Brisbane Lions champion and former captain Jonathan Brown has played his last AFL game after heeding medical advice and announcing his retirement effective immediately today.
Brown received a heavy concussion against the GWS Giants in Round 13 – the incident the latest in a long list of head injuries suffered in recent seasons. With his long-term health in mind, Brown said ending his playing career was the correct call. “The desire to play footy was still there, but at the end of the day I think it is the right time to hang up the playing boots,” he said.
“You could always play that one more game, but it only takes one instance to cause some serious damage. You have to consider the future. I’ve spent some time with (wife) Kylie and the kids over the past few days and that underlined for me some of the most important things in life.”
Brown said he broke news of his retirement to coach and former teammate Justin Leppitsch on Sunday night. “What Leppa said about not owing the club anything really hit home with me and definitely helped make the decision easier. I caught up with him last night and we talked through the decision and my future and I knew it was time.”
Brown’s 256 games ranks him 13th on the club’s list of all-time appearances, while his tally of 594 goals is the third highest. A three-time premiership winner, Brown will be remembered as one of the most talented and courageous players of his generation. He won the Lions’ best and fairest award three successive times between 2007-09, is a two-time All Australian (2007 and ’09) and won the Coleman Medal as the competition’s leading goalkicker in 2007.
