Is Brown In Black And White Just Pie In The Sky?

The Age

Saturday August 2, 2008

Robert Walls

If Jonathan Brown is coming home to Victoria, Collingwood would be the perfect destination.

NOW that Brendan Fevola has finally signed a new contract with Carlton, the focus turns to Brisbane Lions power forward Jonathan Brown.

The big fella and his club can't come to terms, and the sticking point, it seems, is not the dollars but the length of tenure. Brown, who turns 27 in October, has given nine years of sterling service to his club and believes he deserves a five-year contract. The club is wary of committing to such a long contract and is prepared to offer three years, not five.

So questions arise. Are Brown and the club being realistic in their prospects, and if a deal can't be cut, which clubs would be in the running to secure the man many suggest is the most imposing figure in today's game?

Brown fell into the Lions' lap courtesy of the father-son rule. Because father Brian played for Fitzroy, the Lions could sit back and rub their hands with glee as the boy from Warrnambool took all before him as a junior. By the end of his fourth season in the big time, young Brownie - with his courage, aggression and talent - had played a big part in the Lions winning three premierships in a row. By the age of 22, he was a star.

Last year, when Michael Voss retired, Brown should have been made captain. He wasn't. He joined four others to be part of a leadership group. After the glory days, the past four seasons up north have been very much about building a new team based around Brown. If the team misses the finals this year, it will be the fourth consecutive season the Lions have missed September action.

For all he has given the club on and off the field - and he has been a wonderful ambassador for the game - you can understand why Brown believes he is deserving of a lengthy contract that will enable him to play out his days as a Lion.

That the club hasn't jumped at his wishes may have irked him. I sense some discontent and frustration.

The big man is too classy to sulk on the field, but I sense there's a bit of attitude - a bit of "you fellows are lucky to have me, so why don't you show your appreciation and give me what I want?".

The club, on the other hand, has to act responsibly. For all Brown has done, it would be folly to give a five-year deal to a 27-year-old who has missed more than 50 games since he arrived at the club.

In some respects, Brown's battering-ram style has made him his own worst enemy, because it means the end can come quickly. Just ask Dermott Brereton or Wayne Carey. A compromise could be a three-year deal with a proviso that a top-five finish in the best-and-fairest voting in year three guaranteed him a fourth season.

However, maybe - just maybe - Brown is insisting on a five-year deal because he knows the Lions won't grant it. Perhaps he wants to return to Victoria to play out his days. Chris Judd did. And by insisting on a five-year deal and not getting it, he saves face with thousands of Lions fans who adore him.

Brown is very loyal and would hate to let people down, but in the end, he also has to be loyal to himself.

So which Melbourne teams would seek to secure Brown?

It would have to be a team that thought it could win a flag in the next four years, and a team that could fit a hefty salary - say $800,000 a year - into its salary cap.

The Western Bulldogs desperately need a power forward to supplement their host of lighter forwards but it's doubtful there's room in the cap.

Carlton without Fev could have done it, but not now.

Essendon has Matthew Lloyd and Scott Lucas nearing the end, but a flag is a long way off.

Melbourne is at least seven years away, even if everything falls into place.

St Kilda without Fraser Gehrig and Collingwood without Anthony Rocca would be chances. With Nick Riewoldt and Travis Cloke out at half-forward, Brown would play mainly inside the forward 50. He performed that role last year when Daniel Bradshaw was out injured, won the Coleman Medal with 77 goals and his first club best-and-fairest award.

Hawthorn, with Buddy Franklin and Jarryd Roughead, don't need him.

Terry Wallace at Tigerland will stick with "Richo" and the young Mitch Morton and Jack Riewoldt.

The Pies could well be Brown's best option. And being part of a team starved of premiership success would have much appeal to a man who thrives on centre stage.

That Judd, less than a year ago, ended up at Carlton makes you think anything is possible.

© 2008 The Age

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