Mitchell Brown Biography

Former West Coast defender Mitch Brown says he couldn't help but feel lost after failing to find a new home, but he's made peace with the outcome and doesn't hold any regrets.

Brown turned down a contract extension at the Eagles in a bid to find a new club in Melbourne, where his netballer wife Shae had moved.

But Brown's AFL dream came to a crushing end after being overlooked in the national, rookie and pre-season drafts.

"It's been a total mind explosion," Brown told EON Sports Radio.

"I sort of made peace with it all. But it did hit home a little bit.

"Since then, my phone has been flat out from country teams. There's been some towns I've never heard of before wanting my services next year.

"I really don't know whether I want to play footy."

He said being cut loose from the AFL system had been a weird experience, especially after spending all of his adult life there.

"There's been guys who have played 10, 15 years at the Eagles ... and they're 100 per cent set for life after footy," Brown said.

"But they still go through this period of six or 12 months where they have this loss of identity.

"It nearly happens to everyone, because we follow this schedule for so long.

"We literally get a piece of paper that tells you, you have to be here, here and here - for 10 years.

"Suddenly, you wake up and say, 'What do I do?'."

Mitch Brown's tough run of luck has continued, with the 27-year-old set to miss at least eight weeks after finger surgery.

In just his second NAB Challenge game back after a knee reconstruction, Brown ruptured his tendon on the middle finger of his left hand against Gold Coast.

Mitch Brown says he is keeping his spirits up after suffering a season-ending knee injury in round one.

"Initially I had a little cry in the change rooms, but I moved on pretty quick and I've kept pretty positive," Brown said.

"I'd be stupid to think I won't have my ups and downs. I've had some downs, some low moments in the last 11 weeks.

"But I'm keeping positive. My rehab is going well and I've just got off crutches. Actually walking around is a big milestone for me, and it just makes a lot of things easier. So my wellness levels are right up now."

Mitch Brown will have another traditional knee reconstruction that will require a 12-month rehabilitation.

The club had to delay a decision on what type of surgery Brown would have until the swelling in his left knee subsided from the injury he suffered in round one against the Western Bulldogs.

The Eagles confirmed that Brown would have a traditional reconstruction rather than the LARS surgery, which has a shorter recovery time.

Mitch Brown will miss the rest of the 2015 season after scans confirm a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Mitch Brown appears to have suffered another serious knee injury after going down during the Eagles' season-opener against the Western Bulldogs.

Midway through the first quarter at Etihad Stadium on Saturday night, Brown was involved in a seemingly innocuous marking contest when his left knee appeared to give way.

Play was held up for several minutes as Brown was assessed by trainers and taken from the field on a stretcher.

Mitch Brown says he is thankful the Eagles persuaded him to stay in Perth after he requested a trade to St Kilda in 2012.

"I'm really grateful that I was able to stay, that they convinced me to stay, and now that we've got (West Coast coach) Adam Simpson," Brown said.

"Since 'Simmo' has come on board I've really enjoyed my football.

"The last couple of years I've developed some consistency in my game and now I just want to get better individually."

Mitch Brown will be sidelined for four to six weeks with bone bruising in his knee but does not require surgery.

"It could be as little as four weeks. For what we saw, it was heart in mouth type stuff when it happened," Eagles coach Adam Simpson said.

"To get that good news, everyone has just lifted a gear today."

Mitch Brown's season could be in jeopardy after being stretchered from the ground in the third term of the Eagles' seven-point loss to Fremantle in what appeared to be a serious knee injury.

After requesting a trade to St Kilda at the end of last year, Mitch Brown signs a new contract with West Coast that will keep him at the club for another three years.

"Last year I was in and out of the side, played only (eight) games and while I concentrated on playing as well as I could at East Fremantle and enjoyed playing there, I wanted to be playing in the AFL," Brown said.

"This year I have been playing more consistently at AFL level and it has been satisfying."

