On the surface of it, Tyler Brown’s arrival at Collingwood was always going to happen.

The son of the famed 254-game, 1990 premiership hero Gavin and brother of rising star Callum, Tyler was always destined to wear the Black and White jumper.

“Tyler is a very different player to Callum, who is a very inside player with his hands. Tyler is taller – above 185cm – he plays on a wing, he’s very well balanced and slides through traffic,” National Recruiting Manager Derek Hine told Collingwood Media.

“I’m not saying that he is an outside player, but he is not purely inside. He uses his hands really well and is really balanced in the way that he uses them. We would really like to see him use his feet a little bit more, actually, but he certainly shows the scope to become an AFL player, there’s no two ways about it.

The Magpies were delighted to call the 17-year-old’s name out on draft night, but a year of rapid gains in the TAC Cup helped put the icing on the cake.

“As with all our draftees, it’s about being patient and when they’re ready, they’re ready,” Hine continued.

“In Tyler’s case, it’s going to take a little bit longer than most because of his lack of development.

“He went to Marcellin, played in their premiership team, and finished at the school this year.

“Once he comes into the system, he will find his way. It will take him a little bit of time but we are really confident that he will be fine.”

Eastern Rangers coach Darren Bewick agrees.

“Tyler’s a very laconic type of player. He is a little bit like his dad, Gavin, a late developer – has really come on in the last 12 months,” Bewick explained.

“He wasn’t on our radar 18 months ago, but I think, as he’s matured and developed, he has got more of an understanding of the game.

“Tyler, through the second half of the year, really started to step up and show some real attributes that we thought might allow him to get to the next level.”

Bewick coached Brown in 17 TAC Cup matches this season, and led Callum in the three years prior, making him as well qualified as anyone to explain the traits that helped propel Tyler onto Collingwood’s list.

“He has good awareness, he has good skills, and his first two or three steps are really good,” the dual Essendon premiership forward told Collingwood Media.

“His awareness in tight situations is really good and he sees the game really well. He just shows AFL attributes in little things that he does. If you can harness that and put that all together, you’re going to get a really good player.

Examples of those “AFL attributes” include “a little deft touch to his advantage with the ball, his ability to manoeuvre his body in a position where he’s going to win it in tight situations, he can step, he has good evasive skills and a good mark,” according to Bewick.

Brown, who will join Callum on the way to the club for his first day in his new job early next week, will be aiming to become the 41st father-son combination to pull on the famous Black and White stripes.



Tyler Brown and his family and friends celebrate after the 2017 National Draft. Image: Collingwood Media.