Versatile key defender Mitch Brown sees a synergy between his off-field life and his maturing career with the West Coast Eagles.
In 2014, Brown showed a capacity to adjust to players of varying shapes and sizes, manipulating his 195cm, 93kg frame to play on some of the opposition’s imposing key forwards, as well as the dangerous, fleet-footed goal sneaks.
His capacity to play effectively on players of all sizes saw him gain a regular place in the back half, emerging as one of the club’s most reliable defenders.
He played with great poise and maturity throughout the season and was one of the players who accepted the challenge to step up after the retirement of long-time captain Darren Glass.
That trait was developed off-field as well and Brown will take another quantum leap forward when he marries the love of his life, West Coast fever netballer Shae Bolton, on New Year’s Eve.
“It’s just a couple of weeks until the wedding on New Year’s Eve,” Brown said before the players embarked on their Christmas training break.
“Shae and I have been engaged for two years, so we have had a bit of time to prepare for it. And we have just recently started a business together – active wear for men and women.
“We have been online for a couple of months now. It’s called Once Upon A Run, or Once for short. Sales have been really good and now we’re just sorting out a few stockists.
“The men’s stuff will come out when we get back from the wedding. Shae has been all over it. She did a fashion degree at ECU, so she is all over the designing aspect. I chipped in a little with the menswear, but it’s just comfortable.
“My thoughts around the menswear was around what the boys wear when we’re in Melbourne when we have a bit of time to lounge around or maybe head out for a coffee. Tracksuit pants, really comfortable stuff.”
While Brown will, in the immediate term, have his life away from football to focus upon, when he resumes in 2015 he sees an important role within the team.
As a senior player, at 26 years of age and with 89 games against his name, he sees the need to step up. He suggests it is time for his generation to have an impact and take over the mantle from retired stars like Glass, ruckman Dean Cox, Norm Smith medallist Andrew Embley, Daniel Kerr and Adam Selwood.
And he’s looking forward to some seniority on the track after Christmas.
“The younger boys started back a couple of weeks before the senior guys at the beginning of pre-season and just adding those guys after the two weeks lifted the training dramatically.
“Having Ezy [Eric Mackenzie] and Matt Rosa back in after Christmas, it will just improve even more.
“Those guys don’t go unnoticed, they have been working really hard and they are all ready to go. It will be good to have them out on the track.”
