Australian Football

David Brown debuted in the SANFL with Port Adelaide in 1987 and was a member a year later of the Magpies' winning grand final team against Glenelg. A year later he enjoyed back to back successes as Port accounted for North Adelaide in the season's decisive match, but he was robbed by injury of the chance to make it three in a row in 1990.

A hyperactive, resolute if somewhat unobtrusive footballer, he was capable of gathering numerous possessions and his distribution skills were good. It might be said that he lacked pace, however. Picked up by Adelaide when that club made its AFL debut in 1991 Brown never quite managed to establish himself as a first choice senior player. In six seasons with the Crows he played 69 games and kicked 55 goals but the games total is deceptive as he spent a high proportion of his time warming the bench.

When Port Adelaide debuted in the AFL in 1997 Brown was delighted to be picked up by the newcomers, admitting that it would have been difficult to play against Port. His form with the Power was steady rather than spectacular, however, and he only managed 22 games and 18 goals in two seasons before being de-listed.

Throughout and in tandem with his time in the AFL David Brown had continued his SANFL career with Port for whom, by the time he retired in 2001, he had registered 182 games and 156 goals, besides playing in another four premiership victories. In the 1996 grand final defeat of Central District he won the Jack Oatey Medal as best afield. He was club captain in 1999 and 2000.

Author - John Devaney