ASHLIN Brown knew exactly where he wanted to be for the 2013 football season.
After being overlooked in the national draft, the former Western Jets captain locked his sights directly on the VFL and the Werribee Tigers.
With pre-season training in full swing, Brown has already set himself a long-term goal of fighting his way onto an AFL list.
“VFL was always the top priority for me and once Werribee approached me I was pretty adamant that I was going to go there,” Brown said.
“It is a great club and I have always liked the look of it so I’m rapt to be there.
“AFL is obviously the next step up and I thought going through the VFL system would be the best pathway to make it there.
“Werribee has a good track record at getting players to the next level so hopefully that is a good pathway for me.”
Brown proved himself to be one of the most versatile players in the TAC Cup competition last year, splitting his time between the forward line and the backline throughout the season.
From his 16 matches with the Jets, he kicked 23 goals and was named in the club’s best players on nine occasions.
He also proved to be a solid contributor on the big stage and was named outright best on ground in his debut game for Vic Metro.
Brown said he will use the disappointment of missing out on the draft as motivation to improve.
“I definitely am using it as a big motivator to try and make it a second time around,” he said.
“Even if not this year then for two years down the track, it is still my main goal.
“For now I am just trying to get some consistency in my game. It’s about making my weaknesses better and making sure that I am still focusing on my strengths as well.”
His history as a swingman looks set to continue with the former Hoppers Crossing junior training with the Tigers midfield group during the pre-season.
Werribee will open its 2013 VFL campaign against Port Melbourne on Easter Saturday before back-to-back night games scheduled against the Northern Blues and Collingwood.
Although he has only been with the club for a short time, Brown can already feel the jump from junior to senior football.
“Training is a lot more serious than what it was in the TAC Cup. It is a lot more physical and there is more of a similarity between training and what I expect games to be,” he said.
“I am looking forward to starting that transition from TAC Cup to senior footy and the club has made it a lot easier than what I thought it would be.”
