AFL 2022: The good book on which president Jeff Browne swore his Magpies alliance
As the new era started at Collingwood, Darcy Moore needed to be convinced about the club’s direction — enter Jeff Browne.
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Jeff Browne waltzed into Ned’s Bake Cafe in South Yarra dancing like he was Fred Astaire.
The Collingwood president was chipper, smiling and all welcoming and while he thrust out his right hand to shake, he carried in his left hand a book.
“I’ve brought along my bible,’’ he said, before he took his chair.
Hang on, he says, and he scampers off to the toilet.
He leaves the book on the table.
It’s called Wayne Bennett: Don’t Die With The Music In You.
It is a book of short stories written by the rugby league coaching giant and co-authored by Steve Crawley, who is now boss of Fox Sports and was once Browne’s head of sport at Channel 9.
Given to him by Crawley in 2009, the book is clearly loved. Page corners are turned back, there’s two Jetstar passenger cards being used as bookmarks, a taxi receipt from April is another bookmark, and countless pages and paragraphs are underscored and/or highlighted.
It has an inspirational lens and it’s reach has been diverse, from sports people to business people to single mothers to people in prison.
“I read this book a lot and I want to reference some of this stuff in this book,’’ Browne said.
This interview was supposed to be about the rise of the empire that is Collingwood, and his role within that, but instead Browne wants to talk about the bigger picture.
“I’m talking to you about life to start with,” he said.
Page 70: Commitment. “Wayne writes: ‘Winners make commitments and losers make promises’,” Brown said.
Browne’s ‘book of wisdom’
“So, you’ve got to be committed to your footy club, and to everyone around you. Not just be the new bloke coming in and making a lot of promises, you’ve got to show you’re actually invested. When you walk around, it’s your attitude. People see you, they know who you are. They know if you have been successful in your life, and that you’re bringing that success into that environment. Remember, we came from a base where there was disunity in the club, lack of confidence and lack of belief.’’
Page 68: Discipline. “The other thing I’m proud of, and what we’ve brought to Collingwood … and I can say we’ve brought a winning culture but what does that mean?’’ Browne said.
“There’s a bloke called Bobby Knight, legendary US college basketball coach. Talks about discipline. He says discipline means 1) do what has to be done 2) when it has to be done 3) as well as it can be done and 4) do it that way all the time. When I walk around and talk to people, they’re the things I try to instil in people.”
Page 42: Beating yourself. “I’m really big on this one. Wayne quotes an example. He knows this paraplegic guy, he’s a 50m swimmer and he’s been to two Paralympic Games. In the four years between the two Games, he improved his time by 0.1 of a second. To improve by 0.1 of a second, he worked out he had to do 4000 hours of training. So he did it, and he went from bronze to gold. He beat himself. That’s what you’ve got to do, hard work.’’
Page 96: Attitude. “The last thing we’ve changed at Collingwood is attitude. Wayne says the first few times you shave when you’re young, it’s a great thrill. But when it’s every day, it’s a bit of a chore and that’s when attitude kicks in. Making something out of the mundane.
“You know, I planned a renaissance at Collingwood based on these principles and I think the evidence is people have got on board. I’m trying to give you a definition of what’s changed at Collingwood and understand that it’s been built, it hasn’t just happened, it’s not luck.’’
Changing of the guard
Browne’s ascension to the crown, which effectively had him replacing good friend Eddie McGuire and dethroning stand-in president Mark Korda, officially took place nine months ago.
Unofficially, the ball was rolling many months previous and what shaped to be a bloody internal war eventually gave way to a Browne takeover.
The transition from McGuire to himself was not an issue, Browne said. “I’m not Eddie and Eddie is not me,’’ he said. “He’s never, ever tried to tell me how to be president of Collingwood. Never. And I’ve never asked him for advice. I know him well enough, we’ve been through a lot of battles together and we respect each other.’’
Staff at Collingwood tell friends the environment at the footy club has changed enormously, that the dark clouds have lifted. Winning helps, but it’s more than that. New personalities have brought a different vibe, a less combative vibe.
“I’m really proud of the club,’’ Browne said.
