Already considered one of the AFL’s great hard men, Jonathan Brown’s legend will only grow after the Brisbane Lions captain described his collision with a car as a “hiccup” ahead of pre-season training.
Brown walked away with an elbow gash after colliding with the car while riding his bike with a group of about 20 cyclists at about 6am (AEST) on Queensland’s Gold Coast on Tuesday.
However, the vehicle had to be towed away from the accident site at a Currumbin Valley roundabout after contact with the 195cm, 104kg Brown caused extensive damage to the windscreen and the driver’s side window.
Brown was taken to a Gold Coast hospital by ambulance but was cleared of serious injury after undergoing scans and receiving 10 stitches on his elbow.
He expected to run out when the club returned for pre-season training on November 5.
“There was a bit of a hiccup this morning … but overall I am recovering pretty well from the 2012 season and I am looking forward to a full pre-season,” Brown said.
“I feel good. I just feel like I have played a game of footy.
“I have got a clean bill of health.
“There’s a couple of little dings here and there but I will be right for training.”
But Brown did not try to play down the seriousness of the incident which occurred as he entered the roundabout.
Asked if he got a scare, Brown said: “Yeah, I didn’t see it coming.
“I count myself lucky I got away with only minor injuries but I will just get on with business.
“I know she (driver) didn’t mean it, but I just got hit on the side and my elbow smashed her windscreen.
“Fortunately I landed pretty much on all fours and I got up straight away and didn’t lose consciousness or anything like that.”
Social media lit up after it emerged the tough as teak Brown was able to walk away from the incident.
“I hear BIG Jonathan Brown got hit by a car whilst cycling on the Gold Coast! #poorcar”,” Cats forward Tom Hawkins tweeted.
Others had a bit more fun after the club confirmed Brown had not been seriously injured.
“Car insurance companies Australia wide are scrambling to amend policies to include a “vs. Jonathan Brown” clause. #BrownyVsCar,” one tweeted.
Another added: “Thoughts are with the vehicle hit by Jonathan Brown this morning on the Gold Coast”.
The Lions certainly did not try to play down Brown’s durability.
“Everyone in the AFL world and the football industry knows how tough Jonathan Brown is – that’s why we love him,” a Lions spokesman told Fox Sports.
He said Brown rang the club after the incident to assure them he had not been seriously injured.
Police are investigating the incident.
The collision extends Brown’s rotten recent luck.
He has suffered three facial fractures in the past 20 months – two due to on-field clashes and the other from a training collision.
