Browny at training

[one-eyed]

Nathan Brown back on the ground
20 August 2005   
Herald Sun
AAP

INJURED Richmond star Nathan Brown took a major step towards his footy comeback with an on-field appearance at Tigers training yesterday flagging the start of his pre-season.

Brown's leg was broken and his season ended in a sickening clash against Melbourne three months ago.

But after surgery and a recent two-week sojourn in France, Brown is back walking unaided, though with a limp.

He even managed to kick a ball with his opposite leg as he wandered on to Punt Rd Oval to watch his teammates train in preparation for tomorrow's match against Hawthorn at Telstra Dome.

Tigers coach Terry Wallace said Brown's pre-season was set to start as soon as his teammates' off-season began in a fortnight.

"It's a starting point," Wallace said of Brown's appearance yesterday.

"His pre-season will almost start when the other blokes get their break.

"I think it's also important he plays a fairly strong role in the last couple of weeks with the footy club.

"He's one of our team leaders and had a bit of time away.

"We were quite comfortable with that, but he needs to make sure the guys are on their job and that he's not on holidays when they've still got work to do."

Brown has been putting in the hard yards to strengthen the surgically-repaired tibia and fibula bones in his leg, shattered when Melbourne defender Matthew Whelan fell on him during a match in May.

Wallace said Brown would start more intensive work after next weekend's final home-and-away match.

"Browny's been doing a lot of work but it's all been in the pool and the gym," Wallace said.

"He's starting to look like himself again which is the main thing.

"Early in the piece he was very gaunt and really struggling with the whole thing."

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,16317977%255E19771,00.html

[mightytiges]

He even managed to kick a ball with his opposite leg as he wandered on to Punt Rd Oval to watch his teammates train in preparation for tomorrow's match against Hawthorn at Telstra Dome.

Sports Tonight showed Browny out on the ground in full training kit. He's still limping and he obviously stuck to walking pace when he went to pick up the footy. Still great to see him out on the ground with footy in hand back standing on his own two feet.

[kendrick]

what about him mentioning that it still doesnt have any feeling in his left toe.. and its just a constant limp... he even said "its not 2 good at the moment".. which could possibly mean there is some nerve damage, which may take a long time to heal...

[Captain__Blood]

Before he went down with that leg injury he was top 5 footballers in the league.

I honestly cannot see him getting back to that level.

[mightytiges]

what about him mentioning that it still doesnt have any feeling in his left toe.. and its just a constant limp... he even said "its not 2 good at the moment".. which could possibly mean there is some nerve damage, which may take a long time to heal...

Yeah he did say that on TFS but he also said his surgeon reckons the feeling will return. It depends on how badly the nerves were damaged. If it's not real bad the nerves will repair themselves over time and he'll get the feeling in his big toe back; if there's been severe damage then it's permanent  .

There were rumours a month or so ago that three of his toes had no feeling. So if that was true and now it's "only" his big toe then that may be a good sign that the feeling will eventually return. Remember it's virtually a 12 month injury and it was only 3 months ago he broke his leg.

[Razorblade]

I hope he doesn't plan to return in the Wiz Cup, nor the club allow him to play in it either!

[julzqld]

Yes I agree with Razor - he shouldn't play until Round 1 at the earliest.

[one-eyed]

Absence makes Brown eager for his return
By Melissa Ryan
The Age
August 22, 2005

INJURED Richmond star Nathan Brown is quickly rediscovering his appetite for football after making his first appearance at training last Friday.

The Tiger, who is three weeks ahead of schedule in his recovery process, has compared notes with Brisbane Lions captain Michael Voss, whose leg was broken in a similar fashion in 1998. The two talked for half an hour about whatVoss did for his come back.

"He didn't get off his crutches for 12 weeks. I've been walking for two weeks now and next weekend will be 12 weeks," Brown said. "I appreciate him having a chat to me and just letting me know what he went through."

He has no feeling in his big toe and it may take up to two years for full movement to return there, but he was not fazed. "It's not a huge problem. I was having a little bit of a kick the other day and it's not hindering my walking or anything, it's just that sometimes it's a bit uncomfortable that it doesn't work when you want it to," he told 774 ABC.

"I was only kicking it five or 10 metres but it felt good to be out there. I pulled up fine. I've been doing a lot of work in the gym on my leg, been doing a lot of calf raisers, all sorts of things like that and it gets a bit sore from those things, but after having a bit of a kick and a walk around out there, it was fine."

Having recently returned from an overseas holiday, Brown will have a week off when the Tigers' season ends, and will resume training on September 8.

