Warriors newby and sole South Islander Lewis Brown thrilled to be living his first-grade dream
Don't try telling Lewis Brown that Simon Mannering is a South Islander.
"He was born in Napier, mate, so I don't count that" is Brown's response to mention of Mannering's Nelson College education.
As far as Brown is concerned, he is the only Warrior flying the flag for the
south.
"I'm a born-and-bred South Islander. I love Christchurch, that's where my roots lie."
Where he comes from will never change but that is about the only constant for a player who has gone from Riccarton Knights halfback to Wests Tigers lower grade hooker to edge-running NRL back rower with the Warriors in the space of a couple of seasons.
As well as the geographical and positional changes, the 23-year-old has also undergone a physical transformation.
"When I first got to the club I was running around at 108kg, so I was fairly overweight," Brown said.
These days he weighs in at a ripped 96kg.
At 1.79m he's small for a back-rower, but the payoff has come in increased mobility and aerobic fitness.
Somewhat of a surprise selection in the starting line-up to face the Titans last week, Brown played the full 80 minutes after debutant Sione Lousi picked up a foot injury.
More steady than spectacular, he still managed to catch the eye as he ran for 72 metres from 10 carries and put in 25 tackles.
He certainly did enough to retain his place for another week, something that is now his major focus after breaking into first grade last year and playing 15 matches.
"Last year was a dream come true, making my debut," said Brown. "But starting this year in round one says that I went all right in the trials. We've got a lot of competition in the back row so for Ivan and Tony to have faith in me to start ... it's something I've always wanted. I've just got to keep going, keep doing my job for the team."
That that job involves wearing the No 11 shirt on his back is still a bit of a surprise, he admits.
"That is the strange thing about rugby league, things change every day. If you'd asked me [about being a back-rower] last year I would have laughed at you. But now I see myself as a back-rower and I'm really enjoying it.
"Last week I was up against [Anthony] Laffranchi. He is a great player who has played Origin and test footie.
"A lot of the better players in the NRL are on the edge, like [Anthony] Watmough - and Paul Gallen this week. To test yourself against those kind of blokes is something that you dream of every day."
After two seasons as understudy to Robbie Farah at the Tigers, when he got close but never quite cracked first grade, Brown admits he began to wonder if it would ever happen for him.
"There was times when you think 'are you going to make it?' I was 18th man a coupler of times at the Tigers and it didn't eventuate."
Then came the contract offer from the Warriors, the change of physique and the change of position - and the change of fortunes.
Brown has certainly had no reason to regret coming home, even if he is the only real South Islander in the team.