Nathan G. Brown
Encyclopedia
Nathan Gordon Brown is a former Australian rules football
er for the Richmond
and the Western Bulldogs
in the AFL
. He was offered a contract to continue his career with St Kilda Saints, after Richmond told him at the end of 2009, that he would no longer be required, and was not given a contract renewal.
Recruited from Golden Square
and then the Bendigo Pioneers
in the TAC Cup
to the Western Bulldogs
in the AFL
, Brown made a name for himself as a dangerous medium-sized forward.
He played with the Bulldogs from 1997 to 2003, and left the club after a more lucrative contract was offered by Richmond. At the time the Western Bulldogs had asked many of their high profile players to take pay cuts to support the team financially. Nathan Brown's money-based move to Richmond led to some bulldogs fans labelling Brown "Judas".
In 2005 Brown continued to perform for the Tigers, due to the Tigers new coach Terry Wallace
taking over, and put in a string of match-winning performances in the early part of the season, including a sensational last-quarter burst against Collingwood
in Round 8. In this game, Richmond turned a 10-point deficit into a 35-point victory, thanks to Brown's 5 last-quarter goals. The following week against Brisbane
, Brown added 4 goals to be one of the match winners along with Shane Tuck
. With Richmond sitting in the top 4, with 7 wins and 2 losses following a rare interstate win, Brown proclaimed that the Tigers would now be aiming to consolidate their place in the top 4 in 2005. Brown being a key player, booting 32 goals in his 9 appearances to that stage.
defender Matthew Whelan
dived across him in a legitimate attempt to smother the ball. Brown's right foot became stuck on the Telstra Dome surface and tilted a bit to the right. Replays of the incident on the big Telstra Dome screen and on news highlights the following day and throughout the weekend shocked many viewers, even to the extent that it made Channel Ten
presenter Robert Walls
turn off his TV. Richmond lost the game by 57 points, and would only record three more wins in 2005, against the Sydney Swans
(who ultimately went on to win the premiership) and Essendon
in rounds 14 and 15, and a late-gasp win over Hawthorn
in round 21. Some have suggested the incident effectively ended Brown's career as his time away from football meant that by time Brown returned, the game had passed him by, while the subsequent complications from the horrific injury considerably hindered the remainder of his career.
Brown had a titanium
rod inserted into his tibia, and underwent extensive therapy and rehabilitation training over the following pre-season. Brown returned to the field for a clash with his old club the Western Bulldogs in late-March, which Richmond lost by 115 points, the first of three century losses Richmond suffered in 2006. The last, a 103-point loss to St Kilda in round 17, spelled the end of Brown's 2006 season as he suffered a hamstring strain during the match. Brown encountered complications from his broken leg early in 2007 which ruled him out for the first half of the season.
Brown played his 200th game in 2008, against Melbourne at the Telstra Dome, the same team and venue of his infamous broken leg - but this time Richmond was the home team. He also lined up on Matthew Whelan, the man who broke his leg, but this time around the Tigers won comfortably.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
er for the Richmond
Richmond Football Club
The Richmond Football Club, nicknamed The Tigers, is an Australian rules football club which competes in the Australian Football League. Richmond shares healthy rivalries with Carlton, Collingwood and Essendon. After winning five premierships between 1967 and 1980, the club hit the depths in 1990,...
and the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
in the AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
. He was offered a contract to continue his career with St Kilda Saints, after Richmond told him at the end of 2009, that he would no longer be required, and was not given a contract renewal.
Recruited from Golden Square
Golden Square Football Club
The Golden Square Football Club are an Australian rules football club which compete in the Bendigo Football League.They are based in the Bendigo suburb Golden Square and have participated in the Bendigo Football League since 1935.-Notable players:...
and then the Bendigo Pioneers
Bendigo Pioneers
The Bendigo Pioneers are an Australian rules football team in a Victorian under 18s league the TAC Cup.Bendigo Pioneers is an Australian rules football team playing in TAC Cup since 1993 based in Bendigo. The team trains at Wade St Oval, Golden Square. The team is coached by Mark Ellis...
in the TAC Cup
TAC Cup
The TAC Cup is an under 18 Australian rules football representative competition held in Victoria, Australia. It is based on geographic regions throughout country Victoria and metropolitan Melbourne with each team representing 12 Victorian regions....
to the Western Bulldogs
Western Bulldogs
The Western Bulldogs are an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based at the Whitten Oval in West Footscray, an inner-western suburb of Melbourne...
in the AFL
Australian Football League
The Australian Football League is both the governing body and the major professional competition in the sport of Australian rules football...
, Brown made a name for himself as a dangerous medium-sized forward.
He played with the Bulldogs from 1997 to 2003, and left the club after a more lucrative contract was offered by Richmond. At the time the Western Bulldogs had asked many of their high profile players to take pay cuts to support the team financially. Nathan Brown's money-based move to Richmond led to some bulldogs fans labelling Brown "Judas".
