Brown recovery gains momentum
By Samantha Lane
The Age
March 5, 2006
NATHAN Brown yesterday enjoyed a trouble-free first hitout against senior competition since he broke his leg in May, but Richmond coach Terry Wallace, while impressed by his effort, believes the dual All-Australian could be a year off returning to his best form.
Brown played almost three quarters of a practice match against the Western Bulldogs in Shepparton, kicking two goals in the third term, gathering 12 touches for the match and looking comfortable before heading for the change rooms.
Having played half a game for Coburg in the VFL recently, and now three-quarters of a senior game, he is eager to play against Sydney next week at Cararra.
"I felt good today, it was another step up … it was senior footy today," Brown said.
"We had a lot of guys out and they did too, but it was good to play with the main group again under Terry and just get out there and have some fun.
"I was more anxious today than anything, just to see how I'd go and see how I'd move and how I'd go when I was put under pressure and all that sort of stuff."
Wallace said Brown was on track to play seniors in round one, but was not expecting to see the career-best brilliance, produced by his forward in the opening nine weeks of last season, for some time.
"I think anyone who expects Nathan to be in the form that he was in the first nine rounds of last year, anyone who expects him to be in that form this year, is kidding themselves," Wallace said.
"If he gets there at some stage this year that would be an absolute bonus, but I would expect him to need to do another full summer before that would be the case.
"There's nothing medically or physically that we've tested on him that suggests that he won't get there. But I just think it will take time and confidence. It probably took him seven years in the competition to get there in the first place, so I just think it will take time."
The Tiger vice-captain called the coin toss in the absence of skipper Kane Johnson, who was one of several senior players rested.
Brown began in a forward pocket, manned by Cameron Faulkner, and had marked inside 50 within the first minute of the match. The first of his early set shots didn't make the distance and another was slightly misdirected.
He pushed up to centre wing in the second term and followed the ball for most of the quarter, however it seemed more an exercise of keeping up with the play rather than creating it.
"It was a lot quicker than last week and I felt I blew up a bit quicker than what I did last week, so I've still got a little bit of fitness work to do to get back to where I was last year," Brown said.
"Straight-line stuff — I'm going well, probably a bit of lateral movement I need to work on. But other than that everything seems to be going OK."
By half-time he'd had 10 touches, taken two marks and returned to the forward line in the third term.
It turned out to be his most productive. He kicked two quick goals, one a right foot snap, the second came after he was awarded a free kick 25 metres out. As planned, he was called from the field 27 minutes into the third term.
"He was much better than what I thought he would be. Last week playing at reserve-grade level I thought he was fairly hesitant," Wallace said. "There were some nice little Nathan Brown signs, a couple of nice little chip passes and some good work."
http://www.realfooty.theage.com.au/realfooty/articles/2006/03/04/1141191888479.html
