Geelong father-son hopeful Oscar Brownless wants to shape his game on Mitch Duncan
Son of a gun Oscar Brownless spent a week training alongside superstar Geelong trio Gary Ablett, Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood but it’s another Cat he wants to model his game on.
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He spent a week training alongside Geelong’s “Holy Trinity” midfield of Gary Ablett, Patrick Dangerfield and Joel Selwood.
But it was another Cat who caught the eye of son of a gun Oscar Brownless.
When the draft hopeful looked at the gut running, elite kicking and no frills Mitch Duncan, his eyes lit up.
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That is exactly how Brownless envisions his own AFL career.
“I’ve been lucky enough to watch my edits with him (Duncan) a couple of times and he has given me a few really good tips,” Brownless explained.
“I’ve tried to model my game on him as much as I can.
“The way he uses the ball by foot, he is one of the best kicks in the league, but also his decision making is elite.
“He is someone who doesn’t get all the accolades he deserves but he is someone who goes about his business and gets it done week in week out.”
It is well known that Oscar is the son of Geelong great Billy, and when you carry the Brownless surname, staying out of the headlines isn’t exactly an option.
The teenager has been popping up in the media for years, with the Cats faithful hopeful they are about to land another father-son gem to add to the likes of Tom Hawkins, Matthew Scarlett and Ablett.
That hype hit fever pitch during this year’s National Championships, when the teenager kicked a banana goal from an impossible angle against Vic Metro at the MCG, which instantly drew comparisons to similar highlights from his dad.
While he is known as a joker on TV, Billy has been the perfect sounding board for Oscar throughout his rise up the ranks.
“The game has come a long way since he was kicking the footy around in Jerilderie,” Oscar said.
“He knows to sit back and let the coaches do their part but also if I am in need of support I’ll come to him and he will give me advice.
“He will tell me the truth, which I need to hear, and help me at certain points.”
A midfielder with the ability to run all day, Brownless backed up his exciting form for the Geelong Falcons and Vic Country with an impressive draft combine, in which he finished seventh in the 2km time trial and fifth in the yo-yo running test.
While he knows nothing is certain come draft night, Brownless said it would be a dream come true to play for Geelong.
“It sounds cliché but it is true. It has been since as early as I can remember,” he said.