Ben spruiks benefits of life lessons

It is really difficult to adjust quickly to the AFL lifestyle with no knowledge of life outside that AFL bubble

ASPIRING AFL players should study or get some life experience before being drafted, according to Tasmanian-born North Melbourne forward Ben Brown.

“If I could make the rules I’d probably lift the draft age up a year or two so kids could have a similar experience to me, [and] do something else before going into the league,” said Brown, who studied journalism and sociology at the University of Tasmania after Year 12 and before being drafted.

“Football isn’t forever, people sometimes forget that. You need to have something to do afterwards.”

Brown, 25, is currently at the top of the Coleman Meda l leaderboard having kicked 54 goals in the first 19 rounds of the AFL season. He said he feels sorry for the young players who are drafted straight out of school.

“It is really difficult to adjust quickly to the AFL lifestyle with no knowledge of life outside that AFL bubble … So being able to go to uni before going to my club was really valuable, I think, and something a lot of kids could get something out of.

“Some players can end up retired from the game at 32 years old with nothing on their resume except finishing high school and playing footy, which doesn’t give you a lot to rely on to get back into the workforce.”

Brown was drafted relatively late, at 21, by North Melbourne Football Club. He played junior football for the Devonport Football Club, and for the Tassie Mariners when he was in Year 12.

He began playing for the Glenorchy Magpies while in his first year at UTAS in 2011. Although a footy career was on the cards — his uncle is former Collingwood premiership player James Manson and his grandfather Jim Manson played for the Glenorchy Football Club — studying at university was his “first plan”.

“I didn’t really see uni as my backup plan then, because footy was still something off in the distance,” Brown said.

Clarence State League coach Jeromey Webberley was drafted to Richmond and played 16 games between 2010-12.

“I really like it. I think it’s a great thought from Ben,” Webberley said.

“We often see players develop at different stages and I think the penny has dropped with AFL recruiters.

“We are seeing players who are a bit older getting drafted from the VFL, SANFL and WAFL because they are more mature and the clubs know what they are going to get.”

Trent Bartlett was drafted to Brisbane at 16, and went on to play 81 games for the Lions and Western Bulldogs.

“I went far too young,” he said. “Lifting the draft age to 18 was a positive but does it need to go older? Probably not.

“You wouldn’t want to cut into the players’ careers too much because they are not that long, but if you made it a year older it would strengthen local footy.

“I’d say 18 is about right.”