Brown to bury inner Demons
The Australian
July 14, 2006
FOUR premiership points and four quarters for Richmond tonight, and Nathan Brown will have finally come full circle.
Brown goes into the corresponding game to the one in which he shattered his leg last year against Melbourne, facing what most would think is his toughest match mentally since he returned to the playing field.
Not so, says the Richmond star.
He says the only Demons he wants to lay to rest tonight are the Tigers' high-flying opponents.
What happened in round 10 last year doesn't register in his head, doesn't affect him any more, and won't have a bearing going into the game.
"I've dealt with the being hurt thing all year," Brown said.
"Playing Melbourne, they're just another side. It's just unfortunate it's the side I came up against and broke my leg.
"It's just a coincidence it happened against Melbourne. I'm neither here nor there on it."
Some would call it being positive, some denial.
But if Brown is to shine at the MCG tonight and help Richmond to a much-needed victory, he will need to summon as much mental strength as he has shown at any point of his comeback so far.
Standing before him will be the man who accidentally fell across his leg causing the break, the Demons' Matthew Whelan.
The two games' circumstances are strikingly similar.
A Friday night at the MCG, a Tigers side punching above its weight this season against an in-form Demons outfit.
But Brown is firing too - something he believes is the biggest confidence boost he can take into the match between his eighth-placed Tigers and third-placed Melbourne.
A 20-touch, two-goal game against Collingwood a fortnight ago followed by three goals in last weekend's 38-point win over Port Adelaide signalled Brown is within sight of the match-winning form he was in before his injury.
"It helps," Brown says of how much his own form is aiding his outlook going into tonight.
"Our forward line has helped me play good football.
"Players like (Kayne) Pettifer, Andy Krakouer, Jay Schulz, Chris Hyde - when you've got four or five blokes to look after down there instead of one or two, it really helps the forward line function and kick a winning score."
Yet bullish as he is, Brown believes his best won't be seen until next year.
"I'm not back to 100 per cent yet - that'll probably be next year after a pre-season.
"I'm probably down a bit on fitness, the leg still gets a little bit sore but it's a lot more manageable now."
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,20867,19780820-36035,00.html
