It's perhaps not surprising that someone who has been overlooked in four consecutive drafts like Matt Priddis was a very humble Brownlow Medal winner. In his acceptance speech, Priddis modestly described his 2014 season as "consistent", but said didn't think he would poll in the mid-20s. His consistency was borne out by the fact his 26 votes were polled in 13 games, with just four three-vote games. Priddis said he had a simple role as an inside midfielder – "I'm pretty lucky in that regard" – and added he had served "the best footy apprenticeship that anyone could" under former West Coast midfielders Chris Judd, Ben Cousins and Daniel Kerr. He also thanked his former coach at Subiaco, Peter German, for helping to give him his start.

 

Fremantle star Nat Fyfe looked set to join an exclusive but heartbreaking club when he topped this year's count but was ineligible because of suspension. Western Bulldog Chris Grant was the only previous ineligible player to top a Brownlow count on his own in 1997, while the ineligible North Melbourne ruckman Corey McKernan finished tied with 1996 winners James Hird and Michael Voss. Fyfe took over the lead in this year's count from Gary Ablett in round 19 when he climbed to 23 votes. The Freo star extended his tally to 25 votes in round 20 and was only passed when Matt Priddis polled two votes in round 23 to pip him by one vote. Fyfe had missed the final two rounds of the season, and four weeks in total through suspension. His polling reflected his great season, but we suspect the Docker will be glad Priddis denied him entry to the Grant and McKernan club.

 

Gold Coast skipper Gary Ablett was always going to be leading this year's count by the time he played his last full game in round 15. The question was whether he would have a big enough lead to hold on and win his third Brownlow. When that time of the count came, Ablett, who had just polled two votes for his 45-possession game against Hawthorn, sat on 22 votes, five ahead of Sydney Swans midfielder Josh Kennedy, seven ahead of Patrick Dangerfield, Lance Franklin and Callan Ward, and eight ahead of Matt Priddis. It seemed highly unlikely that would be enough and so it proved with Matt Priddis overtaking him in round 20, with three votes against Collingwood taking him to 24 votes. Still, Ablett hung on to finish equal second with Lance Franklin, a remarkable achievement in itself.

 

Sydney Swans spearhead Lance Franklin defied the recent trend of poor Brownlow performances by key-forwards to finish equal second on 22 votes – the most votes ever polled by a Coleman medallist. The spearhead's first season in Sydney since his cross from Hawthorn continues to go from success to success. Will he add a premiership on Saturday?

 

Port Adelaide's Robbie Gray and Essendon's Dyson Heppell entered Monday night's count as two of the favourites. Gray's outstanding 2014 season was rewarded with the AFL Coaches Association's player of the year award and Heppell joined him in the All Australian team. However, neither player ever really got going after slow starts to the count. After 19 rounds, Gray sat in 27th place on nine votes, Heppell in 31st place on eight votes. Both would climb to 14 votes and equal 13th by the end of the count, but it was well below pre-count expectations.

 

Dane Swan became the highest polling Magpie in Brownlow history when two votes against North Melbourne in round five took him past Nathan Buckley (164 career votes). But the 2011 Brownlow medallist did not attend this year's count. Instead, he announced on Twitter that he was making good on a bet with Sam Newman to have the Geelong great's likeness tattooed on his backside. Swan also posted a photo of him on the tattooist's table, with Pedro VI of East Brunswick Tattoos adding another chapter to Swan's formidable array of body artwork.

 

As is the case every year, the players in the teams competing in the Grand Final, Hawthorn and the Sydney Swans, did not drink anything heavier than water. Or did they? Hawthorn skipper Luke Hodge raised a glass of Crown Lager as he hosted a segment toasting 2014's retirees, but Channel Seven's cameras panned away from him before we could see whether he had taken a sip. The good Colac lad in him would have wanted to, but we're tipping Hodgey is saving himself for the Hawks' post-Grand Final celebrations.

 

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan made a confident start to his new role as the Brownlow Medal count caller. "T Mzungu" was the first name McLachlan had to get his lips around – not the easiest assignment – but he did it with aplomb and then ripped through the votes at a cracking pace. If anything, McLachlan rattled through the count even more quickly than his predecessor, Andrew Demetriou, who noticeably upped his tempo towards the end of his tenure. Perhaps the only thing McLachlan was missing was a flourish to rival Demetriou’s "R Nahaaaas" trademark.

 

It's always a challenge to jazz up a vote count across a 23-round season, but, as we've said, AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan set a cracking pace with the count itself. Channel Seven host Bruce McAvaney gave his usual polished performance and Cameron Ling's interviews with contenders such as Gary Ablett, Joel Selwood and Jordan Lewis broke things up nicely. We also enjoyed Kevin Sheedy's tributes to late coaches Tom Hafey and Dean Bailey, and Luke Hodge's toast to this year's retirees. However, Hamish McLachlan's segment with Auskicker Skye dragged after a cutesy start, and adding the goal and mark of the year awards to the night perhaps resulted in award overload.

 

At AFL Media, we realise when we're out of our depth, so we're going to defer to our resident fashion expert Nat Edwards for her take on Monday night's red carpet action: "My personal favourites were Rory Sloane's girlfriend,

Belinda, whose gold dress was incredible. Michelle Trewartha, Chris Yarran's partner, was also stunning in gold. And Bec Judd's J'Aton dress was a show stopper, the most unique dress on the red carpet."