Matthew Pavlich accepts a three game ban for his front-on bump against West Coast's Mitch Brown.

"Matthew and I always have a chat on a Monday and obviously he's frustrated and disappointed," Fremantle coach Ross Lyon said.

"But from my end and Matthew's end, it's a split-second decision you've got to make and it went the wrong way and now he's frustrated for a couple of weeks."

Nathan Brown expresses frustration at his brother Mitchell Brown struggling to get games at the Eagles and says he wouldn't mind having him home in Melbourne.

"I want to see my brother play AFL footy, because I know he's good enough," he said.

"He knows that he has to play back in the WAFL when he doesn't get a chance, and I think the last two weeks he's got best on ground for two games.

"We'll see what happens, but I wouldn't mind him back in Melbourne just to hang out with my mate, so I wouldn't be too unhappy if he did come home."

St Kilda has lost its fight to swap Jamie Cripps for Eagle Mitch Brown, losing Cripps to West Coast for an exchange of picks.

"He's a young guy we think can add some pace to our midfield and can play a few roles for us, so we're really pleased to get it done," West Coast's national recruiting manager Rohan O'Brien said.

"St Kilda were very fair all the way through with what they did, but we were keen to keep Mitch and hopefully he'll be with us for a number of years to come."

Mitch Brown's manager says St Kilda has offered Jamie Cripps and a high draft pick to West Coast in exchange for his client.

"I would've thought Cripps and pick 25 for Mitch would probably be fair and reasonable," Brown's manager Liam Pickering said.

"But that what's on the table, and at the moment they're not going to take it."

St Kilda remains hopeful of negotiating a trade for West Coast defender Mitch Brown, despite the Eagles' unwillingness to deal.

"We've indicated throughout the three-week period that we're keen to have Mitch at our club," St Kilda head of football Chris Pelchen said.

"Mitch is very keen to be with us and that has been emphasised again in the last 24 to 48 hours. We're having ongoing dialogue with them (West Coast), we're still hopeful we can get a deal done but there is no certainty on that one."

The Eagles say the will not trade defender Mitch Brown despite interest from St Kilda.

The Saints have indicated to West Coast they would accept Brown in a trade for versatile 20-year-old Jamie Cripps, who wants to return to WA.

"We'd definitely look at recontracting him … there's always risk in 12 months' time if we haven't done that and we recognise that," Eagles list manager Craig Vozzo said.

"I think he sees there's opportunity here. We certainly have identified that for him.

West Coast's Mitch Brown, with a year still left on his contract, has a requested a trade back to Melbourne.

Eagles defender Mitch Brown is under investigation for his involvement in an incident during a WAFL practice match that left South Fremantle player Mason Shaw with a broken jaw.

"The young kid is going to be out for 12 weeks. He has got depressed fractures of the cheek, and all that, and that is all I really know," South Fremantle president Haydn Raitt said.

"Don't worry, our club will make sure that it is followed through to the fullest and see if we can get to the bottom of it."

Midfielder Matthew Priddis and key position player Mitch Brown have both extended their contracts with West Coast after each agreeing to two-year extensions.

"This is a very exciting time at the football club and we are building towards something special," Priddis said.

"There's some real energy among the playing group and great camaraderie, which makes it so enjoyable."

Brown says signing the new contract will allow him to focus more of his energies on playing good football.

"Settling on the contract now allows me to concentrate purely on playing football," Brown said.

"All of the boys are very tight and we are keen to achieve some important goals together."

West Coast's new cult hero Nic Naitanui has penned a new AFL deal with the Eagles, along with defenders Mitchell Brown and Eric Mackenzie.

"They are the future of the club and securing them for another contract is important for our club," operations manager Neale Daniher said.

"This is a very exciting time for our football club and those three young men are all integral in our plans."

Eagle Mitchell Brown joins a long list of players, that include Magpie Brad Dick and Swan Kristin Thornton, requiring season-ending knee reconstructions as a result of injuries sustained during the pre-season.