“No one wants to leave Collingwood, if players are available from other clubs, they want to come to Collingwood. People seriously consider Collingwood a great place to be in our industry.’’
That wasn’t the case 12-18 months ago.
“No, it wasn’t the case,’’ Browne said.
“I’ll give you an example. One of the first discussions I had was sitting down with Darcy Moore. I’ve known Darcy since he was born. I was at his parents’ wedding. And I spoke to him about the club and his observations. I had to convince him that I had a vision for a better Collingwood. And he’s not easy to convince.
“I ended up telling him, ‘Mate I’m going to be successful with or without you, but I’d love to do it with you’. He took a few weeks into the seasons to see what was different. In other words, was I a promise or a commitment, and he soon realised we were building something different, new.”
Moore signed a six-year contract extension in April.
Browne, 66, is a Collingwood lifer.
From Greensborough, he was a suburban traitor of sorts, electing to play for Diamond Valley rival and next door neighbour Watsonia.
He was attracted to Watsonia because the father of one his school mates was Harvey Stevens, a ruckman/forward who played 54 games for the Magpies, including in Collingwood’s losing 1952 grand final team. And he was coaching Watsonia.
That was ample invitation for mad-Pie Browne who excelled through his teenage years. So much so that Collingwood extended him an invitation to play in its under-19s in 1973 and ’74.
Asked what sort of player he was, a Brayden Maynard type or a Jack Crisp, Browne said: “I wasn’t as Crisp as Crisp, and I tried to be as tough as ‘Bruzz’. I had a few stints at the tribunal and I was centre half-forward or centre half-back. I loved playing footy, but it was difficult to play footy and pursue a career.
“I still remember going to training and seeing Tommy Sherrin walk around the boundary. He was the president. And Peter Lucas was the secretary. Jack Regan was the footy manager. Big, big personalities.
“I only played in the under-19s, and then went to Preston and played in the VFA. We’d get 20,000 people to Cramer St. It was good fun and they paid me a lot more money and I used that money to finance my studies.’’
The takeover
Browne is a different president to McGuire.
McGuire was so public and passionate – at times combative which drew unwelcome attention to the club and at times controversial, which history has recorded. Still, he loved Collingwood with every ounce of his being.
Browne does as well, but he’s rarely public.
In TV terms, McGuire was charismatic and boisterous on air, while Browne was the charismatic deal maker behind the scenes.
As a kid, Browne would’ve been savvy at Monopoly, plonking hotels and motels from Leicester Square to Bond Street. As an adult, he became a lawyer and made deals in the corridors of the AFL, and then at Channel 9, and others business interests.
Quick Fact. He and Swans counterpart Andrew Pridham are the ideas men at the same company. “I’m his chairman and he’s my vice-chairman and I remind him of that constantly,’’ he said with a belly laugh.
Browne is a thinker, and marketer, just like McGuire.
When he first got to the club, he wanted to bring more past players back into the fold. “To feel like a football club,’’ Browne said.
The fold helps the “folding’’, of course.
Early in Browne’s presidency, the Pies and Emirates, the club’s long-time major sponsor, had issues. So, Rachel Powell and Anthony Briglia from commercial partnerships, and chief executive Mark Anderson asked him to accompany them to Dubai, the home of the airline.
“I know Boutros Boutros, the head of marketing at Emirates, I’ve known him for 20 years as a friend, so I said yes. I picked up the phone and I called Peter Daicos and told him, ‘We’re going to Dubai’ and I wanted him to come with us.’’
The “Macedonian Marvel” said yes.
Browne: “I said to Boutros, we’re going to say all the things that every sports club you sponsor is going to say to you, and we’re going to give you a gift, and you’re going to appear grateful but you’ve probably got so many gifts. But I said I’ve brought this guy who represents the history and the future of our club. We had a clip of Peter playing and a clip of Josh and Nick playing. That’s our history creating our future.’’
That same night at dinner, the issues in the deal were resolved.
Also back at the Pies is Brian Taylor who MCs club functions and Gav Crosisca, who works part-time in welfare. More profoundly is the return of Indigenous players Leon Davis and Andrew Krakouer as a result of the Do Better Report into the club’s racism failings.
