Spud’s Game: Former Tiger and Cat Brad Ottens opens up on relationship with Danny Frawley

When Danny Frawley gave you a spray, he made you feel it, but his players always knew it came from a place of love. Ahead of Spud’s Game, Brad Ottens looks back on his old mentor.

In the early 2000s, a young Brad Ottens stood in front of his Richmond teammates and copped an ear bashing.

The future ruck-forward star had been told by coach Danny Frawley to come into Punt Road early for a boxing session, but didn’t show up.

“I completely forgot about it and waltzed in two hours later and ‘Spud’ pulled me in front of all the boys and just tore shreds off me and told me it was disrespectful and I was wasting his time and it put it right between my eyes that it wasn’t good enough,” Ottens recalled.

Danny Frawley and Brad Ottens celebrate a win in 2004. Picture: Kelly Barnes

The spray from the coach to young player wasn’t all just tough, it was also love.

Ottens and the Frawley family had built a strong bond in the South Australian’s first years in Melbourne, with Danny’s wife Anita having the beanpole over for regular home-cooked meals.

Like modern coaches two decades later, it was the relationships Frawley built with his players that set the table for the honest feedback.

“I never missed a session again and it made me realise that I had completely disregarded someone else’s time,” Ottens said.

“But we just got on with it. There were probably a lot of those times, where he would pump you up as your greatest supporter but if you needed to be bumped on the head, he would do it. But you would know it was coming from the right place.

“When the time came to give a bit of honest, hard feedback, there was a foundation that was built on not just telling you how it was. He created an environment where there was a lot of love and support.”

The coach and youngster in 2000.

The St Kilda fullback champion and Richmond coach Frawley was beloved by those who knew him for his ability to build relationships.

When Ottens was coming through, milestone matches at Richmond would be followed by a feed and a few drinks at the Frawley household.

So much did Ottens’ coach become a father figure that Frawley famously picked Ottens up from the St Kilda police station when he was drying out after a night on the drink.

Before St Kilda hosts Collingwood in Thursday night’s Spud’s Game, representatives from each AFL club will come together in a circle on the MCG to honour Frawley, nearly five years after his death.

Ottens – who pushed to be traded to Geelong the same year Frawley was dumped as Richmond coach – had no hesitation putting his hand up to be a representative for the Cats.

“I still think about him a lot,” Ottens said.

“I do miss those interactions with him. We all miss his energy and his passion and that relationship. He was larger than life.”

Danny Frawley and Brad Ottens sing the song.

Ottens urged anyone with a few spare dollars to support the Danny Frawley Centre’s work putting together lifesaving mental health programs.

“If you can’t give money, give your thoughts by either being kind to people or yourself,” he said.

“I think that is as good a message as anything.”

DONATE HERE: shoutforgood.com/charities/danny-frawley-centre

Originally published as Spud’s Game: Former Tiger and Cat Brad Ottens opens up on relationship with Danny Frawley