Campbell Brown feels that much for the Bracknell football community that he’s willing to return and play for a third time next year.
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The 2008 AFL premiership star with Hawthorn played out a mentoring role in the Redlegs’ 10.20 (80) to 11.7 (73) victory over 2016 NTFA grand final nemesis Rocherlea.
“I love coming down here and playing,” Brown said.
“The boys make me feel welcome and it’s such a good standard competition.
“So it’s good to get another win with them.
“I know about the history of last year’s grand final, so it was good to knock them off.”
Brown, 33, said he was “feeling my age” after a clash where he kicked 2.1, playing second-fiddle to three goals from once Port Power-listed forward Glenn Dawson.
The 205-game Hawks and Suns utility took his first mark midway in the first term, but waited until the second to trouble the scorers off an air-kick on the goal-line.
He put a few hard tackles that brought roars from the Bracknell faithful and his final goal off a 50m penalty starting near the wing was celebrated behind the goals.
It’s that reception Brown had embraced the tightknit community and would return “if they still want me”.
“It’s really important for clubs like this – they are really the heartbeat of the town.
“All the guys are terrific, love their footy, so when they asked me to come back, I was more than happy to.
“I brought the old man (Mal) down; he loves it as a country boy, so we just have to work out a date and I am more than happy to come.”
Bracknell coach Gary Shipton was delighted what Brown could deliver tactically for his team.
Last year Brown appeared for the first time against George Town and agreed to return for the second of this year’s grand final re-matches that the Redlegs had won the first by 40 points.
“The boys just loved having him around – we’ve just got really right behind him and he’s got behind us,” Shipton said
“He gave a few boys some pointers and he’s just been fantastic for them.”
Shipton was relieved to get home in what he described a “finals-sort-of-game”.
Bracknell dominated early in a four-to-one goal quarter, but Rocherlea never gave up.
Three late final-term goals entering time-on had narrowed the margin from 25 points to just seven.
“Today, it was just real scrappy and hard,” Shipton said.
“Inaccurate kicking nearly cost us in the end, but we got the win and we’re really happy about that.”
Andrew Mathieson
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
The day I realised I wasn't good enough to play for St Kilda or be the No.1 spinner for Australia was when I realised journalism was the closest I could come to follow my passion for sport. And it's not just about the scores for me. It's the back story behind the game.
