SETTING aside their navy blue jumpers and supreme football talent, Chris Judd and Brendan Fevola do not seem to have much in common when you compare the way they do business.
Judd made it clear very early in the 2007 football season that he had no interest in discussing his contract with West Coast.
Although his final momentous decision was kept quiet until after the Eagles' campaign had been completed, it appears pretty obvious in hindsight that the premiership captain was always going to quit.
Fevola, for all his toing and froing, and for all the public chat he allowed to fester during these past few months, insisted several days ago he was never going to leave Carlton and, in this, he appears to have been genuine.
Certainly Fev wanted more money than the Blues were offering, but neither party would truly have wanted to examine what life would be like without the other.
But on the topic of contracts, both footballers would have agreed on one thing: moving out of contract when you are a star player at a club can be an extremely unpleasant experience at times. The pressure from fans, media and staff around the club is relentless, the question the same. When are you going to re-sign Juddy/Brownie/Fev?
Just ask Jonathan Brown. Like Judd, Brown appears unflappable. Certainly in public the footballer has given no indication of where he is at with the Brisbane Lions and whether it is bothering him.
He indicated in a radio interview earlier in the season that he believed he had five years of football left in him and hinted the Lions might have other ideas, but having put that on the table, Brown left it at that.
The consensus is that Brown will stay at Brisbane. He clearly loves the place and the people at his club, he is building the foundations of a personal future there and he has a longer and more significant history with the Lions than Judd had with West Coast. And Judd had refused to negotiate with West Coast, whereas Brown remains in talks. Brisbane has offered Brown a rock solid three-year deal with fourth and fifth seasons attached. But conditions apply to those extra seasons and the fact remains that Brown has not yet agreed to terms and here we are at round 18.
There has been speculation the Lions have extended their offer to four years with a conditional fifth but this column cannot confirm as much and certainly that was not the case a week or so ago.
Although Brisbane continues to play down the issue and insists it is confident its dominant forward will stay, it is tantalising to contemplate the prospect of Brown playing for a Victorian club — even more tantalising when you consider the transformation of the Carlton Football Club since Judd became captain.
Several stars in the Blues' galaxy — both on and off the football field — have realigned this season, but there is no doubt Judd has offered a massive return on Carlton's impressive investment. Forget membership, sponsorship and attendances, every player on the Blues' list appears to have walked a little taller.
Carlton did not defeat St Kilda back in round 15, but Judd's 10-minute burst of inspiration early in the final quarter lifted the Blues' young midfield and showed them what could be achieved when you contribute a little more than you believed was possible. Last Sunday, that effort enabled Carlton to defeat the Western Bulldogs.
It also resulted in several clubs seeking on-field leadership and brilliance intensify their interest in Brown. Some players truly are big enough to change teams. Judd has proved that. Age columnist Robert Walls suggested yesterday that Collingwood could do worse than join forces with Brown and vice-versa. I have no doubt the Magpies have not ruled out another tilt at the Warrnambool-raised forward.
Richmond is another club with more than a passing interest in Brown in this, the last uncompromised draft for some years. And with Matthew Richardson nearing the end of his brilliant career at a club still searching for extroverted leadership, there is no reason why he would not be worth the risk of a five-year plunge.
Now that Fevola has recommitted to Carlton, you would think the Blues would not make a play for Brown. Sacked Melbourne chief executive Paul McNamee would have moved heaven and earth for Brown, but was stymied.
Brown said on The Footy Show recently he had no knowledge of Melbourne's interest, which raised several eyebrows given how clear McNamee had made his determination to woo him.
Unlike Judd, Brown has made no noises about wanting to come home and his original home anyway is not Melbourne but western Victoria. And yet he seemed determined to push aside any injury concerns and represent his state in the game against the Dream Team.
There is no doubt Brown and the MCG have a way of creating a symphony on those rare but usually big occasions when the two combine.
And here's another thing. This might mean nothing at all, but when Richmond played Carlton at the 'G at the end of June, Brown was sitting in the stands among the crowd.