JONATHAN Brown wants to be remembered as someone who gave his all, but ultimately his trademark toughness will be the legacy of his brilliant career.
Brown played 256 games, kicked 594 goals, and won three premierships for a club he "bled" for, yet his courage will somehow trump those exploits.
At his retirement press conference on Monday, Brown was flanked by coach Justin Leppitsch and ex-coach Leigh Matthews, had wife Kylie and children Jack and Olivia in the front row, and a room packed with admiring teammates, staff and media.
The 32-year-old played down his own ability by claiming his reputation was enhanced by team success early in his career.
"I'll be regarded as a better player than what I think I was, or what in reality what I am, because of the fact I played in premierships," he said.
"My reputation's been enhanced because I've been a premiership player.
"(I'm) very thankful for that, and that's a big driver of Leigh's (Leigh Matthews) in the early days when he was getting us to buy in. I just tried to give my all."
But the country Victorian forged his way into the hearts of rugby league-loving Queenslanders by far more than giving his all – he did it through repeated acts of courage, bravery and skill.
It was ultimately that courage that cost him, with three horrible facial fractures in a 12-month span from early 2011 to early 2012, and then his final concussion against GWS last week.
Brown admitted he might have put his head in the wrong spot a few times.
Running back with the flight of the ball became his trademark, and resulted in one of those collisions with then-teammate Mitch Clark in 2011, but the trait won him admirers League-wide.
Reflecting on Brown's 2002 mark of the year – where he ran 30m with the flight of the ball into the oncoming Alastair Lynch and Hawthorn's Jade Rawlings – Matthews was emphatic.
"It's the most amazing thing I think I've ever seen in a game of footy," Matthews said.
"Toughness is about keeping your eyes on the ball when you don't know where the pressure's coming from, that's genuine toughness. That's what Browny became legendary for.
"Jonathan was a very talented player, but I think that'll be the legend that'll grow over the years, just his absolute ability to keep his eyes on the ball in any circumstance and every circumstance."
Brown's retirement comes just eight months after that of his great mate Simon Black and leaves just Ash McGrath on the list as a member of the 2003 premiership team.
Leppitsch stated the obvious when saying losing the two – Black is now an assistant coach – left a huge leadership void on the young list.
Although not helping out on the field, Brown said he would continue an off-field role for the remainder of the season, helping the development of the young Lions forwards.
Despite saying he wished he could "strap them on one more time", the former skipper is now content to look at life beyond footy.
While not prepared to make concrete calls, he said a part-time role at the club beyond 2014, and a continuation of his work in the media, would be an ideal fit at this stage.
"I love this footy club and that'll be with me forever."