“We’re doing a lot better in that space,’’ Browne said. “When I arrived we had a list of recommendations and I wanted to do whatever we could to put those recommendations into play and eliminate racism from our club.
“I’m proud of that.
“You’ve got to fix the problems wherever they are. You can have a really successful football team, but you can have a club with problems. I’d like to think by fixing a lot of fundamental things in our club, that’s helped the athletic output. In fact, I believe it has.’’
Before all that – before Browne even challenged Korda – Browne had two secret meetings which helped change Collingwood’s direction.
The first meeting, he said, was organised by dual Brownlow medallist and Darcy Moore’s father, Peter, and with two senior coterie group members at a St Kilda Rd office.
Respect for the black and white
“I won’t tell you their names because it’s up to them to tell their story … but I will tell you who else was there who provided a lot of motivation to me, that was Peter Moore,’’ Browne said. “Peter asked me to go. Peter put it together. Had we not done something, maybe Darce wouldn’t be there.’’
The second meeting was at the home of former Western Bulldogs president Peter Gordon, who Browne didn’t know particularly well.
“I asked him, ‘Tell me about 2016, tell me how you built it. What gotcha there?’ I spent an hour with Peter at his home, learning from someone who had done what I hope to do. He was generous with his time and I came out of there thinking, I’m going to do this.’’
Whatever plays out at the SCG on Saturday, Brown is chuffed his Pies have the respect of the football world.
“I want everyone to see a totally united club, committed to excellence on and off the field, disciplined, committed and with a winning attitude,’’ he said.
Asked his plans if they happen to win the flag, he said: “I don’t have a drink at the football or at any Collingwood functions, but if we win the premiership that rule goes out the door. I’ll have a couple of beers and when I can’t drink any more beer, I’ll have a Canadian Club with dry ginger and a squeeze of fresh lime.’’
You never know, Wayne Bennett just might join him.
JEFF BROWNE ON
Craig McRae
Mark Korda was interim president and he appointed Craig McRae to the job. Browne says he doesn’t know if he would have made the same decision.
“I don’t know. I wasn’t part of the process but clearly it’s an excellent decision,’’ Browne said.
“I would’ve gone for the best person and I think they selected the best person.
“I spoke to him early on and he impressed me as a man. I’m big on that. He’s played in three premierships, had been a development coach early on … and when you’ve been through as much life as I’ve had, you tend to trust your instincts. And I liked him and I assured him early on that I would back him all the way.”
Jordan De Goey
“I was really with him after New York. We had a conversation, we had several conversations. He knew he couldn’t let his guard down like that again. But he did in Bali. And he knows that. He knows he slipped.
“But the progress he was making before that, he’s picking it up again. I won’t be abandoning him. I spoke to him on Monday and he’s as committed as anyone at Collingwood. He wants to be at Collingwood, be part of our success and he’s a much-loved player in the team and in the club.
“I believe you shouldn’t be defined by your mistakes. I believe you should be defined by how you recover from them. He’s learning from the instances he’s been involved in and he’s all the better for it. He wants to stay. He will be paid accordingly.’’
Jack Ginnivan
“He’s smart smart. He’s a super smart 19-year-old. I don’t worry for him. Like Jordy, Collingwood’s the best place for him. We’re trying to build an environment where these guys can be different but still part of the group.
“I don’t want 23 robots each week. You’ve got to have personality and for the same reason why I’ll make a joke at the AFLW awards night. I will never apologise for having a personality. It was a mistimed joke, but that comes with having a personality.’’
Collingwood
“It has infiltrated my life. It’s become more embedded in me. I was always a Collingwood supporter, I played a little bit, I had a great affection for the club, but now I feel I’m part of them and they’re part of me.
“I’m so proud of our club. The players are giving everything. I love the coach, the coaching panel, and what they’ve brought to our club. We’ve got an amazing captain and an amazing coach.’’
Goals
“I want to win a premiership. History suggests you don’t win it ever year, but let’s see if we can rewrite a bit of history. Plenty have won three in a row, Collingwood won four in a row in the 1920s.’’
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