"It's a pretty critical point of my comeback, being able to get my legs stronger, get the physical work into me because I'll be going for light jogs by that stage. If I went away on holiday and didn't do any of the work then I'll have cheated myself and the club who's given me the time off three weeks ago so that I could have a bit of a break, but get stuck back into training in September," he said.

http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2005/08/21/1124562753058.html

[mightytiges]

Great to hear from Browny on the footy show last night say he's back running (on the treadmill) and plans to play round 1 next year. He'll train for the next couple of months then take a break before continuing (presumably with the rest of the squad in the new year. He also said the feeling in his toes (or lack of it) is slowing getting better. I didn't see any noticeable limp when he walked on the set either.

[Rodgerramjet]

I think he will be extremly lucky to make it by round 1. and I did notice a limp last night.

[letsgetiton!]

I think he will be extremly lucky to make it by round 1. and I did notice a limp last night.

i reckon from rnd 6 - 11 is a more likely comeback time

[Ox]

Before he went down with that leg injury he was top 5 footballers in the league.

I honestly cannot see him getting back to that level.

With tears in my eyes I agree.

[one-eyed]

Brown back in harness
11:27:34 AM Fri 30 September, 2005
Tony Greenberg
richmondfc.com.au

Richmond star Nathan Brown is making excellent progress on the comeback trail from his broken leg.

Brown, who suffered the bad break in the Round 10 clash with Melbourne at Telstra Dome on May 27, has been pounding out the kilometres on a new treadmill, which is the latest addition to the Tigers’ Punt Road gymnasium.

“Nathan has been running on the treadmill for two weeks now. He utilises a harness, which reduces his body weight and, therefore, reduces the amount of load going through his leg,” said Richmond’s Strength and Conditioning Coach, Matthew Hornsby.

“He has progressed every session since commencing running and will be running without the aid of a harness in the very near future.

“While he has a lot of work in front of him, both the medical and conditioning staff are very pleased with his progression.

“His attitude and compliance to the rehab. program have been first-class . . .”

Brown will continue to train with the Club’s Rehabilitation Coach, Warren Kofoed, for the remainder of the off-season, and will officially commence his pre-season training program two weeks before his required start date.

Meanwhile, the Tigers are confident small-man speedster, David Rodan, will hit the ground running when pre-season training resumes.

Rodan, who underwent a total knee reconstruction after tearing his Anterior Cruciate Ligament in a practice match against Essendon at Morwell last February, has worked extremely diligently through his rehab. period.

“Dave has rehabilitated from his ACL reconstruction as well as any player I have dealt with,” Hornsby said.

“His work ethic and attitude throughout the 2005 season has ensured that he will commence the upcoming pre-season without any restrictions.

“I expect Dave to be one of the leaders in relation to physical performance through the pre-season . . .”

http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=232708

[one-eyed]

Brown back on track
3:58:05 PM Tue 11 October, 2005
Paul Gough
Exclusive to afl.com.au

Richmond star Nathan Brown's comeback has moved up a gear after he successfully competed his first training run at Punt Road this week.

It was the first time the Tigers' vice-captain had been able to run since suffering his serious broken leg injury against Melbourne in round ten, an injury which shocked all football fans.

However the Tigers are thrilled with Brown's progress since, with the star forward on schedule to be ready for the start of the season.

"It was great to look out my window and see him running and doing some straight line work on the oval," Richmond football director Greg Miller said of Brown.

"He warmed up inside on the treadmill and then went outside and then came back in for a cool down."

Miller told Sportal on Tuesday that Brown had pulled up well following his much-anticipated first running session.

"He is in very good spirits and well advanced on where we thought he would be," Miller said.

"We are so pleased that he is feeling good and he is in a good frame of mind, which wasn't always the case."

Miller admitted Brown did it hard in the weeks immediately after the serious injury but said the support of so many well-wishers played a big role in his recovery.

"We would like to thank the thousands of well-wishers," Miller said.

"I've got boxes and boxes in my office of well-wishers and we have tried to answer every one so apologies to anyone if we haven't got back to you yet."

Miller said the support of so many football fans helped boost Brown's spirits during those early weeks when he couldn't even walk.

"It really did make a difference to his rehab and his whole psyche," Miller said.

"So a lot of credit should go to our young supporters out there who wrote some magnificent cards and then there were all the gifts he got.

"It really made a difference and we appreciate it because the first few weeks after he did it were pretty tough for him."

http://richmondfc.com.au/default.asp?pg=news&spg=display&articleid=233983

[mightytiges]

Fingers crossed for Browny. Let's hope these positive reports of his recovery are on the money.