Australian Football

Michael Braun played 228 games for West Coast in a career spanning 12 seasons from 1997 to 2008.

Playing for Echuca United as a youngster in the Northern and Echuca Football League, he was recruited from Echuca/Bendigo Pioneers and made his debut in 1997. He was considered a great servant of the West Coast Eagles, noted for being extremely loyal. In a team that featured high profile names like Judd, Cousins, Kerr, Cox and Glass, Braun's achievements were usually shadowed by these 'big name' players.

After retiring from playing football he became the colts coach at East Perth Football Club in the WAFL.

His individual honours include runner-up in the club champion award in 1999 and best clubman in 2003. He was also runner-up in the Bendigo Pioneers best and fairest in 1996, and represented Victoria Country in the championships. He was a member of the International Rules team in 2004 and a member of the skillful West Coast Eagles 2006 premiership team.

Braun announced his AFL retirement midway through the 2008 AFL season, effective at the end of the season.

In 2007, he ended his acceptance speech for the Ross Glendinning Medal with "Let's have a f**king good year" on live television and in front of a crowd of 42,000 at Subiaco Oval. The Eagles originally fined him $500, but the AFL stepped in, severely reprimanded the Eagles and fined him a further $5,000 for the blunder.