Gary Ablett won his second Brownlow Medal – and the first with expansion club Gold Coast – in a thrilling count, polling three votes in the final round to leap Joel Selwood and Dane Swan. Ablett entered his fourth Brownlow Medal count as favourite and was the first player to reach 20 votes. He slowed down after that, however, polling eight votes in the last eight rounds.  

 

Joel Selwood was nine votes behind Ablett in round 14, but he raced home polling 18 votes in his last nine matches. The Geelong captain enjoyed a superb season and was the leader going into round 23. However, he didn't poll in the final two rounds.

 

Belinda Riverso sent jaws dropping in her electric blue Julie Simonelli gown with a sheer front panel. The partner of Adelaide club champion Rory Sloane, Riverso was one of the stars of the red carpet in her third Brownlow Medal.  

 

Adelaide star Patrick Dangerfield is popular among players and supporters alike, and the crowd got behind him when he rallied mid-season. By round 15 he was equal second on 18 votes, but he would only poll three more votes.

 

Dustin Martin wasn't expected to attend on Monday night, but he arrived on the arm of Richmond teammate Aaron Edwards. Other players to choose a footballer for company were Cale Hooker, who attended with Tom Bellchambers, and brothers Travis and Cameron Cloke.

 

Because he was ineligible, there was little fuss made about Geelong star Steve Johnson, but he sat among the leaders on Monday night with 25 votes. Ineligible Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe polled 18 votes.

 

Gold Coast ruckman Zac Smith won the award named after the 1991 Brownlow medallist. An ambassador and supporter of causes addressing domestic violence and youth homelessness, he is also a passionate White Ribbon ambassador and has supported the One Punch Can Kill program among others.

 

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou, as always, had a sense of theatre as he read the votes in the second half of the season. At one point he appeared to pause too long and Channel Seven crossed to Cameron Ling on the floor before realising Demetriou was yet to read the votes from the last game of the round, which happened to be a three-vote performance for Ablett.

 

Tom Lynch kicked 10 goals against Greater Western Sydney in round seven, but it was only enough to secure two votes from the umpires, with teammate Patrick Dangerfield stealing top votes. Crows goalkicker Taylor Walker tweeted: "That just goes to show it is a medal for midfielders. @tom_lynch27 kicks 10 and only 2 votes. I feel sick!!!!"

 

"You deserve to be up here as much as me, I really mean that, so I'm shattered I didn't get the two [votes] in the last round." Ablett to runner-up Selwood.    

 

22 players on the losing team polled three votes. In 2012 a player on the losing team polled three votes in only 15 of 198 games.

 

Entrée: Vodka and lime-cured salmon, celeriac remoulade, shaved fennel, citrus fruits and vanilla oil.

 

Main: Beef tenderloin roasted whole and rolled in morels and spring herbs, parsnip puree, sugar snaps, French shallot and smoked-vine tomato.

 

- Tea-flavoured chocolate mouse  

- Mango mouse

- Praline chocolate tart

- White Lady

- Lemon meringue tartlets

 

Cheese Platter: a selection of boutique cheeses, fruit pate, dried fruits, freshly baked breads and crackers

 

Past Brownlow medallists summarising each round was a nice touch, and 1955 medallist Fred Goldsmith, who won 'Charlie' as a full-back, proved you don't need to be a polished television performer to hold a viewer's attention. The making of the Brownlow Medal was a fascinating diversion. However, it was strange seeing sportsmen Andre Agassi, Adam Scott, Andrew Bogut and Harry Kewell presenting packages through the coverage.

They'd been awake since 3am, but the Sunrise breakfast team backed up to join Port Adelaide president David Koch at the count. With another early morning looming, however, Natalie Barr, Samantha Armitage and Mark Beretta were spotted leaving with 'Kochie' after the votes for round 14 had been read. 

Jobe Watson and partner Ella Keddie at Monday night's Brownlow Medal count. Picture: AFL Media