Browning was always going to be a notter of some sort - not tall enough, not big enough or not fast enough - or not a lock or not a back rower. When I first saw him in 2009 he was playing lock for Qld Schools and even though he was only 15 years old at the time he nevertheless looked like he would be too short to play the position as a senior player.
I had him pegged as a senior no. 8 but couldn't work out if he was fast enough to be one because he was always running over people, not away from them. But I watched him a bit this year in the Academy game and the U/20 trial - and later the tournament. I reckon he's no Pierre Spies, but he could have a future as a Cliffy Palu or Nick Easter type of no.8 - with a bit more pork - or a 6 as my second choice.
He has better hands than them for the lineout and restarts too: he is quite deft.
As for how tall he is: he was listed by Oz Schools as 193cms in 2011 yet the ARU had him as 190cms for the U/20 team this year - and somehow the IRB listed him at 188cms - but who cares; it suffices to say he won't be a 2nd rower.
Not that height by itself means a lot as I've said before: you see photos of some 200cm guy and he's all neck, and you have no idea how long his arms are anyway. It's reach that's important - and as Bruce said a few times - how spring heeled he is has importance also because the lifting of him can be more or less efficient, depending.
But Browning has attributes which can lift him above notter status: rage, mongrel and the joy of physical contact. How many players do we have like that in Oz rugby?
He was still at school last year and has another year of U/20s ahead of him. Let's see how he is assessed in 12 months time before we get our knickers in a knot.
He'd be in my team.
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