sport, afl
It was on a miserable summer day in Tasmania that Melbourne recruit Ben Brown made a declaration of intent, even before starting work at his new AFL club. Brown is one win away from crowning his first season on the Demons with a prime ministerial job. The former North Melbourne cult hero was unceremoniously fired in 2020, when contract talks broke down as he was recovering from a season-ending knee injury. Rather than sulk about the end of his 130-game stint at the Kangaroos, Brown quickly reset his focus on making a good first impression. It was at this juncture that former Melbourne defender Colin Garland, who retired in 2017, approached his fellow Tasmanian. Garland's offer to train in the offseason with the key forward, in town for a couple of weeks, was happily accepted. One session in particular stands out in the memory of Garland, who recounted it as part of his jump-start speech that preceded Brown's club debut in Hobart. "It was raining heavily. You could hardly drive on the highway," Garland told the AAP. "It was torrential, the heaviest I have ever seen." I was meant to meet Ben at 8am to run around a bit and have a kick and all. I thought he was going to retire because it was so cold and he was so miserable. "He didn't. By the time I got to the oval, he was already warming up. At that point I knew that the club had someone who was very serious about staying at a high level." There are so many stories like that. Look at the work that Max (Gawn), Tom (McDonald), Christian Petracca, Christian Salem and others have done ... this didn't just happen. โGarland's text message to Brown welcoming him to the club may not seem like I really like it. But it speaks volumes about the culture that coach Simon Goodwin and Captain Gawn have helped build. "I hadn't met any of the players. I felt like I could build a little connection between him and the group, "Garland said." I think (the connection between past and present players) is something Melbourne has improved on. "Goody sent all the previous players an email before the preliminary, saying he wished we could all be there in person and a few other things." Garland's entire career came during a miserable chapter for Melbourne, although he was at the club when Goodwin was first named Paul Roos' right-hand man. The player of a club appeared in zero finals, 34 victories and 141 games. But the 33-year-old is only full of enthusiasm for the youth-driven push to end the 57-year drought as prime minister in Melbourne. "The club means a lot to me. I was there from 18 to 30," Garland said. "I'm definitely not envious, I'm just enjoying the ride." After your time, you become a follower. "And it's like anything in life. When you see close friends, who are good people, they achieve success in any field, that's a really good thing." Australian Associated Press
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It was on a miserable summer day in Tasmania that Melbourne recruit Ben Brown made a declaration of intent, even before starting work at his new AFL club.
Brown is one win away from crowning his first season on the Demons with a prime ministerial job.
The former North Melbourne cult hero was unceremoniously fired in 2020, when contract talks broke down as he was recovering from a season-ending knee injury.
Rather than sulk about the end of his 130-game stint at the Kangaroos, Brown quickly reset his focus on making a good first impression.
It was at this juncture that former Melbourne defender Colin Garland, who retired in 2017, approached his fellow Tasmanian.
Garland's offer to train in the offseason with the key forward, in town for a couple of weeks, was happily accepted.
One session in particular stands out in the memory of Garland, who recounted it as part of his jump-start speech that preceded Brown's club debut in Hobart.
"It was raining heavily. You could hardly drive on the highway," Garland told the AAP.
"It was torrential, the heaviest I've ever seen.
"I was destined to meet Ben at 8 in the morning to run a bit and have a kick and all that. I thought he was going to retire because it was so cold and he was so miserable."
"He didn't. By the time I got to the oval, he was already warming up. At that point I knew that the club had someone who was serious about staying at a high level.
"There are so many stories like that. Look at the work that Max (Gawn), Tom (McDonald), Christian Petracca, Christian Salem and others have put ... this just didn't happen."
Garland's text message to Brown, welcoming him to the club, may not sound like much.
But it speaks wonders of the culture that coach Simon Goodwin and Captain Gawn have helped build.
"He hadn't met any of the players. I felt like I could build a little connection between him and the group," Garland said.
"I think (the connection between past and present players) is something that Melbourne has improved on.
"Goody sent all the previous players an email before the preliminary, saying he wished we could all be there in person and a few other things."
Garland's entire career came during a miserable chapter for Melbourne, although he was at the club when Goodwin was first named Paul Roos' right-hand man.
The player of a club appeared in zero finals, 34 victories and 141 games.
But the 33-year-old is only full of enthusiasm for the youth-driven push to end the 57-year drought as prime minister in Melbourne.
"The club means a lot to me. I was there from 18 to 30," Garland said.
"I'm definitely not envious, I'm just enjoying the ride.
"After your time, you become a follower.
"And it's like anything in life. When you see close friends, who are good people, they achieve success in any field, that's a really good thing."
Australian Associated Press
