DAYNE Zorko has joined Queensland football royalty, winning Brisbane's best and fairest for a remarkable fifth time in a tense count on Sunday night.
Zorko's triumph to claim the Merrett-Murray Medal means he equals Lions legend and triple premiership captain Michael Voss as a five-time champion.
He previously won in 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018.
The voting went right down to the wire, with Zorko (340) edging out fellow midfielders Hugh McCluggage (336) and Jarryd Lyons (332) for the top gong in front of a packed Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre.
The Brisbane skipper was magnificent this season, mixing ferocious defensive pressure with ball-winning and hard-running to complete one of his best years at the age of 32.
He was ranked inside the AFL's top five for goal assists, score involvements and pressure acts, averaging 24 disposals and six tackles as well as kicking 17 goals.
It was the third straight year McCluggage had made the podium, going one step higher from his 2019 and 2020 efforts, while Lyons has now finished fourth, second and third in his three years at the Lions.
Lockdown defender Brandon Starcevich was rewarded for a breakout season, finishing fourth, while first-time Therabody AFL All-Australian Daniel Rich was fifth.
Zorko continued a fantastic night winning the Players' Player award, while Linc McCarthy (Trademark), Oscar McInerney (Most Professional) and Charlie Cameron (Finals Player) were also winners.
Brisbane's voting system has coach Chris Fagan and the five assistant coaches allocating up to four votes each for an individual performance, meaning the maximum a player can receive for one match is 24 votes.
2021 Merrett-Murray Medal Top 10
1. Dayne Zorko 340
2. Hugh McCluggage 336
3. Jarryd Lyons 332
4. Brandon Starcevich 290
5. Daniel Rich 285
6. Harris Andrews 281
7. Oscar McInerney 274
8. Zac Bailey 273
9. Charlie Cameron 266
10. Linc McCarthy 254
