Browne - Discussion

[gbatman]

Just thought I'd bring up the issue of where Steve Browne is heading. Watching him play in the VFL last week and some how getting 2nd best after getting an absolute bath by his man, being fairly average all day and finally turning it on in the last quarter taking some good marks down back I began to wonder where he's heading.

He made his way into the AFL team this year and was dropped, not due to lack of skill, ability, body size. He just appears slow to me. In fact I'd nearly rate him as one of the slowest at the club but many posters think he is quick and apparently he has the times to suggest he has quite good pace. So why doesn't he look quick on the field? Does he have a lack of endurance, is he a bludger on the track and field or does he not know how to or have the confidence how to use his pace?

Just wondering where people see Browne at this year and next? He doesn't appear to have the tank to run really hard off his man all day let alone play on the ball, although the idea of him playing midfield seems good. Comparing his game to Anderson last week, I thought there was a big gap between the work rate and pace of the two players.

I think it's going to be tough for Browne to get a game next year as he will be competing with Armfield, Russell, Scotland, Anderson and Joseph for that role down back. I just think it's going to be very hard for him to get a game down back for the blues.

I think his future is in working really hard on his endurance and try and break into the midfield in the Bullants and play there until he can start achieving good possession numbers (30+) similar to what Ellard has done. I just feel his endurance and workrate really need to improve.

 

[thylacine60]

If S. B-R-O-W-N-E can't work his way into our side next year we will be playing out of our skins.

 

[Sin City]

Big fan, really hope he makes it. I also see him as a midfielder, reminds me of Kade Simpson with his work rate.

 

[Silvagnis]

Why would you compare Browne to Anderson who is quick and reminds me of Walker when he's on?

Those two are taller indigenous players who fly across the turf because they're fast.

IIRC, Browne has a similar motor to Murphy with the two recording a similar beep test at draft camp.

Browne needs to improve his endurance, but he's a second year player who missed some of the pre-season with injury.

If Browne develops, I like him more as a hard nosed defensive midfielder in the vein of Mark McVeigh. Browne was solid on Masten and Rich playing that role on two former teammates he knew very well.

I love that Browne has a bit of "the shit on the liver" like McVeigh with the way he goes about his football. He had a good crack at the Pies this year after running in from 10 metres just to bump them and fly the flag.



Just like the name sake who played for Carlton...

 

[Blue since 72]

Haven't seen any sprint times for him but he appears slow to me (never seen him running at anything that would be considered fast), or maybe he lacks awareness as I've seen him caught by the opposition a few times in the senior games he's played.

His kicking can let him down to, but for a guy around 180 cms and who doesn't look overly big he can dish it out and take it as well and he still has youth on his side. I suspect he would have at least another year to show his wares but we seem to have an abundance of players around this height and size and you'd think Ellard would be ahead of him on this season's performances.

positionally, I would have thought these guys can possibly develop into a Sam Mitchell type or a back pocket, can't really see them popping up anywhere else.

 

[Silvagnis]

you'd think Ellard would be ahead of him on this season's performances.

Why's that?

Ellard didn't even play a game.

 

[walkers a legend]

I would love to see him playing in the seniors next year.

He is the type of player that we need if we were to take another step forward into the top 4 with his courage. IMO he could be like Kerr in 05 & 06 getting in close and winning the footy and getting it too skillfull players like Gibbs, Murph or Judd and that could free judd to receive and break away from packs easier.

Or he could be a utility like Jimmy Bartel this year.

 

[BlueYoss]

He just appears slow to me. In fact I'd nearly rate him as one of the slowest at the club but many posters think he is quick and apparently he has the times to suggest he has quite good pace.

I have always been bemused by the claims that he is fast and the comparisons with Armfield's pace, I've never been able to see it.

He is not short on courage and loves the hard stuff though. If he has the tank perhaps his future could be an upgrade on Bentick and/or Hadley as the hard, defensive minded mid found at the bottom of packs feeding the ball out.

 

[Blue since 72]

Why's that?

Ellard didn't even play a game.

Browney only played 7 and wasn't able to unseat Army or AJ who I would say would be his direct competition in the seniors at the moment. Ellard obviously couldn't not being a nominated rookie but he was bog at the Ant's virtually every week and while I acknowledge bog's at the Ant's don't automatically make you a good senior player surely it makes the coaching staff sit up and take notice.

