right. Brown just doesn't get it. Very self-centred, selfish, undisciplined behaviour I thought. Not the sort of action a real leader would take. Big test for Guy McKenna.
Redb
Roar Guru
Brown got off incredibly light with the two incidents on the weekend. Should have been rubbed out for 6 weeks. This type of off the ball unprovoked whack rarely happens these days and a good thing to.