Tony Browne has defended Waterford's change of style this season.

Previously known for their cavalier approach and flamboyant hurling, the Deise have adopted a more gritty style this year under Davy Fitzgerald which has already won them the Munster SHC.

But speaking after picking up the Vodafone Player of the Month award for July in Dublin yesterday, Browne claimed that Waterford's style hasn't changed all that much, the main difference being their greater emphasis on team work.

"I don't know if anything has changed drastically," he said.

"Particularly this year, Davy Fitz has brought a real work ethic to the team that probably wasn't there before and there's no individual players on the team trying to win games. It's a real panel effort.

"If you look at the likes of Kilkenny, Tipperary, these guys, Kerry over the last couple of years winning All-Irelands ... at this semi-final and quarter-final stage, that's what it really boils down to, the strength in depth of the panel and guys working hard all over the field.

"People are talking about game plans and different things and stuff like that but it doesn't really boil down to that. The game plan is really for 20 fellas coming onto the field and working their socks off to do the job. That's the only game plan really."

The 37-year-old Mount Sion clubman admitted that he came close to bringing the curtain down on his 19-year inter-county career at the start of the season.

"I did come close. I had probably been saying that I was close to retiring for the last three years if I'm telling the truth. Definitely this year I meant it at the start of the year and I left it a little bit longer to come back," he said.

"But I knew there was a great opportunity there as well and that was the thing that was drawing me back. There was a great opportunity to reach a Munster final. I left it late and then I got involved in a (training) programme. I did that and felt good after it and said I would go 100 per cent at it."

And with fellow veterans Ken McGrath and Dan Shanahan now having to contend themselves with places on the subs bench, Browne is in no doubt that competition for places has never been stronger.

"It's more competitive. It's definitely more competitive. Lots of lads looking for places. That can only be a good thing at the end of the day. You have lads like Ken McGrath and Dan Shanahan champing at the bit looking to get into the team.

"That drives everyone else on. Then you have younger lads there looking to keep their jerseys so at the end of the day that's really where we've come on, fellas fighting for positions and positions up for grabs," he added. Tweet

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