A candid Dylan Brown says he learnt plenty about himself and rugby league during a rollercoaster season in which he signed the richest deal in NRL history and had to handle being dropped from the Eels side before he went on to lead New Zealand to Pacific Championship glory.
Brown, 25, has joined the Knights on a 10-year deal worth about $13m and is expecting a son in the coming days.
The money was too good to refuse for a young man who has a family to provide for, with Brown acknowledging that his salary will make him the most scrutinised player in the game for years to come.
But Brown has a good head on his shoulders and has no qualms with how things went down with the Eels this season after he was dropped, spent time at hooker and three games at centre before he returned to five-eighth for his final game against the Knights.
“The main thing that I’ve learnt is that there’s always something new to learn, no matter how good you are or what position you’re playing or where you think you are in your game,” he said.
“I learnt a lot this year. Playing at centre, far out I’ve got a lot of respect for them because defending out there is probably the hardest in the game.
“And there are the tough carries. Me as an 88kg fella doing that was tough.”
Fans and the media gave him a lot of grief after he signed the richest deal on record, with people still questioning whether he can actually play halfback.
But Brown simply ignored the criticism and doubled down on his efforts, which Eels coach Jason Ryles says helped him win back a spot in the team.
“It’s how I was raised. No one cares what you’re going through, so work harder,” the playmaker said.
“No one was going to help me deal with that except for me, so if I didn’t buy into what the rugby league team wants and the coach wants, then you’re not going to get very far.
“It’s a team sport and it’s not all about you. If you don’t understand that, then you’re not going to do well in rugby league.”
Brown is now tasked with saving the Knights, who claimed the wooden spoon and had the worst attack in 2025.
He’ll begin training next month and has vowed to keep his baby away from his new teammates to ensure he doesn’t get any crazy ideas about hairstyles.
“I’ve been there nearly two months and the baby is due soon, so our family is going to grow,” he said.
“Hopefully, my son doesn’t have a mullet because they’re pretty popular up there, so I’ll steer him away from those.
“I can’t wait to start. I’m not due back until mid-December, but I’ll be in there earlier to get around the boys.”
Brown could start 2026 as the Golden Boot winner, with the Kiwis five-eighth in a battle with Australian stars Cameron Munster and Reece Walsh for the top gong.
He was superb for New Zealand at the Pacific Championship where the Kiwis reminded everyone that they are a legitimate World Cup threat even though the focus has been on teams like Tonga and Samoa.
“With people like Payne Haas pledging their allegiance to Samoa, it’s exciting and it’s good for them,” Brown said after his side beat Samoa in the final earlier this month.
“I love that they talk about it because it’s making our game better. We come to these games and we’re not expecting to take it out easily because it’s a tough game.
“I’m happy that they (Samoa) went in as favourites because it allowed us to focus on ourselves. We knew they were coming in hot, and it was something that James Fisher-Harris drove that we were still the best team in the world.
“Of course not (others don’t think we’re the best) but it’s something we believe and we’re always going to drive. If you don’t believe what you are, then you’re not going to get the win.”
Originally published as ‘It’s not all about you’: The valuable lessons Dylan Brown learnt during the most chaotic year of his career