MELBOURNE is investigating its next steps in relation to a troublesome knee injury hampering Ben Brown, with the gun new recruit set to meet with surgeons on Wednesday to determine the best course of action just six weeks out from the start of the season.
AFL.com.au understands Brown will meet with renowned knee specialist Julian Feller on Wednesday, having dealt with persistent swelling to his left knee throughout his first pre-season with the Demons.
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Brown arrived at the club having missed the back-half of North Melbourne's 2020 campaign due to the knee problem and has continued to be plagued by the ongoing issue since Christmas.
He had previously undergone minor surgery on the same knee in September after first sustaining the injury following a heavy tackle from Mark Blicavs in the early stages of a loss to Geelong almost a month earlier.
The operation would subsequently rule the key forward out for the remainder of the 2020 season.
Now, with just 46 days until Melbourne kicks off its 2021 campaign against Fremantle at the MCG, the 28-year-old recruit continues to investigate how best to navigate the lingering knee issue.
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Brown was one of the Trade Period's most high-profile acquisitions last November, having arrived at Melbourne from North Melbourne in a package that included picks No.26, 33 and a swap of future draft selections.
He signed a four-year contract with the Demons, bringing an end to a decorated 130-game career with the Kangaroos that featured three consecutive 60-goal seasons between 2017 and 2019.
Despite the ongoing injury Brown had been impressing on the track at his new club, with Demons captain Max Gawn revealing on Monday that the 200cm goalkicker had kicked six goals in a quarter during an intraclub match earlier this summer.
"He kicked six in an intraclub quarter," Gawn told radio station SEN.
"I think he was playing on no one. But no, he plays really well. He's coming across from North Melbourne and he's brought a lot for us … he has started really well."
Brown arrived to partner promising youngsters Sam Weideman and Luke Jackson, as well as the versatile Tom McDonald, in a developing Melbourne forward tall line next season.
