Just read the Age
If I was Eddie I would have sacked our list manager not demoted him........have a read
List manager my arse.
"The quirk of the quirky Ben Brown was that an injury that recruiters feared would harm his career has been the injury that has helped make his career. By prolonging his arrival in the game, that injury has helped him make it in the game.
In his TAC Cup year, Brown did his knee. He was on the radar of all clubs at the time as a promising tall, but he played more ruck than forward as an 18-year-old. But his knee reco cost him a chance at being drafted that year.
Collingwood were interested. They had a family connection to Brown through his uncle James Manson, the key forward and second ruck in the 1990 premiership team.
''Charlie'' was a cult figure at Collingwood for his unorthodox kicking style that was jarring to the purist but extremely effective. He was also an excellent contested mark.
His nephew has similar characteristics where his style made recruiters think he was a bit ragged and messy as a player so orthodox football aesthetics would not recommend him as a player. He is a salutary reminder to look at results not style.
“He was a bit ungainly and awkward. A bit messy,” another recruiter said.
Collingwood recruiters Derek Hine and Jason Taylor met Brown and Manson at Manson’s bayside graphic design office and discussed with the pair the option of Ben coming to Melbourne, where Collingwood could help with his rehab and he could live with his uncle and study. They promised to rookie-list him the next year.
He declined. He thought if they liked him that much they should rookie him straight away. They declined."
Wow, that hurts.
