DEFENDER Jarrad Waite is more than aware what a pumped-up Jonathan Brown can do on the footy field.
Brown appears set to play his first game of the year for the Brisbane Lions in Saturday night's NAB Cup grand final and Waite, or teammate Bret Thornton, are his likely opponents.
"We all remember what he did when he first came back against Essendon a couple of years back so that's been in our thoughts," Waite said.
The match Waite referred to was in round six, 2005.
A five-game suspension from the 2004 grand final delayed Brown's start to the season, but he quickly made up for lost time.
In a best-on-ground performance against Essendon, Brown beat three defenders in a brutal display of power.
Ted Richards, Dustin Fletcher and Ty Zantuck were all shoved aside by the 195cm, 102kg forward, who finished the night with eight goals, 14 marks and 20 possessions.
Lions coach Leigh Matthews said after the 48-point drubbing he could not recall a performance as dominant as Brown's.
Waite said Matthew Pavlich and Brown, who hasn't played since round 10 last year because of back and knee injuries, represented the two biggest tests for defenders in the AFL.
"He (Brown) is one of the best key forwards in the land and if you get his scalp you're doing pretty well," Waite said.
The match-ups were to be decided at a team meeting on Wednesday afternoon and fellow defender Thornton said he would relish an opportunity to line up against Brown.
"It will be a great challenge whoever gets it. He's a super player and it would be fantastic to get a chance to play on him," Thornton said.
The Blues are contesting their second pre-season grand final in three years, having taken out the title in 2005, and Thornton is hoping for happier memories on this occasion.
As the Blues celebrated the win over West Coast, Thornton was on crutches after hurting his knee late in the match and missed the first month of the season.
Midfielder Kade Simpson said winning a piece of silverware will help carry the club's early-season form into the season proper.
"We only had three wins last year so if we can put four wins together in a row and then take that into round one against Richmond it will be just a big bonus for us," Simpson said
"And because we're such a young side, just the winning experience will be great for our young fellas."
Carlton's red-hot start to 2007 has at least one player thinking about September success.
Asked if winning the premiership was a realistic aim this year, Waite said: "Anything's possible."
"That's what we're really striving for this year so this is just another step for us," he added.
