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Opinion
It is understandable why North Melbourne traded Ben Brown after the 2020 season.
The Kangaroos knew they were starting to begin a rebuild, and letting Brown go would ultimately help promote their young forward line.
Yet allowing him to go and only getting picks 26, 33 and a future fourth rounder in return might’ve been highway robbery for Melbourne.
Well, he only just helped the Dees deliver a premiership last season.
Brown’s unfortunate injury-riddled 2020 season left many wondering whether he could get back to the form that he once had at his previous club. And even the start to his time in the red and blue wasn’t ideal.
A knee injury kept him out for the first month of the season, then he was in and out of the side when finally recovering.
North Melbourne great Wayne Carey admitted that the player was potentially done at AFL level, writing in The Age during 2021 that he looked like a one-trick pony.
We have to remember however how good of a player Brown was at the Roos.
He achieved back-to-back second places in the Coleman Medal in 2018 and 2019, as well as coming fourth in the 2017 season.
It is important to note where North Melbourne finished on the ladder during each of these seasons: 15th in 2017, to then shooting up to ninth in 2018, and then slumping down to 12th in 2019.
The fact that Brown was able to stay within the top five forwards in the Coleman Medal running throughout these three seasons is quite remarkable.
Although North Melbourne’s midfield consisted of Ben Cunnington, Shaun Higgins, Jed Anderson, Jack Ziebell and Jy Simpkin when Brown was still a Roo, Brown will have much better service when leading up to the ball from the premiership-winning Demons midfield.
(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Melbourne’s ability to cause pandemonium for opposition defences when locating a forward within the 50 with precise skill will play into Brown’s hands this season.
It was lucky he joined the Demons when he did, knowing that when Mark Williams joined the club, he essentially implemented a basic skill kicking program, which has helped the team improve their disposal efficiency.
Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca and the rest of the Melbourne midfield will have a big role to play in providing quality service when leading up to the ball, but that shouldn’t be an issue for the tall forward.
His first finals campaign in a Melbourne jumper saw number 50 booting six goals and of course three of them came in the grand final against the Bulldogs.
Only just two weeks ago in the practice match fixtures did we see number 50 have a bag of five against his former club.
You can take away what you want from these less meaningful matches, however Brown was clean below his knees and was marking the Sherrin at the highest point.
This is something Demons fans should be excited about.
What about the fact that Brown’s pre-season has been ideal. No niggles or serious injuries may just give him the boost to kick on and have a strong 2022 season.
The player just told the media recently that he’s the fittest he has ever been in his career heading into the upcoming season.
Throughout the pre-season, the Melbourne Football Club have been almost promising their fans that they will go back to back and win another premiership on their sacred home ground of the MCG.
Their chaotic brand of footy, mixed in with Brown’s ability to be a sharp shooter in front of goal, might just pay dividends for both parties.
Ben Brown has proven that persistence pays off, and such persistence might help him win his first Coleman Medal and be the first Demon since David Neitz to win the cherished goal-kicking award.
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