We need to be mentally tougher: Brown
4:55 PM Sun 29 July, 2007
By Sean Cusick
for richmondfc.com.au
RICHMOND superstar Nathan Brown focussed on the positives in the Tigers’ 66-point loss to Sydney after Saturday's game.
After 70 minutes of tight, competitive football, Brown believes that Sydney’s mental edge was enough to bring Richmond undone.
“They’re far more mature than us,” a visibly disappointed Brown said in the change rooms after the match.
“We’ve not been running out games, [which is] probably a mental toughness thing.”
Brown collected 16 touches and kicked 3.2 in a classy performance, but says his team let itself down in the final quarter and a half in which Sydney kicked 10 goals to Richmond’s two.
“We thought we were right in it, but [the Swans are] a professional team," he said.
“It was an unacceptable effort in the second half.”
Echoing what his coach said earlier, Brown believes that short-term pain for some of Richmond’s young brigade is necessary to build accomplished players.
“It’s a great honour to go out there and play on a guy like Barry Hall,” Brown said when asked about the Sydney captain’s physical dominance of Luke McGuane.
“You’re going to learn and get better at it.”
Brown was most impressed with Andrew Raines’ 17-possession effort playing on Adam Goodes.
While the Sydney champion had the better of the 17-gamer, Raines showed dogged determination for the full four quarters.
“Rainsey’s finding his way in the competition, he’s one of our best run-and-carry players," Brown said.
“I thought he did an admirable job.”
Brown said the 22-year-old was told at the start of the week that he would get a four-quarter crack at the two-time Brownlow medallist and grabbed the opportunity with both hands.
“He’s that sort of bloke. He’s a young, tough kid that loves a challenge. I thought he was very good.”
With a demanding run home, Brown reaffirmed Richmond’s goal of simply being competitive for the final five weeks.
“We’ve just got to be competitive. It’s been a terrible season, and we just need to make sure we don’t have blow-outs, get to the end of the year, and get a good pre-season under our belt.”
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