BROWN SETS SIGHTS ON REDEMPTION AT DEMONS ROOS COULD FIGHT FOR NOBLE CAUSE
NEW Demon Ben Brown has assured Melbourne his 2020 fall from grace as a key forward was an aberration he believes can be swiftly rectified.
Brown, pictured, went from a Coleman Medal contender to a player devoid of confidence this year.
A nagging knee injury impacted on his season — which required minor surgery – with the Kangaroos’ decision to put him on the trade table surprising rival AFL clubs, including Melbourne. “It would have only been a few months ago [the Demons flagged their interest in Brown],” Melbourne general manager of football operations Josh Mahoney said.
“We’ve been really impressed with his attitude about how he wants to get back to the best footy that he can.”
The soon-to-be 28-year-old was traded to the Demons on Thursday along with pick 28 and North Melbourne’s future fourth round selection.
In return, Melbourne handed over picks 26, 33 and a future fourth round selection (tied to Brisbane Lions) to the Kangaroos. It could yet prove a bargain for Melbourne if Brown can return to the form that saw him kick 60 goals or more in each of the 2017, 2018 and 2019 seasons.
He could manage only eight goals from his nine games this year in what proved a tough year for the forward.
He will form a partnership at Melbourne with Sam Weideman — and potentially Luke Jackson — next year and beyond, with Mahoney confident he will be an asset to the forward line.
Brown admitted he was shocked by his exit interview with North Melbourne where the club’s then coach
Rhyce Shaw and football operations boss Brady Rawlings informed him he wasn’t a required player.
He said Shaw’s departure made no difference to the club’s view of his own future. “In that meeting, I was disappointed and a little bit shocked in trying to figure out what was coming next,” Brown said.
As shocked as he was, Brown has been buoyed by the support he has already received from his new club.
Brown kicked 287 games from his 130 games with the Kangaroos since his 2014 debut.