Tom Brown (Australian footballer)

Last updated

Tom Brown
Tom Brown 050425.jpg
Brown with Richmond in April 2025
Personal information
Born (2003-07-30) 30 July 2003 (age 22)
Original team Murray Bushrangers (NAB League)/Mooroopna
Draft No. 17, 2021 AFL national draft
Debut Round 24, 2023, Richmond  vs. Port Adelaide, at Adelaide Oval
Height 193 cm (6 ft 4 in)
Weight 81 kg (179 lb)
Position Defender
Club information
Current club Richmond
Number 30
Playing career1
YearsClubGames (Goals)
2022– Richmond 42 (10)
1 Playing statistics correct to the end of 2025 season.
Sources: AFL Tables, AustralianFootball.com

Tom Brown (born 30 July 2003) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Richmond Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL). He was drafted by Richmond with the 17th pick in 2021 AFL draft and made his debut in round 24 of the 2023 season. He is the son of former Geelong AFL player Paul Brown and brother of Geelong and Western Bulldogs AFLW player Millie Brown.

Contents

Early life and junior football

Brown grew up in the Victorian country town of Mooroopna and played junior football with the Mooroopna Football Netball Club. [1] [2]

As a teenager, Brown attended and played school football for Geelong Grammar School, as well as for the Murray Bushrangers in the NAB League. [2] [3] His final junior season was significantly interrupted by a serious mid-season syndesmosis ankle injury. [4]

In the final days before the 2021 AFL draft, AFL Media and ESPN both projected Brown to be selected with the 18th pick. [5] [6]

AFL career

Brown was drafted by Richmond with the club's second pick and the 17th selection overall in the 2021 AFL national draft. [7]

He failed to make an AFL debut in 2022, playing instead with the club's reserves side in the VFL. [8]

Brown spent the early months of the 2023 season sidelined by a wrist fracture. [9] [10] He returned to football with 10 matches at VFL level, before being called up to make his AFL debut in the final round of the season. [11]

In the 2024 AFL season, Brown was cruicial in helping Richmond achieve their second win of the season against Adelaide in round 13. The 20-year-old defender, playing just his 12th AFL game, had 16 disposals at 87 per cent efficiency, 10 contested possessions, four marks, a game-high 11 intercepts and 173 metres gained. [12] This performance showcased the improvement Brown had made in his game and earnt the praise of respected AFL football analyst and two-time North Melbourne premiership star David King, “They’ve got a ripper in Tom Brown, he's going to be a beauty, he had 11 intercepts for the night. He's got class, he's got poise, he actually makes the right decision every time. I know he's a beautiful kick and everyone talks about his actual kicking efficiency and his style. But he can kick the ball 50 metres off one or two steps – he’s one of those guys – and he sees things that others don't. I think he's going to be an absolute star. What a steal he is at the selection they got him." [13]

At the beginning of the 2025 AFL season, Brown signed a two-year contract extension to remain a Tiger until at least the end of the 2027 season. [14] During Richmond's round 9 clash against, West Coast, Brown laid a goal-saving tackle to secure Richmond's two-point win. In the dying seconds and with Richmond hanging on to a two-point lead, young Eagles midfielder, Tom Gross ran inside 50 to have a shot on goal, but Brown executed the perfect tackle to find Gross holding the ball and ensure the Tigers won their third match of the season. [15]

Player profile

Brown plays as a medium defender, with a mix of skills including precise disposal at half-back. [4] After being drafted at 186 centimetres tall, Brown grew seven centimetres over the next two years, transforming him from a rebounding half-back into an effective hybrid player. [3]

AFL statistics

Updated to the end of the 2025 season.

Legend
  G  
 Goals
  K  
 Kicks
  D  
 Disposals  
  T  
 Tackles
  B  
 Behinds  
  H  
 Handballs  
  M  
 Marks
SeasonTeamNo.GamesTotalsAverages (per game)
GBKHDMTGBKHDMT
2022 Richmond 300––––––––––––––
2023 Richmond 3010012416600.00.012.04.016.06.00.0
2024 Richmond 3018451497622568170.20.38.34.212.53.80.9
2025 Richmond 30236223587322104300.30.110.23.814.04.51.3
Career42107396167563178470.20.29.44.013.44.21.1

Personal life

He is the son of former Geelong AFL player Paul Brown and brother of Geelong and Western Bulldogs AFLW player Millie Brown. [4]

References

  1. ↑ "GOULBURN MURRAY JUNIOR FOOTY TALENT ON DISPLAY". AFL Victoria. 22 June 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  2. 1 2 Standish, Zac (25 November 2021). "Mooroopna's Tom Brown becomes a Tiger in draft night surprise". Shepparton News. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  3. 1 2 Young, Lachie (28 October 2021). "Why Tom Brown, son of former Geelong utility Paul, is hot property ahead of the AFL draft". Geelong Advertiser. News Corp Australia. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  4. 1 2 3 Twomey, Callum (8 November 2021). "'I always thought Dad was invincible': The frightening moment that rocked son of former Cat". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  5. ↑ Twomey, Callum (22 November 2021). "Cal Twomey's 2021 Phantom Draft: Top 30, late picks, club whispers". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  6. ↑ Doerre, Chris (23 November 2021). "Every club, every pick: ESPN's full AFL phantom draft". ESPN. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  7. ↑ "Brown becomes a Tiger". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 24 November 2021.
  8. ↑ "Teenage Tiger trio sign extensions". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 20 October 2022. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  9. ↑ "Injury Report: March 8, 2023". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 8 March 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  10. ↑ "VFL Tigers set for Sydney double header". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 2 June 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  11. ↑ "Two to debut in final round". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 25 August 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  12. ↑ "Adelaide v Richmond". AFL Tables. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  13. ↑ "Tiger Tom's stocks soaring". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  14. ↑ "Brown commits to Richmond". Richmond FC. Telstra Media. 9 May 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
  15. ↑ McWilliams, Phoebe (11 May 2025). "Yellow and Brown: Youngster's heroics see Tigers deny Eagles". AFL Media. Telstra Media. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.