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Nathan Gordon Brown (born 10 February 1978 in Victoria) is a former Australian rules footballer for the Richmond Tigers and the Western Bulldogs in the AFL. He was offered a contract to continue his career with St Kilda Saints, after Richmond told him at the end of 2009, that he would no longer be required, and was not given a contract renewal.

Recruited from Golden Square and then Bendigo U18 to the Western Bulldogs in the AFL, Brown made a name for himself as a dangerous medium-sized forward.

He played with the Bulldogs from 1997 to 2003, and left the club after a more lucrative contract was offered by Richmond. At the time the Western Bulldogs had asked many of their high profile players to take pay cuts to support the team financially. Nathan Brown's money-based move to Richmond led to some bulldogs fans labelling Brown "Judas".

In 2005 Brown continued to perform for the Tigers, due to the Tigers new coach Terry Wallace taking over, and put in a string of match-winning performances in the early part of the season, including a sensational last-quarter burst against Collingwood in Round 8. In this game, Richmond turned a 10-point deficit into a 35-point victory, thanks to Brown's 5 last-quarter goals. The following week against Brisbane, Brown added 4 goals to be one of the match winners along with Shane Tuck. With Richmond sitting in the top 4, with 7 wins and 2 losses following a rare interstate win, Brown proclaimed that the Tigers would now be aiming to consolidate their place in the top 4 in 2005. Brown being a key player, booting 32 goals in his 9 appearances to that stage.

[edit] Season-ending leg injury, 2005

Richmond were already in enough trouble when the Tigers entered the final term trailing by 32 points. As the ball went into Richmond's attacking 50, Nathan G Brown launched an attempted left-foot kick when Melbourne Demons defender Matthew Whelan dived across him in a legitimate attempt to smother the ball. Brown's right foot became stuck on the Telstra Dome surface and tilted a bit to the right. Replays of the incident on the big Telstra Dome screen and on news highlights shocked many viewers, even to the extent that it made Channel Ten presenter Robert Walls turn off his TV. Many fainted or were disgusted following his injury. Richmond lost the game by 57 points, and would only record three more wins in 2005, against the Sydney Swans and Essendon in rounds 14 and 15, and a late-gasp win over Hawthorn in round 21.

Brown had a titanium rod inserted into his tibia, and underwent extensive therapy and rehabilitation training over the following pre-season. Brown returned to the field for a clash with his old club the Western Bulldogs in late-March, which Richmond lost by 115 points, the first of three century losses Richmond suffered in 2006. The last, a 103-point loss to St. Kilda in round 17, spelled the end of Brown's 2006 season as he suffered a hamstring strain during the match. Brown encountered complications from his broken leg early in 2007 which ruled him out for the first half of the season. Brown was also leading the Coleman Medal by 10 goals to Brendan Fevola when the incident occurred, with a tally of 33.

[edit] 2007-present

With Richmond languishing at the bottom of the ladder, Brown did not play a match at senior level until Round 12. He returned in a 49 point win over Melbourne (the first for the Tigers season), kicking 3 goals in the process.

Brown played his 200th game in 2008, against Melbourne at the Telstra Dome, the same team and venue of his infamous broken leg - but this time Richmond was the home team. He also lined up on Matthew Whelan, the man who broke his leg, but this time around the Tigers won comfortably. At the end of the 2009 season, Brown was not offered a new contract by Richmond Football Club. His Future as an AFL Footballer is unknown.

[edit] Achievements and honours

• Morrish Medal winner 1996
• All-Australian 2001, 2002
• International Rules Series 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 (Jim Stynes Medal 2004)
• 100 Tiger Treasures "Goal of the Century" Nominee (2008)

[edit] References

[edit] External links

• Nathan Brown profile on the Official AFL Website of the Richmond Football Club
• Nathan Brown statistics from AFL Tables