On development to date Browney would be considered handy depth, but who knows, a blinder of a pre season and nab cup and i'm quite happy to change my thoughts on him.

 

[ThePine]

has clean skills, courage and is hard at it.

seems as though he needs to build work rate, concentration and a tank which all go hand in hand.

can see him eventually coming into the team as an inside mid.

 

[gbatman]

I recon Browne needs a big preseason in the Gym and on the track. Build his size, strength and endurance and play on the ball in the ants until he increases his posessions consistantly to over the 30 mark. I would say he doesn't have the ability to cover enough ground and run as hard all day as he needs to. Perhaps he will be competing with Hadley for that last spot in the center.

 

[blueboy25]

I think he will be a good player for us either playing in defence or in the midfield. He certainly has the toughness and has a great leap but he does have a tendancy to bang it on his boot when in trouble (he's not the only one).

As others have mentioned he had an interupted pre season which puts young players behind the pack. Look at grigga, he was set for big things this year, copped an inury pre-season and struggled all year.

If we are going to go deep in september we need tough players like browne and AJ to look after murph, judd and co.

 

[Silvagnis]

Ellard is a tad bigger than Luke Blackwell, but he might be another Blackwell who stars in the VFL, but is too small and slow to make it at the highest level.

If Ellard was in great form, we would have elevated him for an injured player and picked him ahead of Browne.

 

[bluey1314]

Browne will be a great player. Just needs time to develop. He's only 20. i think that we have high expectations on our younger players because of the likes of Murphy, Gibbs, and Special k. These guy were no.1 picks and are exceptional. I think we tend to lose sight on the development of players and the fact that not all our players will come along straight away. As mentioned previously, Browne's only 20 and i would expect him to stay on our list for at least a couple more years.

 

[Blue since 72]

Ellard is a tad bigger than Luke Blackwell, but he might be another Blackwell who stars in the VFL, but is too small and slow to make it at the highest level.

If Ellard was in great form, we would have elevated him for an injured player and picked him ahead of Browne.

Agree this could be the case, won't know for sure unless he's elevated and gets some games. I'll accept that the 'Ellard is ahead of Browne' comment was probably somewhat flippant but as we sit both would struggle to get into a fully fit first 22 at the moment anyway.

Brings me back to my earlier comment that we have an abundance of players around this height and size and some of them just arn't going to get a shot.

 

[1981]

Browne has a bit to work on but by jingoes he has a nice knack for playing like a leader sometimes, can do the really inspirational sort of stuff, like his awesome clearance late in the Saints game, or his exceptional marks in defense last week in the Ants.

He might surprise a lot and become a star small defender in time.

 

[Jeremias]

Browney only played 7 and wasn't able to unseat Army or AJ who I would say would be his direct competition in the seniors at the moment. Ellard obviously couldn't not being a nominated rookie but he was bog at the Ant's virtually every week and while I acknowledge bog's at the Ant's don't automatically make you a good senior player surely it makes the coaching staff sit up and take notice.

On development to date Browney would be considered handy depth, but who knows, a blinder of a pre season and nab cup and i'm quite happy to change my thoughts on him.

Browne is nothing like Armfield or Joseph.

Armfield has pace to burn and can play on the best small forwards of the opposition or a quick midfielder.

Joseph is our best tagger by a mile.

Browne is a completely different type of footballer to both of them and is not even close to competing with them for a spot.

Browne is far more like Scotland than those you named above.

BOGs at VFL level mean virtually nothing. Anderson was clearly BOG on Sunday yet didn't even make the best 6 players on ground for the Bullants according to the website

Browne was named in the best 5 times for the Bullants from 13 games, and played 7 senior games.

Ellard was named in the best 13 times from 19 games.

Can't be sure but I dare say Ellard wouldn't have played 7 senior games even if he was eligible to do so.

Browne is a good player. Nothing spectacular to his game but he does everything solid. Skills are solid, pace is solid, awareness is solid. Toughness and determination through the ****ing roof. Not to mention outstanding composure.

Let's not jump down his back that he didn't cement his spot as a 2nd year player in a team that finished 7th and had its chances to finish in the top 4.

