Amid a vicious Mansfield injury crisis, Callum Brown has unsurprisingly stood tall in the Eagles’ engine room, averaging 33 disposals, 10 clearances, seven tackles, and six intercept possessions per game in a stat-stuffing month of footy.
He’s also impacted the scoreboard with six majors, and a 37-disposal, 10-tackle effort in a tight defeat to Seymour in round three stands as his best performance so far.
Remarkably, the ex-Collingwood player seems to have taken another step in his game in his second season in the High Country.
“He’s just been unbelievable,” Mansfield coach Mitch Wareham said.
“There’s always expectation on ex-AFL blokes and how they adapt to country footy and whatnot, but he seems to have taken another step forward, even on top of his outstanding year last year.”
League big men Zac Norris (Kyabram) and Ash Holland (Shepparton) would be considered stiff for missing out on April’s top gong, as well as Benalla defender Nick Warnock who has established himself as arguably the GVL’s top intercepting backman.
But there’s no going past the Mansfield magician first-up.
Brown ranks first in the league for clearances (50) and second in the league for disposals (167) and contested possessions (84), but it’s his work off the ball that’s also caught the eye of Wareham, ranked third for tackling with 35.
“His work rate is incredible,” Wareham said.
“He’s been quite damaging on the scoreboard as well, to be able to have a mid score goals is just unreal.
“The beauty of him is you can go play him halfback through the mid, full forward, half forward.
“You can really put him anywhere, and he's very difficult to stop wherever he is on the ground.”
Such a sizzling start to the campaign has many wondering if the league’s 2025 champion player has gone to another level, and there’s no doubt in the Mansfield mentor’s mind.
“Without a doubt,” he said.
“Going on these first four or five games, I think he's strung together a better patch of footy than what he did last year.”
The Eagles are 3-2 and fifth ahead of a key clash against Mooroopna at Mansfield Reserve in round six.
Wareham is reasonably content with his side’s current standing considering the quality of the players currently out of action through injury, several of which are aiming for a return after the bye.
Boom recruit Will Kelly, key defender Dirk Koenen, Billy Brooks, Ben Les, spearhead Ben Christopher, number one ruckman Gus Van der Heyden, and experienced heads Adam Boshevski and Brett Mahoney are sidelined.
“I would have liked to have had another win under the belt and, realistically, we were up against both Seymour and Benalla,” Wareham said.
“All things considering with the blokes we've got out of the side, I think I'm quite happy to be three and two, but we just need to keep plugging away.”
Out at Deakin Reserve, Shepparton’s mission to keep its unbeaten 5-0 start intact will face a stern test against reigning premiers Kyabram in the match of the round at Deakin Reserve.
Likewise, Echuca will be looking to do the same against Shepparton United out at Echuca South.
Benalla will be hoping to put the heartbreak of last week’s three-point loss to Shepparton Swans behind it with a clash against Tatura, while the Swans and Seymour do battle at Princess Park.
Euroa and Rochester will each be aiming to get their season’s rolling at Memorial Oval.
Callum Brown April averages
Disposals per game: 33.0
Clearances per game: 10
Tackles per game: 7.0
Ranking Points per game: 151.6
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