Brown may be dropped
5:18:22 PM Tue 18 April, 2006
Paul Gough
Sportal for afl.com.au
Richmond coach Terry Wallace has conceded he may have to do the previously unthinkable and drop Nathan Brown if the champion forward continues to struggle in his recovery from a broken leg.
Brown has played all three matches this season but has been a shadow of the player that was so dominant before he suffered his horrific injury in round ten last year.
After 34 goals in just ten games last year, the dual All-Australian has managed just one so far this season and only collected two kicks during last Saturday's loss to the West Coast Eagles.
And while Wallace remains convinced Brown can recapture his best form, he conceded he would drop him if he believed at any stage that he was no longer in the Tigers' best 22.
"There has to be a time where he earns his right to play," Wallace said.
"It’s an ongoing dilemma of what impact he can have, while we are trying to work him back to full fitness and full game strength, versus winning games and playing our best team."
"I am still responsible as the senior coach to select the best side and you have got to have a situation where the guys playing at the next level deserve their opportunity and a bloke at senior level doesn't (if he is struggling) and we will decide that at any point in time."
Wallace denied the Tigers were risking Brown by playing him just ten months after his shocking injury, adding he had earned his spot in the team thus far.
The Tigers coach said he had warned all along Brown was unlikely to return to his best until 2007, by which time he would have had the rod is in his leg removed and would have had the benefit of another full pre-season under his belt.
"The medical statements on him are that he is right to play each week, we wouldn't play him otherwise so there is no risk - it's just soreness and his inability to move laterally as well as he would like."
"It's a difficult game at the best of times to play, let alone if you are only able to run in a straight line."
Wallace said he was also in a "Catch 22 situation" where to play Brown, admitting he was battling in the difficult small forward role while struggling in his recovery.
But equally Wallace is concerned the increased workload that would come as a result of moving Brown into the midfield to get him more involved in the play may place too much pressure on his leg.
Brown is not Wallace's only headache in the lead-up to Saturday night's tough trip to Brisbane as he tries to lift the Tigers off the bottom of the ladder as one of only two winless teams after three rounds.
The loss of full-back Darren Gaspar (hamstring) just a week after the long-term losses of promising young defenders Will Thursfield (knee) and Jay Schulz (collarbone) leaves the Tigers desperately short on for height in defence.
But despite the Tigers' tough predicament Wallace is not downbeat saying he knew the job of re-building a Richmond side that has made the finals just twice in 23 years and was last on the ladder with 14 straight losses when he took over would be tough.
"I didn’t kid myself when I took on this job 18 months ago, I knew it was a very difficult job," he said.
"A lot of people told me not to take it on because they believed it was too tough considering where the club was at, but this is about a journey and getting the place right and we will have a few hiccups along the way."
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