That's what depth is all about.

If someone gets injured it's good to know we have a solid player like Browne who can step straight into the seniors and do a job.

Obviously he's not a perfect player but I've got no doubt he can be a solid player for many years. He's a natural footballer rather than an athlete.

And I dare say he'll continue his development in the Ants over the coming season and just about slot straight in when Scotland hangs up the boots or suffers a form drop.

 

[Bomba Sheldon]

Browne can play and is a footballer in the true sense e.g. not an athlete / basketballer etc moulded into a footballer. I like him and think he will be a 100 game + player for the club.

 

[gbatman]

McLean to carlton, that spot in the midfield just got harder. Hope he gets there though

 

[thylacine60]

Browne can play and is a footballer in the true sense e.g. not an athlete / basketballer etc moulded into a footballer. I like him and think he will be a 100 game + player for the club.

Yep.

 

[HBF]

Browne's greatest strength is his kicking & decision making skills. At U18 level, he kept his composure and never looked hurried. Very couragous also. Was hampered with injury during the pre-season, and was behind the 8 ball right throughout the season. Had a bad game against Essendon, and was dropped.

I have thought he would be the ideal replacement for Heath Scotland coming off the half back flank. Still think he is best placed to do this, and he does have a couple more years to develop, and force his way into the team.

Very worth persisting with.

 

[Blue since 72]

Browne is nothing like Armfield or Joseph.

Armfield has pace to burn and can play on the best small forwards of the opposition or a quick midfielder.

Joseph is our best tagger by a mile.

Browne is a completely different type of footballer to both of them and is not even close to competing with them for a spot.

Browne is far more like Scotland than those you named above.

BOGs at VFL level mean virtually nothing. Anderson was clearly BOG on Sunday yet didn't even make the best 6 players on ground for the Bullants according to the website

Browne was named in the best 5 times for the Bullants from 13 games, and played 7 senior games.

Ellard was named in the best 13 times from 19 games.

Can't be sure but I dare say Ellard wouldn't have played 7 senior games even if he was eligible to do so.

Browne is a good player. Nothing spectacular to his game but he does everything solid. Skills are solid, pace is solid, awareness is solid. Toughness and determination through the ****ing roof. Not to mention outstanding composure.

Let's not jump down his back that he didn't cement his spot as a 2nd year player in a team that finished 7th and had its chances to finish in the top 4.

That's what depth is all about.

If someone gets injured it's good to know we have a solid player like Browne who can step straight into the seniors and do a job.

Obviously he's not a perfect player but I've got no doubt he can be a solid player for many years. He's a natural footballer rather than an athlete.

And I dare say he'll continue his development in the Ants over the coming season and just about slot straight in when Scotland hangs up the boots or suffers a form drop.

Why would you say that. All three are of the small defender mould, at least at this stage of their careers and Browne has played both back pocket and tagger in his senior games, its just that the other two have been preferred.

He's obviously not as quick as the other two but has better footy smarts than Army because he's be playing the game since he was a kid.

Haven't thought of him as a Scotland replacment TBH so will be interesting to see who slots into Scotty's spot when he goes.

Certainly wasn't jumping down his back but a rookie and a union convert are getting games ahead of him while one of my earlier posts in this thread acknowledges he is a handy depth player at the moment.

Injuries to current first 22 players aside I just reckon he will find it hard to get a regular game but would certainly rather keep him than offload. Put in a great pre season and nab cup and who knows, he's certainly capable of playing seniors.

 

[gbatman]

Anderson to replace Scotland. Brown really needs to improve his running and work rate or he may never ammount to a lot. I still think he can make it, he'll just take some time. Be good to see him get fit and play the Luke Hodge type role for us. IMO he may be offered as part of a trade if something really good comes up for us.

Lets face it, he is not as good as AJ, Armfield and even Anderson is narrowly edging infront of him at the moment.

Let's all watch the grand final and we'll be better informed. And please, ignore who ever gives the best players, it's rarely right.

 

[Silvagnis]

Be good to see him get fit and play the Luke Hodge type role for us.

LOL

Just LOL

 

[gbatman]

LOL

Just LOL

So Browne can't play back pocket and get infront of other forwards and win plenty of footy?