In 2005 Brown continued to perform for the Tigers, due to the Tigers new coach Terry Wallace
Terry Wallace
Terry Wallace is a former professional Australian rules football player and coach.As a player, his career spanned three VFL/AFL clubs; most notably Hawthorn where he played in three premierships as well as achieving All-Australian selection, and two Best and Fairests with the Footscray Football Club...
taking over, and put in a string of match-winning performances in the early part of the season, including a sensational last-quarter burst against Collingwood
Collingwood Football Club
The Collingwood Football Club, nicknamed The Magpies, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in Round 8. In this game, Richmond turned a 10-point deficit into a 35-point victory, thanks to Brown's 5 last-quarter goals. The following week against Brisbane
Brisbane Lions
The Brisbane Lions is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Brisbane, Queensland. The club was formed from the merger of the Brisbane Bears and the Fitzroy Lions in 1996...
, Brown added 4 goals to be one of the match winners along with Shane Tuck
Shane Tuck
Shane Tuck is an Australian Rules footballer and the son of Hawthorn legend and VFL/AFL games record holder Michael Tuck. He is the nephew of Geelong great Gary Ablett Sr and former Hawthorn players Kevin & Geoff Ablett...
. With Richmond sitting in the top 4, with 7 wins and 2 losses following a rare interstate win, Brown proclaimed that the Tigers would now be aiming to consolidate their place in the top 4 in 2005. Brown being a key player, booting 32 goals in his 9 appearances to that stage.
Season-ending leg injury, 2005
But Richmond's 2005 season turned ugly when Brown broke his leg attempting a left-foot kick as Melbourne DemonsMelbourne Football Club
The Melbourne Football Club, nicknamed The Demons, is an Australian rules football club playing in the Australian Football League , based in Melbourne, Victoria....
defender Matthew Whelan
Matthew Whelan
Matthew Whelan is a former professional Australian rules football player.Wearing the number 45 jersey, Whelan was reliable defender/back pocket known by Demons fans simply as the "Wheels". He also earned the nickname "Wrecker" for his big hits and tough and uncompromisingly defensive style of...
dived across him in a legitimate attempt to smother the ball. Brown's right foot became stuck on the Telstra Dome surface and tilted a bit to the right. Replays of the incident on the big Telstra Dome screen and on news highlights the following day and throughout the weekend shocked many viewers, even to the extent that it made Channel Ten
Network Ten
Network Ten , is one of Australia's three major commercial television networks. Owned-and-operated stations can be found in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth, while affiliates extend the network to cover most of the country...
presenter Robert Walls
Robert Walls
Robert Walls is a former Australian rules footballer and coach who now works primarily as a television commentator and newspaper columnist on the sport. On 22 June 2006 he was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.- Carlton :...
turn off his TV. Richmond lost the game by 57 points, and would only record three more wins in 2005, against the Sydney Swans
Sydney Swans
The Sydney Swans Football Club is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League . The club is based in Sydney, New South Wales. The club, founded in 1874, was known as the South Melbourne Football Club until it relocated to Sydney in 1982 to become the Sydney...
(who ultimately went on to win the premiership) and Essendon
Essendon Football Club
The Essendon Football Club, nicknamed The Bombers, is an Australian rules football club which plays in the Australian Football League...
in rounds 14 and 15, and a late-gasp win over Hawthorn
Hawthorn Football Club
The Hawthorn Football Club, nicknamed the Hawks, is a professional Australian rules football club in the Australian Football League . The club, founded in 1902, is the youngest of the Victorian-based teams in the AFL. The team play in Brown & Gold vertically striped guernseys...
in round 21. Some have suggested the incident effectively ended Brown's career as his time away from football meant that by time Brown returned, the game had passed him by, while the subsequent complications from the horrific injury considerably hindered the remainder of his career.
Brown had a titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
rod inserted into his tibia, and underwent extensive therapy and rehabilitation training over the following pre-season. Brown returned to the field for a clash with his old club the Western Bulldogs in late-March, which Richmond lost by 115 points, the first of three century losses Richmond suffered in 2006. The last, a 103-point loss to St Kilda in round 17, spelled the end of Brown's 2006 season as he suffered a hamstring strain during the match. Brown encountered complications from his broken leg early in 2007 which ruled him out for the first half of the season.
2007-2009
With Richmond languishing at the bottom of the ladder, Brown did not play a match at senior level until Round 12. He returned in a 49 point win over Melbourne (the first for the Tigers season), kicking 3 goals in the process.Brown played his 200th game in 2008, against Melbourne at the Telstra Dome, the same team and venue of his infamous broken leg - but this time Richmond was the home team. He also lined up on Matthew Whelan, the man who broke his leg, but this time around the Tigers won comfortably.
Retirement
In November 2009, Nathan Brown announced his retirement from the AFL. He stated that there was interest from other clubs to pick him up, although he believed a persistent groin injury would not stand up to another season of AFL football.Personal life
Brown is engaged to Kristine Fabiyanic and they have a daughter, Ava Rose (born November 2010).Achievements and honours
- Morrish MedalMorrish MedalThe Morrish Medal is an Australian rules football award.Formerly awarded to the Best and Fairest player in the VFL Under 19 competition , since 1992 the award has been given to the best player in the Victorian TAC Cup Under 18 competition.The Morrish Medal was named in honour of Tom Morrish, a...
winner 1996 - All-Australian 2001, 2002
- International Rules SeriesInternational Rules SeriesThe International Rules Series is a senior men's International rules football competition between the Australia international rules football team and the Ireland international rules football team...
2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 (Jim Stynes Medal 2004) - 100 Tiger Treasures "Goal of the Century" Nominee (2008)
External links
- Nathan Brown profile on the Official AFL Website of the Richmond Football Club