With 64, 61 and 63 goals over the past three seasons, Ben Brown has earnt a reputation as one of the league’s most dominant forwards.

But well before his time as an AFL star, the Tasmanian big man was simply trying to prove himself.

At 21, Brown had been overlooked in three drafts. He wouldn’t give up.

A move to Melbourne in 2013 saw things take a turn. 

North Melbourne’s alignment with Werribee meant the club’s recruiters and coaches had a front-row seat to watch Brown in action at VFL level, and very quickly, he caught the eye.

Former development coach John Lamont recalls a game at Frankston Oval, and a moment North fans now witness on a week-by-week basis.

"He just extended and took it 'bang' clean as a whistle," Lamont told The Herald Sun of a Brown overhead mark.  

"I can still remember it in my head, it was a real 'WOW' moment.

"The ball went into our forward line, the sort of ball you don’t say it out loud but you think well that's going over his head and then 'F--- he's marked it!'."

As they say, the rest is history … but of course, North monitored Brown closely throughout 2013, with a big decision still to be made on Draft night. 

He continued to improve, and piqued the Roos’ interest more and more.

“It was just a growing interest,” Lamont said.

“A gradual and growing interest because his season built and built and built.

“You’d looking at him physically, a bit of a baby giraffe growing into his body, but there was a great scope for improvement.”

Brown kicked 29 goals that year, and was ultimately drafted at pick 47 to Arden Street.

In hindsight, it was an absolute bargain; seven seasons into his AFL career, he has 280 goals to his name.

“It is funny draft day, everyone is rapt with their selections (saying) ‘we didn’t think this bloke would get through to that pick’,” Lamont added.

“It’s only five or six years later really you can actual judge how you drafted on that particular day.

“I was always confident he (Brown) would do well, just at that size, sticky fingers, a straight kick and just a good attitude, just an impressive bloke.

“You can’t help but like him.”