For the first time since finishing up his AFL career in 2016, former West Coast Eagles defender Mitch Brown has returned to the nest to share his incredible journey of discovering his true self.
Six weeks ago, Brown opened up to the world about his bisexual identity, and in doing so, became the first AFL men’s player, past or present, to be publicly part of the LGBTQIA+ community.
“It’s been six weeks now since the interview came out about my sexuality,” Brown said.
“People have asked if I could have done it earlier or why I didn’t feel like I could have done it at primary school or high school or even here at the club, but there’s so many other factors that contribute to that.
“I don’t regret or blamed or point the finger at anyone, in fact, I’m a big believer that my experiences in the past, good, bad or ugly, shape who I am today.
“That’s someone who can sit here and be so proud of the club that I love so much, and I have so many amazing memories with.”
Brown said a supportive message from Eagles AFLW player Ella Roberts ahead of his arrival to the club really helped him to settle any nerves he had about returning.
“For the first time in a long time, you have those little jitters of nerves,” Brown said.
“But just before I stepped into the club today, I got this beautiful message from Ella Roberts saying the team felt so lucky to have me and they were excited and couldn’t wait for me to come and have lunch with them.
“It was just the best, I pretty much just dropped my bags and got into the club as soon as I could.”
With AFLW currently in its 10th season, Brown expressed how the women’s competition played a big part in him feeling comfortable enough to open up about his identity.
“A couple of months after my last game was the first game of the AFLW competition,” Brown said.
“I attended the first match at Princes Park in Carlton, and I remember thinking ‘wow how cool is this’, not just the spectacle on the field but what the game represented and what community it brought in.
“A lot of fans that may not have been to football game or feel like they have been represented at a football game before.
“It was just really nice moment, and I want to express thanks at gratitude for the space that they’ve provided over the 10 season that they’ve been a part of the AFL competition.
“Without the amazing and incredible leadership of the women’s players and the competition and their power to want and be themselves has laid way for me to come out publicly and do what I did six weeks ago.”
Brown praised the West Coast Eagles community for the love and support he has received over the past six weeks.
“The whole Eagles community has been amazing, especially the W players,” Brown said.
“Their support has just been so heartwarming, and you feel like your family is there standing up for you and protecting you.
“It’s really nice to come back now and see old friends, old faces, and feel that this club has opened their arms up really wide and taken me in, so I can’t thank the club enough, especially over the last six weeks.”
