After a painstakingly long 10 months between drinks, the Mooroopna product was itching to get out and tackle her second campaign with Geelong.
The young talented defender made her debut in last year's season, which ended prematurely due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
But following 312 days out of the spotlight, the fifth instalment of the elite female competition made its long-awaited return last week.
“It's been a long time coming,” Brown, 20, said when she chatted to The News ahead of round one.
“All of us players are really excited to play that first game and get stuck in to the season.
“(Last year) it was a unique experience. In hindsight it was the right choice to end the way it did.
“Everyone is really hungry and ready to play.”
None more so than Brown.
The former Murray Bushrangers vice-captain has only been back training full-time in this year.
That's because for the first time in her short career, Brown was sidelined for an extended period with an injury.
And although Brown acknowledged her bout of hamstring tendonitis was “not a long injury like others who suffer knee or ankle injuries”, it did add another element to a distinctive and quirky pre-season.
“It's been a different pre-season that's for sure. It has been a lot more condensed,” Brown said.
“And I spent the majority (pre-season) in rehab with hamstring tendonitis and I've been back to full training in the past month.
“The tendon between my glute and hamstring got inflamed. I was doing more running last year (during lockdown) and didn't really do much strength conditioning.
“But all that's behind me now and I'm feeling fitter than before and my body feels great.''
And there is no arguing with Brown.
The classy key defender looked like she hadn't missed a beat in the Cats’ opening round loss to North Melbourne last Sunday, January 31.
Despite her side failing to score until the fourth quarter, Brown was evidently one of the Cats’ best performers.
Brown held her own in a defensive brigade that was getting swamped by endless attacking runs from the opposition.
A casual onlooker would not have alluded to the fact she had missed a large chunk of pre-season.
Brown spoke highly of the medical team at the Cattery, praising its work in helping her get back in full flight.
“The club physios have been awesome, it's made me really appreciative of the work they do,” she said.
“I've been quite lucky on the injury front, for me it was the longest I've been out of action for an injury.
“But it was a good experience though. The other girls in the rehab group made it really enjoyable.”
With her body now feeling 100 per cent and her Geelong teammates one game down in a nine-round season, what can we expect from Brown and co this season?
“As a team we just want to take it as far as we possibly can,” Brown said.
“There's been some good signs in our practice matches, but premierships aren't won in pre-season.
“And personally, I just want to do my role for the team. Try and focus on the little things that I can control, like not being beaten one-on-one in defence.”
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