RECOGNITION can be a double-edged sword: it's nice when you get it, but it often comes with a price.
Luke Breust is learning all about that right now.
The Hawthorn small forward has made an enormous impact in his short AFL career, booting 95 goals in 52 games since his debut in 2011.
To put that in context, he is only marginally off the pace set by the great Collingwood small forward Peter Daicos, who kicked 103 goals in his first 52 games.
Consistency has been Breust's hallmark; he has a knack of bobbing up in almost every game.
Last season, the New South Welshman contributed at least two goals in 12 straight outings between rounds eight and 20, and two in every final.
He finished with 45 goals for the year, but more importantly as far as he was concerned, a tackle average of 4.7 a game.
He is the fourth-ranked forward in the Official AFL Player Ratings, but amidst a long list of Hawks stars, it is only this season – and especially since Cyril Rioli went down with a hamstring injury in round five – that the 22-year-old has found himself the target of extra close opposition attention.
"I can't really remember anyone just sitting on me last year," Breust told AFL.com.au this week.
"They'd have a job to attack as well as defend, and a lot of the time that's where I could get a little bit of breathing space, when they were off attacking.
"If we were good enough to turn it over, you could hurt them on the rebound.
"But when you've got a guy who just sits on you, you've got to find ways to try and get off them."
Proof that Breust had finally been recognised came in round eight, when Greater Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy sent Toby Greene to hang around in the Hawk's back pocket like a scrunched up chewing gum wrapper.
It happened again last Friday night against Carlton, when Zach Tuohy did the same.
In response, Breust has turned to senior teammates Sam Mitchell and Luke Hodge for advice on how to handle the close tag.
"I'm trying to learn little tricks to get away and find space, and still have an impact on the game," Breust said.
"It's mainly just getting up into congestion and trying to get your teammates to help you block, and get the tiny little bit of space that you need until you're free."
Having made steady progress from the moment he played his first game, Breust believes overcoming the close-checking defenders is his next big challenge.
"That'll be the determining factor in whether I plateau or continue to get better," he said.
And while Breust's continued strong form has also seen him recognised in other quarters – his name frequently mentioned in mid-season team of the year discussions – the player himself is happy to let the plaudits go to others.
"It's obviously nice to get recognised," he said.
"But it's funny how if you do get recognised, you might start to get a little bit more attention, and then the pressure comes to perform.
"I like to keep a pretty low profile.
"There are obviously some great players in our side, so I don't mind slipping under the radar below them. It's fine by me."
