Image Credit: Pixell Photography via East Fremantle FC

POSITION: Midfielder

SNAPSHOT: "An ultra consistent midfielder who accumulates mountains of possessions and can hit the scoreboard game in, game out."

You'd be hard pressed to find a more consistent performer at club level than Josh Browne this year, who averaged 32.4 disposals across 14 WAFL Colts games. The East Fremantle and state Under 19 vice-captain is no stranger to racking up plenty of the ball, and did so each week for the Sharks while also hitting the scoreboard. His remarkable season was capped by earning the Jack Clarke Medal as the Colts' fairest and best player in 2021, polling in eight outings including five best afield performances. With leadership quality and obvious ball winning ability, Browne looms as a handy depth option among a midfielder's draft.

STRENGTHS:

+ Accumulation
+ Consistency
+ Work rate
+ Scoreboard impact
+ Leadership

IMPROVEMENTS

- Kicking
- Hurt factor

Browne is a player whose primary numbers stack up against plenty of top-end talents. His pure disposal average of 32.4 this Colts season was a sight to behold, and it achieved it at a remarkably consistent rate. With a high of 38 (twice) and low of 26, there was hardly a gap between his level of performance from week to week.

The 18-year-old regards himself as an inside-leaning midfielder and it shows with his ability to pressure and prize first hands at the contest. He's a decent size among his peers at 185cm, but has just enough zip to get to the outer and thrust a kick forward, or release an outside runner via handballs.

While quite clean by hand, Browne's kicking is arguably the primary for improvement. He tends to blaze away and dump kicks out of the stoppages, leading to suboptimal penetration and efficiency in his disposal. While generally a sharp field kick when uncontested, Browne is more of an accumulator rather than a damaging type of midfielder.

Something which definitely helps his cause in that sense is his scoreboard impact. Browne booted 11 goals in 14 games this season and hit the scoreboard in eight seperate outings, including a stretch of six games where he registered a goal in each. With his stoppage nous and work rate, he can compound his impact by sustaining his threat inside 50.

In terms of more intangible traits, a key element to Browne's game is his work rate. He targeted his running capacity as an area of improvement in 2021 and has boosted his ability to get from contest to contest throughout four quarters. It showed in his consistency and as a leader at multiple levels, Browne was able to step up late in games.

DRAFT PROJECTION: Late/Rookie

SUMMARY:

Having shown exposed form throughout a full Colts season, Browne's ball winning nous is undeniable. With such a high output throughout the year and clear improvements in targeted areas, he could be one clubs trust to continue to iron out his deficiencies in an elite program. If he continues to build his tank and composure, he stands a chance of being a value selection late in the draft.