The Brownlow Medal (formally the Charles Brownlow Trophy) is an individual award given to the player judged fairest and best in the Australian Football League (AFL) during the regular season. Determined by votes cast by the officiating umpires after each game, it is considered the highest honour for individual players in the AFL.[1][2]
The medal has been awarded every year since 1924, with the exception of an intermission from 1942–1945 due to World War II. As of 2024, the Brownlow Medal has been awarded 111 times to 90 different players in 96 medal counts.
1924–1930 – Single umpire awards 1 vote to best on ground only
1931–1975 – Single umpire awards 3–2–1 votes to best three on ground
1976–1977 – Two umpires separately award 3–2–1 votes to best three on ground
1978–pres – Umpiring team collectively awards 3–2–1 votes to best three on ground
Until 1980, a countback system was used to determine the winner in the event of a tie. In 1930, Judkins was awarded the medal as he had played in the fewest games; and from 1931 to 1980, the winner was the player with the most three-vote games.[2] In 1980, the countback system was removed, and in the event of a tie, players have been considered joint winners.[2] In 1989, the countback was retroactively removed from all previous counts, and all players who had previously lost on countback were considered joint winners.[3]
^ abcdefghMedal was awarded retrospectively, as a countback rule was applied until 1980.
^No winner was declared in 1940: Des Fothergill and Herbie Matthews being recognised retrospectively as joint winners in 1989 after having initially received replica medals.
^ abThe voting system in 1976 and 1977 had both field umpires awarding votes, resulting in higher vote tallies than in other years.
^ abMedal was awarded retrospectively: Jobe Watson of Essendon was the original winner, but was ruled ineligible after found guilty of a doping violation.[4]
As a mark of respect to soldiers fighting overseas in World War II, the medal was not awarded during 1942–1945.
Ineligible players who polled the most votes
A player guilty of an offence deemed worthy of a suspension by the AFL's disciplinary tribunal for serious on-field offences is ineligible to win the Brownlow Medal. Suspended players have tallied the highest number of votes for the award on three occasions. In the third of those cases, Jobe Watson, who won in 2012, was later found guilty of breaching WADA's anti-doping code in the 2012 season, and was retrospectively ruled ineligible by the AFL Commission in November 2016.[5]
Awarded the medal in 2012, beating Mitchell and Cotchin by four votes. In 2016 he was retrospectively ruled ineligible because of his involvement in the Essendon supplements saga.
Multiple winners
Haydn Bunton Sr, seen here representing Victoria (circa 1930), was the first of four three-time Brownlow Medal winners. This feat has not been replicated since Ian Stewart more than half a century ago.
The following players have won the Brownlow Medal multiple times.
