“AND IN the words of E.J, we stuck it right up ‘em!”

If it were anyone else on the dais, this might have sounded a tad contrived and artificial. But coming from Jonathan Brown last Saturday night, these words have as much passion and showmanship as they did when Ted Whitten uttered them in the early 90s.

Some of the game’s biggest names have departed the scene in the last two years - James Hird, Nathan Buckley, Glenn Archer and Michael Voss have all moved on, leaving the AFL in need of a marquee player.

They might have found him on the weekend.

Long considered to be one of the game’s premier players, Brown might not have been Victoria’s best in the win over the Dream Team - he was quite happy to play second-fiddle to Carlton star Brendan Fevola - because for him, it was all about the team.

If the Brisbane Lions had their way, Brown would never have set foot on the MCG last weekend. And most other players in the league would have taken the hint and toed the party line.

If Brown told Mark Thompson his troublesome quad was not up to the task, then the Victorian coach would have had no issue in resting him.

But there was no slacking off for the man who, along with Andrew McLeod, has been the face of the Hall of Fame clash for the past six months.

McLeod did an excellent job promoting the game, but he is 31 and has never relished the public side of football. Brown, on the other hand, is still just 26 and more than comfortable in the spotlight.

Those at AFL HQ could not have been more pleased with Brown’s promotional work. From the very beginning where he made it clear how honoured he was to captain the Vics, right through to when he rounded up his slightly unsure Victorian teammates to sing the song after the win.

“Come on boys, get in the circle. Fev, get over here. HEARTS TO HEARTS ...”

It was clear Brown was the leading figure of the Victorian side, and it's starting to become clear that he is the leading figure of the game. For Brown is one of few characters in the AFL that seems universally respected and liked by supporters of every team.

He is a boy from Warrnambool with a thick country drawl, a straight-down-the-line approach, a sensible short back and sides haircut and a fondness for a beer. Brown presents an image of the anti-metrosexual, the alpha male that footballers once were.

He might not be based in the traditional heartland of football, but as the game looks to become a force in the northern states, the Brisbane Lions skipper is just the man to lead the public relations charge.

The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.