Take a look at some of the highs, lows and shocks from the 2023 Brownlow Medal count.
HISTORY MADE Lion King Lachie wins second Brownlow in thrilling count
BROWNLOW TRACKER Every vote for every player, as it happened
YOUR CLUB'S BROWNLOW NIGHT Leader, top five, total votes
BROWNLOW HUB All you need for footy's night of nights
TALKING POINTS Mystery best on, revenge games, Jezza at it again
GALLERY The best pics from the Brownlow Medal red carpet
BEST OF Giants flyer, young Lion win Mark and Goal of the Year
LEADER Inspirational Blue honoured with 2023 Jim Stynes Award
How did you do that, Lachie?
While Brisbane's champion earned every bit of his second 'Charlie', there were a few raised eyebrows for his three-vote performance against Greater Western Sydney in round six. While stats only tell part of the story, Neale gathered 20 disposals (including six clearances and three score involvements) and missed out entirely on AFLCA votes, while his dynamic teammate Charlie Cameron kicked seven goals to grab two votes. Josh Kelly (41) and Stephen Coniglio (38) also had big outings. Neale could however consider himself a fraction unlucky in a narrow round 11 loss to Adelaide (26 and 11 clearances) and a round 15 win over St Kilda (29 and nine clearances) to miss out altogether. Swings and roundabouts, as they say.
Three clubs, 12 seasons, first votes!
We love a good journeyman story, and not many fit that tag better than recently retired ruckman Andrew Phillips. The man who started his career at Greater Western Sydney before moving to Carlton and ultimately finishing at Essendon, Phillips waited until his final season in the game to snag his first votes. They came in the Gather Round win over Melbourne at Adelaide Oval, where he picked up the three votes as best on ground for 12 disposals, two goals and 21 hit-outs.
Jezza – the man of many faces
While he wasn't quite as influential as his top-10 performance last year, Jeremy Cameron still ensured he provided viewers with plenty of entertainment. Every time the cameras panned to him as he collected more votes, the Geelong forward had a different face for us to decipher. There was the quizzical pursed lips, the unimpressed burrowed brow – he had it all. After the watermelon incident of last year, he's becoming a man to watch on Brownlow night. He finished with 13 votes to top the Cats' tally.
Key position players in the votes
Yes, it's still largely a midfielder's award, but the big men got some love too. Coleman medallist Charlie Curnow led the way for the key forwards with 17 votes, while his All-Australian teammate Taylor Walker got 16. They're career high tallies for both men. Joe Daniher also snuck into double figures with 12. At the other end of the ground, St Kilda's newly crowned All-Australian full-back Callum Wilkie got his first votes in his 89th career game when he picked up the three against Gold Coast in round four. Harris Andrews had two three-vote performances, while Giant Sam Taylor was also given the three in round 19 against the Suns.
The revenge games
Two of the biggest trades last off-season involved Luke Jackson going from Melbourne to Fremantle and Tim Taranto from GWS to Richmond. While both players missed out on playing in finals this year as their former teams made it into September, they got their own form of revenge with three-vote outings against their old teammates. Jackson was magnificent in a round 11 win over the Demons with his 19 disposals, eight clearances, six tackles and a goal, while Taranto cashed in a week later against the Giants with 36 touches, nine clearances and a goal.
Team Brayshaw in the votes
In a moment that brought a few wry smiles, Andrew and Angus Brayshaw both polled votes in the same match. While Jackson took top honours in the Fremantle-Melbourne round 11 battle, Docker Andrew (29 and two goal assists) got the two votes and brother Angus (27), playing in the midfield for the Demons rather than his usual wing role, grabbed the one.
The new Oliver and Petracca?
For so many years, Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver have taken votes off each other to stymie their chances at claiming the major prize. Port Adelaide might have unearthed their own version in this year's count with Zak Butters, Connor Rozee and Jason Horne-Francis. Butters came into the evening as one of the clear favourites and lived up to the hype with his 27 votes, but Rozee's 21 and Horne-Francis' 16 – in just his second season – might have ever-so-slightly cruelled his chances.
Oohhh, Errol! So close
Errol Gulden looked almost home heading into the final weekend. He was two votes behind Nick Daicos who still led heading into the last weekend. But despite amassing 42 disposals and two goals in round 24 against Melbourne, the All-Australian wingman only polled a single vote in that game. The 21-year-old finished fourth in the end after polling in nine of the final 10 rounds to fly home.
The mid-season bolter
Jai Newcombe burst onto the scene last year by finishing second in the best and fairest after polling 11 votes on Brownlow Medal night. He is one to watch in future counts. The 22-year-old backed it up with 18 votes on Monday night - the most for Hawthorn - after producing a season where he was named in the All-Australian squad for the first time. Not bad for someone who was picked in the Mid-Season Rookie Draft only two years ago.
The kids are alright
The two most hyped first-year players didn't waste any time catching the umpires' attention. Harry Sheezel, the deserving winner of the AFL Rising Star award, polled one vote in each of the first two rounds – wins for North Melbourne – while Will Ashcroft had the perfect three in his first game at the Gabba, a round two victory over Melbourne when the lights went out. Ashcroft didn't stop there, racking up 10 votes before his season-ending knee injury. We'll see plenty more from this pair in the future.