Coaching Staff Leigh Brown - Forward Line Coach

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A thread for discussion re: our new forwards coach, appointed just two days after the 2011 Grand Final.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/124548/default.aspx

Brown joins Demons

Leigh_Brown_l.jpg

MELBOURNE has appointed 2010 Collingwood premiership player Leigh Brown as its forward line coach.

Brown joins the Demons just two days after playing in Collingwood’s losing Grand Final to Geelong.

He will reacquaint with new Melbourne senior coach and former Collingwood assistant coach Mark Neeld, who is delighted to have Brown on board.

“I’m very pleased to have Leigh Brown on board. Throughout his playing career, Leigh has had experiences at a number of successful organisations, most recently at Collingwood as a premiership player,” he said.

“Over the four seasons Leigh has completed his coaching education program, and has worked with the coaching group at Calder Cannons in the TAC Cup. He is ready to take the next step at the AFL level.

“He will offer great insight for our players about what is required to be successful at the top level.”

Brown said he was rapt to start his AFL coaching career with Neeld.

“I jumped at the opportunity that presented itself with the Melbourne Football Club,” he said.

“To work with Mark Neeld again was a big positive, and I’m looking forward to starting the next phase of my career as a coach.”

Brown played 246 AFL matches with Fremantle, North Melbourne and Collingwood from 2000-11.

He was originally drafted from Heyfield/Gippsland Power at No.5 in the 1999 AFL Draft.


Brown made 63 appearances with Fremantle from 2000-02, before crossing to North Melbourne where he played 118 matches from 2003-08.

At the end of 2008, Brown was delisted by North Melbourne and given a reprieve by Collingwood.

He was drafted at No.73 overall and reignited his career with the Magpies.

Brown’s versatility was an integral part of Collingwood’s side and in 2010 he played in its two grand finals - becoming a premiership player in the replay against St Kilda.

Although the Pies lost the 2011 grand final, Brown was widely regarded as one of Collingwood’s better players on the day.

He played 65 matches from 2009-11 for the Pies.

In round nine this year, Brown became just the second player in VFL/AFL history, behind Glenn Coleman, to play 50 matches with three clubs.

Brown finished his AFL career as a much-respected player, finishing just four matches shy of 250.

His flexibility and durability were features of his game. He was able to play as a key defender, forward or as a mobile ruckman.

Remarkably, he missed just 33 games (including 14 in 2008) - of a possible 279 - in his career.

Brown averaged 20.5 matches per season and missed just eight games in his first eight seasons.

His best haul in an AFL match was six goals for North Melbourne against Adelaide in round one, 2004.

http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/newsarticle/tabid/7415/newsid/124548/default.aspx

According to the Melbourne board this is a fairly controversial appointment, on the grounds that Brown is only just out of the game as a player and that he wasn't a superstar by any stretch.

Your thoughts? He follows Josh Mahoney, who appeared to be no great shakes in the role - but then again maybe he was handed a poisoned chalice.
 
You've poached my favourite player ever!

How do I change my team over on the left to read Demons, because I'm jumping ship!

CARN THE DEES!

Seriously though - he definitely got the best out of limited talent and gave it his all. If he can transfer that to players with greater talent, he could very well make stars out of them. He was also fairly close to Mick so you'd assume he'd have been learning from him, which can't be a bad thing.

Also, he DID occasionally do some pretty wonderful things. If he could just take a stronger mark he would have been a ten times better player, imo.

And if he can teach your players to kick like this, the rest of the league is in some serious damn trouble!

[youtube]cETyKepUDLQ[/youtube]
 
Here you go, CJ!

Welcome to Melbourne, Leigh!

I know he won't play in 2012 but we could do worse than talking Browny into having a kick next year. I'd rather him throwing his weight around on our forward line than Lynden or Juice, that's for sure. He'd make Jack, Liam and Jeremy Howe walk a bit taller.
 

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