BEING himself caused the odd problem for Campbell Brown in his 12 seasons in the AFL.
But he says the alternative - being forced to be someone he wasn’t - would have been unbearable.
Brown was never far away from a headline in his nine seasons at Hawthorn (2002-10) and three at Gold Coast (2011-13), where he experienced team and personal success, as well as a whole lot of fun with teammates who were to become best mates.
His renowned story-telling skills are on show in the latest In The Game podcast with Damian Barrett.
He tells of the morning Buddy Franklin accurately told teammates he would kick eight goals in a final that night, all because he was bemused by an article in the newspaper.
Campbell Brown and Lance Franklin celebrate a goal in 2009. Picture: AFL Photos
The infamous Essendon-Hawthorn final round match of 2009 also gets a mention, and context is given to his use of the word "sniper" to describe Matthew Lloyd.
Brown also gives incredible insight into the fears he had in the 2008 Grand Final, when forced to play on Cam Mooney (after Trent Croad broke his foot), of the power of Hawthorn members who intervened in 2009 to keep him at the club when officials were considering trading him, and of the two occasions he found himself in altercations – and ultimately page one headlines – when overseas with teammates.
Listen to the full Campbell Brown interview on In The Game …. ...
Find In the Game on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or Spotify
Episode Guide
1:02 – The one maverick left in the game
3:49 – Being part of the 2001 'superdraft'
7:00 – Relationship with Luke Hodge
8:13 – The luck involved with Tambling and Franklin
9:15 – Buddy's 'swagger' and greatness
11:38 – The headline that sparked Franklin's eight-goal Qualifying Final
13:32 – Birth of 'Clarko's cluster'
16:04 – The reality of a premiership hangover
18:36 – Trade talk with Mark Williams and Port Adelaide
21:31 – 'A no-brainer' to join Gold Coast
23:12 – Reported three times in one game
25:08 – 'Get stuffed': The lies in Chris Judd's eye gouge
27:25 – 'I called him (Matthew Lloyd) a sniper and I stand by that'
31:00 – Footy trip to Thailand
33:19 – 'I'd never been so nervous in my whole career'
34:25 – Breaking teammate Steven May's jaw
36:54 – Suns 'jumped the gun' sacking Brown
39:53 – Mum and Dad only missed three games
41:25 – Why I couldn't coach