Parramatta rookie Dylan Brown opens up on rollercoaster opening to career
The interview that will get every NRL fan excited in the countdown to the new season. Parramatta’s boom teenager Dylan Brown opens up for the first time ahead of his NRL debut.
The raw honesty is what should make NRL fans most excited about Dylan Brown’s arrival.
“I just love to run,” Parramatta’s boom teenager enthused, as he opened up in his first interview with The Daily Telegraph.
“I love getting bashed and bashing people.
“That is league.”
And that is exactly the breath of fresh air footy fans have been crying out for in recent months.
MORE NRL NEWS
KENT: Finally, Greenberg gets it right
SCANDAL: NRL rocked by another sex tape allegation
At a time when the game needs to get the focus back on football, along comes this likeable young New Zealander, who good judges are saying could lead the Eels into an exciting new era.
So far Brown has only played two NRL trials, but his performance in the weekend’s 20-0 win over Penrith captured plenty of attention.
And it all adds to the anticipation for when he runs out for his NRL debut against the Panthers again in round one, where he will be wearing the blue and gold No 6 jumper made famous by the great Brett Kenny.
At just 18, Brown wasn’t even born when Kenny was cutting opposition defences to shreds back in the 1980s playing alongside Peter Sterling during the Eels’ greatest era.
But after just signing a new upgraded contract to push him into the Eels’ top 30 squad, Brad Arthur will be banking on Brown to help lift Parra back into finals contention after last year’s wooden spoon finish.
In this exclusive interview, Brown opens up about his upbringing playing rugby union, cricket and starring in athletics as a cross-country runner.
In fact, he said he only started playing rugby league five years ago so he could get a few extra days off school.
And he also spilt the beans on that “annoying” approach from the New Zealand Warriors last year, while revealing another secret he has been keeping from everyone, including his own club.
MUM MADE ME PLAY FOR PARRA
You know how they say mother knows best. Well, Brown has a very good reason never to doubt his mum again.
In fact, if it wasn’t for her advice, he’d probably be still back kicking around with his teenage mates in New Zealand.
“I was a union kid the whole way up,” he recalled.
“Then one year I just decided to play league.
“All my mates at school were and I was trying to get a day off here and there.”
But it didn’t take long for him to capture the eye of the Eels, when former football boss Daniel Anderson and Craig Wilson spotted him at a schoolboy tournament.
“They asked if I was interested coming to Sydney for a trial,” Brown recalled.
“To be honest, back then I didn’t think much of it because I was like, ‘Oh, it is just Parramatta’.
“All we knew about was like the Storm and all the teams that were winning.”
But Brown decided to give it a crack and after returning home, he received another call: “I think it was a week later, Anthony Field called up my mum. He was like, ‘we want your son to move over’.
“I was like, ‘no, no way. I’m only 15’.
“I didn’t want to go but my mum was like, you’re going’.”
Brown said he initially struggled to fit in when boarding at the Parra House.
But after starting at Hills Sports High School, Brown quickly found his feet.
Within a year he was selected to play Australian Schoolboys.
But that posed another problem.
“I wasn’t expected to make the team, I was a year young,” he said.
“But at the end of the comp my name got called out.
“I felt good but it was like a sense of guilt.
“I just didn’t feel right grabbing that jersey.”
Luckily for Brown, Parramatta’s under 20s coach Luke Burt rescued him: “I was only 16 and when I turned 17 Luke Burt said, ‘do you want to come and start playing 20s?’
“We got to the finals which clashed with Australian Schoolboys.”
Brown ended up playing in the under 20s grand final, then last year was fast-tracked into NSW Cup.
And like a tornado, his career took off.
Initially the plan was for Brown to bide his time behind Corey Norman this year.
But by the time Norman left for St George Illawarra, the Eels had decided Brown was the future.
WINNING RESPECT IN SCORCHING CONDITIONS
Given his cross country background, it was probably no surprise that Brown went out chasing after the Eels’ endurance king Clint Gutherson at that preseason camp in Armidale.
But it is what happened on that sweltering summer’s day that really won him respect of his peers.
Brown had challenged himself to try and beat Gutherson in the final of three 2km time trials.
But just when he thought he had the captain covered, “I ended up fainting.
“Not quite fainting but I was pretty close.
“I was just really dehydrated.
“We got to the last few hills and I thought, yeah, I’m just going to go for it.
“And as soon as I got to the top of the hill my legs stopped working.
“I couldn’t move.
“There was one rule, don’t stop, no matter what.
“And I had to stop.
“I couldn’t move.
“I ended up finishing but as soon as I crossed that line I fell straight to the ground.
“My head was spinning and they were all pouring water over me.
“It was pretty crazy.”
I’M NO SHAUN JOHNSON
There’s been some other crazy times, don’t worry.
Like late last year when it was revealed the Warriors were hunting Brown to replace Shaun Johnson.
Under contract until 2020, it was a big “no-no” that is now being investigated by the NRL.
The story goes Brown had played a game in New Zealand when he was approached by Warriors football boss Brian Smith and recruitment chief Peter O’Sullivan.
Brown admits it happened, and it was “annoying”.
“It was just after the game and we had just won so I was still in the mood (to celebrate),” he recalled.
“All my family were there watching me, so it was probably just annoying if anything.
“There was a lot of unwanted attention.
“Especially being compared to Shaun Johnson, it is a ridiculous thing.
“I am only 18.”
But it sure gave Brown a taste of what to expect.
“When that stuff came out there was actually a point when I had to delete Facebook and delete Instagram just to get away from it,” he said.
“I was just sick of it.
“At first, I am not going to lie, I thought it was pretty cool.
“All my mates were like tagging me and saying you are doing so well.
“But then stuff just kept rolling in and there were a few negative comments.
“Like, who is this kid? He has done nothing.
“I started to go with it. Like, have I proved myself yet?
“But then I just got to the point where I ignored it.
“I have deleted Facebook completely now.
“I have just got Instagram.
“When that stuff comes up I just ignore it.”
THE CHALLENGE AHEAD
After spending two-and-a-half years in the Parra House, Brown’s family has now moved to Australia.
He said it was comforting having his family’s support while he embarks on a challenge he knows is not going to be without setbacks.
He doesn’t need to be told the big opposition forwards are going to try and give him hell, but he can’t wait.
Like he said: “I love getting bashed and bashing people.”
So bring it on.
“Some days I just have to look back from where I have come from and realise where I am,” he said.
“I know back home heaps of my family are proud of me and I just have to keep humble.
“I am not even there yet.”
NRL FANS SURVEY: Take our short survey to make your voice heard on the great game of rugby league.
‘Love him to death’: Moses’ impassioned plea to keep Brown at Parra
Speaking for the first time since taking over as Eels captain, Mitchell Moses has launched an impassioned plea to retain Dylan Brown, and revealed how Jason Ryles has transformed Parramatta.
Mass changes at Parramatta continue as Eels boss steps down
The major changes in leadership at Parramatta continue with chairman Sean McElduff stepping down from the role, just six months after appointing Jason Ryles as head coach.