2010 could prove to be the making of Nathan Brown. In his fourth season at the club, the emerging key defender played rounds 5-9 but missed three weeks with a shoulder injury and he was frustratingly on the selection outer mid-season. But Brown stepped up in the absence of injured teammates to play eight of the final nine matches. He was cruelly left out of the first grand final side, however Simon Prestigiacomo’s late withdrawal paved the way for Brown’s inclusion, and he didn’t disappoint by quelling Saints superstar Nick Riewoldt in both grand finals to become a hero of the premiership 22.
Highlights
Grand Final & Grand Final Replay v St Kilda: He nearly didn’t play, but Brown’s efforts in continually out-smarting and out-manoeuvring Riewoldt in both grand finals was crucial in Collingwood firstly being able to snatch a draw, and then crush the Saints a week later.
2010 AFL statistics
| G | K | H | D | M | T | R50 |
| 13 | 3.9/67.0% | 5.6/83.6% | 9.4/82.0% | 2.8 | 1.9 | 1.8 |
2010 VFL statistics
| G | K | H | D | M | G |
| 9 | 9.8 | 8.9 | 18.7 | 5.7 | 0.4 |
