HE'S been a Bushranger, he's been a Giant and he's been a Ram, but in 2020 Scott Brown's goal is to become an Ally.
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The talented Bathurst teenager was recently announced as a member of the Greater Western Sydney Giants Academy under 18s squad for 2020.
It will give Brown the chance to play in seven NAB League games across New South Wales and Victoria, as well as the opportunity to add more games for the Giants in the NEAFL - a competition which acts a 'reserve grade' for the AFL squad - to his resume.
The Bathurst Bushrangers' talent has prior experience in both those competitions, while his 2019 season also included representing the NSW-ACT under 17 Rams.
But one box he is yet to tick, and is hungry to do so in 2020, is earning a spot in the under 18s Eastern Allies squad. Brown knows it will not be an easy task.
"Each year the players get better as well as I do, the standard is just getting higher and higher and with numbers cut every year, the demands for good players is getting really, really high," he said.
"I'm hoping to play a few NEAFL games here and there and the big goal for me is to be selected for Allies next year, which is the combined squad of Queensland, New South Wales, ACT and Tasmania."
While next year will be Brown's second as part of the Giants under 18s squad and he has been involved in the program since under 16s, he was still delighted to retain his spot.
He said it requires plenty hard work given the stiff competition for spots, Brown one of eight players from the Western Sydney catchment to get the nod. Still, with that hard work has come an improvement in his game.
"The numbers are very, very slim, especially for Western Sydney," he said.
"There is always that sense of doubt in the back of your mind that 'This might be my last year' but if you put in the work and show the coaches you are enthusiastic about it, you'll go a long way.
"My weeks usually consisted of travelling to Sydney Tuesdays and Thursdays for two-hour training sessions and spending hours in the gym working on fixing my body and getting it prepared for the rest of the year.
"From under 16s I remember I wasn't a very confident player to say the least, I found myself playing a little bit safe and not taking risks on the field. But since I've played a year of under 18s football I know what to expect, my confidence has grown and my abilities have grown exponentially.
"I am being able to run faster, run further, kick better, be in better positions to receive the ball. Overall my game has improved significantly."
