Tarni Brown in action for Collingwood. (Photo: AFL.com.au/ Design: Will Cuckson)
Reaching her 25 game milestone in Round Seven, Collingwood young gun Tarni Brown has taken her game to the next level in season seven. Playing more minutes in the midfield, her confidence and ability has flourished for her team week-in and week-out.
Speaking exclusively to The Inner Sanctum, Brown said that it’s her growth in confidence that has seen improve her game across her career to date.
“I think I’ve improved in terms of just becoming more confident on the field,” Brown told The Inner Sanctum.
“My role sort of stayed the same, I guess in season one I played a lot of midfield and then this season I’ve kind of played a lot of my time in the forward line and just in the past couple of weeks moved a little bit into the midfield.
“So, I think I’ve just progressed in learning my role and being more confident on the field which is good.”
During season seven, Brown has really cemented her spot in Collingwood’s best 21 across the season, averaging 11 disposals and four tackles across eight games. Brown says that the consistency in her game has helped play her role for the Magpies.
“I’m definitely more consistent than my last two seasons, I think that’s the main difference. I probably just struggled with being able to play consistently in seasons one and two.
“I haven’t had any outstanding games or anything like that but I’m happy with being able to just give the team what they need and play my role week in week out.”
With her father Gavin playing 254 games at the club, she joined Collingwood back in 2020 as the clubs’ first father daughter selection. She joined the club in the same period as her two older brothers Callum and Tyler having also donned the black and white.
Brown said that every step she takes at AFLW level she feels like her family is right behind her.
“I just think I take every step as it comes, my family have a massive impact and role in my football and yeah, so what they do is important to me and I think being able to share, you footy together,” she explained.
“It’s not just me, it’s all of us as one.”
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There have been voids to fill in the Collingwood midfield with Bri Davey and Britt Bonnici missing the season due to their respective ACL injuries. This has meant that all players in the midfield group have had to step up.
“We’ve obviously had Chloe Molloy, Ruby (Schleicher) and ‘Shero’ (Aishling Sheridan) all really step up into the midfield more so than me and they’ve really just played their role,” Brown said.
“I think they’ve given us what we’ve needed, obviously not having ‘Bri’ and ‘Britta’ they’ve really showed what they can do in there. I think that’s really helped the team at being able to step up into those roles, which has been really good for us.”
While Davey and Bonnici may not be out on the field, it doesn’t mean they are not making an impact on game day, Brown explains their role around the club in lieu of playing.
“They’re pretty much just like having two extra coaches, they know the game so well. Bri’s done a lot even coming out on the field during the games and speaking to us, which helps,” Brown said.
“She’s a captain so she’s amazing at what she does and even just the way that they can stay so positive and help us out while also going through their rehab has been really helpful for us.”
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