Power, with Lappin out injured. Desperate for an injury-free season, 2007 delivered just that for Brown, and what resulted was the best season of his career. He averaged nine marks and 16 disposals per game, and kicked 77 goals at 3.5 per game in 2007. In round 16 against Carlton, he became the first Brisbane player to kick 10 goals in a game, and he finished the year with seven goals against Geelong to secure the Coleman Medal as the season's leading goal kicker. That year Brown took the most contested marks in the competition to go with his first Coleman. He also won his first Merrett–Murray Medal (the Lions best and fairest), the AFL Players Association Best Captain Award, the Robert Rose Award for Most Courageous Player, was runner-up in the Leigh Matthews Trophy as League MVP and was named vice-captain of the All Australian team. At season's end, Brown was regarded by many, including AFL guru Mike Sheahan, as the number-one player in the competition. Brown started the 2008 season slowly compared to his 2007 form, and was rested for one game in round seven due to minor injury concerns. He then returned to his best with three consecutive six-goal performances and combined with Daniel Bradshaw to be one of the most formidable forward duos in the league in the second half of the season. In the 15 games after his week off, Brown averaged nine marks, 16 disposals and 3.7 goals per game, although his season stats were inferior to the previous year. Brown captained Victoria in the AFL Hall of Fame Tribute Match against the Dream Team, and a spectacular mark taken over Matthew Richardson in that game is captured in Jamie Cooper's painting The Game That Made Australia, commissioned by the AFL in 2008 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the sport. He was named the AFLPA Most courageous player at the end of the 2008 season by his peers for the second consecutive year in a row, but missed out on a second All-Australian selection. Brown's 2008 season was capped off by winning his second Merrett–Murray Medal. At the completion of Round 22 of the 2008 season, Brown announced he had signed a four-year contract that would see him remain a Lion until he is at least 31. On 27 October 2008, Lions coach Michael Voss announced Brown's appointment as sole captain of the