Ben Brown was known for his distinctive goal-kicking routine and pivotal role in Melbourne's forward line. But it is his impact off the field that has created change for the many causes and charities he has supported throughout his life. In this Athlete Spotlight, we learn more about the diversity of the causes Ben has supported and the ways in which he contributes to them.
Born in 1992 in Tasmania, Ben pursued Australian Rules Football from a young age. After playing in junior leagues and the VFL, he debuted with North Melbourne in 2014 where he became known for his goal-scoring ability. In 2021, Brown joined the Melbourne Demons, contributing to their premiership win.
Off the field, Brown has shown a deep commitment to community work and charitable causes, lending his voice and platform to diverse fundraising and advocacy campaigns and organisations.
“I recognise that I lead a very privileged life, and one of my core beliefs is that it’s important to use the platform afforded to me as a professional athlete to lift up or assist those who haven’t been afforded the same privileges I have. The world we live in isn’t fair in many ways and so if I can do my bit to make the world a fairer place, then I don’t want to miss the opportunity to do that,” says Ben.
Since connecting with Athletes For Hope Australia, Ben has supported Reclink at their 2024 Celebration Lunch, where he joined a panel of sporting stars including fellow former AFL player Tom Boyd, Paralympian Al Viney and Melbourne Mavericks netball player Maisie Nankivell to discuss the intersections of elite sport, mental health and wellbeing.
In December 2024, alongside Shelley Ware, Ben took part in an Athletes For Hope Australia ‘Yarning and Weaving Workshop’ to discuss allyship in action with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities in Australia. Having forged a friendship with Shelley nearly a decade ago through their interactions around AFL media, Ben and Shelley spoke of the importance of approaching the journey of allyship with humility, curiousity, kindness and consideration of cultural load.
Ben Brown (third from left, back rown) at the Yarning & Weaving Allyship Workshop with Shelley Ware and members of the Athletes For Hope AUstralia Community in December 2024. (Source: AFHA)
Ben’s record of community contribution is as long as it is impactful. Alongside his wife Hester and their two daughters, Ben and his family have been involved in many campaigns and projects to support the causes they are passionate about.
Much of Ben’s recent advocacy and contribution has been related to gender equity. Ben has been a long-time supporter of women's football, enjoying his volunteer role as a specialist coach over the past ten years, most recently with Melbourne’s AFLW side. But this passion has taken Ben to domains well beyond the football field. He has been an ambassador for Our Watch, which focuses on the primary prevention of violence against women, and is known for this passion and knowledge of factors contributing to gender based violence. Often a lone voice within a male dominated sport, Ben has participated in countless panels and events to raise awareness of family and domestic violence in Australia. Ben recently joined a panel discussion on The Conversation Hour radio program with anti-violence campaigner and mental health advocate Tarang Chawla, Our Watch senior policy advisor Dr Shane Tas and Virginia Trioli to discuss what men can do to stop violence against women.
In 2023, Ben chopped his iconic curly mop to raise important funds for Challenge, a Not For Profit organisation that supports families and children living with cancer. This fundraiser was inspired by his cousin Grace, who has Down Syndrome and has battled leukemia twice. The community rallied around this cause, raising more than $90,000.
He is also an ambassador for Stand-Up Events, an LGBTIQA+ advocacy organisation, as well as the Good Friday Appeal, and has manned the phones alongside fellow Melbourne Demons athlete Saraid Taylor during the annual World Refugee Day Telethonfor the Asylum Seeker Resource Centre in Melbourne. He has also been an ambassador for Lend A Hand To Hugo, an autism awareness charity, and has been vocal as an anti-gambling advocate.
Demonstrating that ‘giving back’ can take many forms, Ben is well known and highly respected for his community leadership, authenticity and empathy. His journey as a purpose-led athlete now extends into his life beyond football, and we can’t wait to see the path he will forge as he steps into the next stage of his career.
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