The stigma surrounding Ben Brown is perplexing.
A touch over 12 months ago, Brown was supposedly robbed of a position in the All Australian team after yet another season with 60-plus majors.
Now in 2020, Brown has moved out of a team that appears to be leading the AFL in daily negative headlines but is still being overlooked by other clubs who, on one hand, are crying out for a key forward, and on the other, are denying his services.
Prior to this unparalleled season where he faced injuries and the well-documented omission from North Melbourne’s line-up, Brown had played 22 matches in four successive seasons.
A key forward who has kicked 189 goals in 66 matches and played the majority of seasons since his debut year in 2014 would usually be hot property for any club. Especially for a club who is embarking on the dark times that appear ahead for the Roos.
The accomplishment of kicking the most goals in the competition across three seasons is terrific in itself, but doing so at a club that hasn’t reached the eight in that time is even more impressive.
Collingwood have missed out on star spearheads Tom Lynch and Jeremy Cameron in recent seasons, but have confirmed a lack of interest in Brown.
Baffling.
(Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
The Pies haven’t had a Coleman Medallist since Brian Taylor in 1986 and are in desperate need for a key forward to get on the end of a glorious midfield, yet appear to be uninterested in Brown.
Collingwood fans last celebrated premiership glory in 2010 and were only one half of footy away a year later in 2011.
In both years, the Maggies had the ferociously powerful Travis Cloke as a daunting task for any defender.
While the black and white army fell a folklore-defining kick short in 2018, a reliable key forward would have changed that result.
Mason Cox’s heroics the week before all but proved what separates this side and an all-conquering dynasty.
The 27-year-old kicked more than 60 goals in 2017, 2018 and 2019. When those numbers are stacked up against the Collingwood modern era – who have made six grand finals since 2000 – only two times has a Magpie kicked over 60 with Cloke’s 69 in 2011 and 68 in 2013.
Is Ben Brown one-dimensional with his style of play? Yes, but none more so than the current option of Mason Cox.
If the service from North Melbourne is delivering 60-plus majors a year, imagine what the silky-smooth foot skills of Taylor Adams, Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom are going to result in.
They say one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.
North Melbourne’s trash could be the final piece in Collingwood’s chase for their record 16th premiership.
christy olsen
Roar Rookie
I just want to say how much I love the headline on this article!
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
Lol, sure Peter. If Collingwood pay 60% of his contract.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Thanks, PTS. I might turn it into an article. I'd rather the Suns keep 2MP, but if they trade him it shouldn't be cheaply.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
How about Treloar Doug?
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Maybe you’ll go Treloar Macca? Seems the club is burning him.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Have a read of Thomas Roker's comments above. You'll see he has shown plenty. It is his nickname that holds him back.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Most are.
Pumping Dougie
Roar Guru
If the Dogs are stupid enough to take Cox I'm going to cancel my membership. Hopefully that rumour is BS.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Thanks for your expertise Thomas, you clearly know more about 2 metre than me. You’ve convinced me not to write him off and he is only 24. Some big blokes become good players mid to late 20’s.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
North Melbourne and Collingwood both have players who they need to move on. North has declared their hand by publically saying that Brown will be traded, but if they can't move him on then he can put up a large salary demand and try his luck in the preseason draft. The Pies have backended the deal with Treloar and if they are going to free up enough of their salary cap to re-sign their must keep players then they have to find a club willing to take on such a huge contract. Why aren't the media talking about a player trade? North can't even spend their whole salary cap each year because the A-Graders keep refusing to go there, but with Treloar joining Jack Ziebell, Jy Simpkin, Aaron Hall, Luke Davies-Uniacke, Jed Anderson, Ben Cunnington and Todd Goldstein in the ruck, it would be worth paying overs just to get the upgrade. As for Collingwood, they could really use a player like Ben Brown to make the contest and bring the ball to ground. I personally think that Mason Cox is that guy and Brodie Mihochek should be their number one priority signing, having Brown come in to compete for a spot can only be a good thing.
Thom Roker
Roar Guru
Peter Wright was tracking incredibly well in 2016/17, then a combination of Stuart Dew and injuries derailed his 2018 season, where he was killing it every week in the NEAFL and came back late in the season - watch his game in the Suns' historic win against the Swans. Last year, 2MP showed that he'd transitioned into an effective ruck-forward, but for some reason Dew preferred Ben King and Sam Day in 2020, even though Wright's stats in 2019 were clearly as good if not better than the others. The fact of the matter is that Stuart Dew and his coaching staff have favourites. It is bourne out weekly at the selection table and showed in the second half of this season when they only used 29 players out of 51. Will Brodie only got 1 game, despite David Swallow and Hugh Greenwood clearly needing to be rested during their back to back to back series of games. Brayden Fiorini, who admittedly had a badly disrupted offseason with injuries, was continually played out of position and into misery. If Wright gets traded, it leaves the Suns badly exposed in the talls department. The whole reason he was blooded so quickly by Rocket Eade was because Sam Day had his horrific injury in 2016 and Tom Lynch became too precious to even play in 2018 and even then the traitor can't function in a 3 tall forward line. 2MP was also chosen as an emergency 10 games out of 17, so that if any of Day, King or Witts got injured he'd have played. Another consideration is that Wright has the tank to play 30 minute plus quarters running down the wings, chopping out 20% of the ruckwork (the Suns have more stoppages than any other team) and the shortened quarters lessened his ability to influence games. He kicks goals at about 65% accuracy, takes 5 marks per game, has a 3:1 free kicks for and against ratio, while his tackling and 1%ers are better than Tom Lynch.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Yeah ! Was always on the cards that one.
Mark
Roar Rookie
The problem for Feo is that he wants to leave and play for a successful Club. We have picks 19 and 32. Pick 32 will get the job done.
Mark
Roar Rookie
Did you see that our friend and impersonator with multiple identities is back Pete?
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
You sound like those gossip journos. If you say it often enough, you convince yourself. There are 2 with trade fingers on the pulse. Mitch Cleary and Riley Beveridge. They are very clear that these rumours are not coming from clubland. The rumours come from publand.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
You have no one of trade value and your picks are down the bottom. You certainly have no key forward better than Hogan. That's why we keep him.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
These guys just make stuff up.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
take it to the bank Don . Hogan will not be at Fremantle next year, you could upgrade and get 2 meter Peter
Mark
Roar Rookie
Did you see you impersonator has returned, Rowdy?
2dogz
Roar Rookie
15 likes and unlikes ? Realist must Really be a fan :thumbup: