AFL Brownlow Medal Winners: Full List & History
The Brownlow Medal is the Australian Football League's (AFL) most prestigious individual award, presented annually to the "fairest and best" player in the league during the regular season. Decided by votes from the field umpires after each game, the Brownlow Medal count is a celebrated event in the AFL calendar, steeped in history and tradition.
A History of the Brownlow Medal
First awarded in 1924, the Brownlow Medal is named after Charles Brownlow, a former Geelong Football Club player and administrator who played a significant role in the early development of Australian Rules Football. The medal represents the pinnacle of individual achievement in the AFL and is highly coveted by players across the league. — Emily Compagno: Everything You Need To Know
How the Brownlow Medal is Awarded
At the conclusion of each home and away season match, the three field umpires independently award votes to the players they consider to be the best on the ground. The votes are distributed on a 3-2-1 basis: three votes for the best player, two votes for the second-best, and one vote for the third-best. These votes are tallied throughout the season, and at the annual Brownlow Medal count, the player with the highest number of votes is awarded the medal.
Tiebreakers
In the event of a tie, the players who have received the most votes are all awarded the medal. Prior to 1989, in the event of a tie, the player with the most three-vote games would win. If players were still tied, then the player with the most two-vote games would win the medal. This method was changed because in 1980, Brian Wilson of the North Melbourne Football Club was awarded the medal over runner-up Kelvin Templeton despite Templeton having a higher vote total.
Notable Brownlow Medal Winners
Throughout its rich history, the Brownlow Medal has been awarded to some of the AFL's most iconic figures. Here are a few notable winners: — Sydney Levrone Height: How Tall Is She?
- Dick Reynolds: A legendary Essendon player, Reynolds won the Brownlow Medal three times (1934, 1937, 1938).
- Graham Farmer: Considered one of the greatest ruckmen of all time, Farmer won the medal in 1962 while playing for Geelong.
- Ian Stewart: Stewart secured three Brownlow Medals across his career, representing St Kilda and Richmond (1965, 1966, 1971).
- Haydn Bunton Sr.: Bunton was the first player to win three Brownlow Medals, winning in 1931, 1932, and 1935 playing for Fitzroy.
- Gary Ablett Jr.: Ablett won the medal in 2009 while playing for Geelong and in 2013 while playing for the Gold Coast.
Full List of Brownlow Medal Winners
| Year | Winner(s) | Club(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 1924 | Edward 'Carji' Greeves | Geelong |
| 1925 | Colin Watson | South Melbourne |
| 1926 | Ivor Warne-Smith | Melbourne |
| 1927 | Syd Coventry | Collingwood |
| 1928 | Albert Collier | Collingwood |
| 1929 | Allen Hopkins | Footscray |
| 1930 | Harry Collier | Collingwood |
| 1931 | Haydn Bunton | Fitzroy |
| 1932 | Haydn Bunton | Fitzroy |
| 1933 | Wilfred Smallhorn | Fitzroy |
| 1934 | Dick Reynolds | Essendon |
| 1935 | Haydn Bunton | Fitzroy |
| 1936 | Alby Morrison | St Kilda |
| 1937 | Dick Reynolds | Essendon |
| 1938 | Dick Reynolds | Essendon |
| 1939 | Marcus Whelan | Collingwood |
| 1940 | Herbie Matthews | South Melbourne |
| 1941 | Norman Ware | Footscray |
| 1942 | Don Fraser | Essendon |
| 1943 | Tommy Smith | Fitzroy |
| 1944 | Bob Rose | Collingwood |
| 1945 | Charlie Gaudion | South Melbourne |
| 1946 | Des Fothergill and Bernie Smith | Collingwood and South Melbourne |
| 1947 | Bert Deacon | Carlton |
| 1948 | Bill Morris | Richmond |
| 1949 | Colin Pillman | North Melbourne |
| 1950 | Allan Ruthven | Fitzroy |
| 1951 | Jack Clarke | Essendon |
| 1952 | Bill Hutchison | Essendon |
| 1953 | Bill Hutchison | Essendon |
| 1954 | Roy Wright | Richmond |
| 1955 | Fred Goldsmith | South Melbourne |
| 1956 | Peter Box | Footscray |
| 1957 | Brian Gleeson | St Kilda |
| 1958 | Neil Roberts | St Kilda |
| 1959 | Verdun Howell | St Kilda |
| 1960 | John James | Carlton |
| 1961 | Brian Sierle | North Melbourne |
| 1962 | Graham Farmer | Geelong |
| 1963 | Bob Skilton | South Melbourne |
| 1964 | Bob Skilton | South Melbourne |
| 1965 | Ian Stewart | St Kilda |
| 1966 | Ian Stewart | St Kilda |
| 1967 | Polly Farmer, Bob Skilton | Geelong and South Melbourne |
| 1968 | Bob Murray | Fitzroy |
| 1969 | Kevin Murray | Fitzroy |
| 1970 | Peter Bedford | South Melbourne |
| 1971 | Ian Stewart | Richmond |
| 1972 | Len Thompson | Collingwood |
| 1973 | Keith Greig | North Melbourne |
| 1974 | Gary Dempsey | Footscray |
| 1975 | Graham Teasdale | South Melbourne |
| 1976 | Graham Moss | Essendon |
| 1977 | Graham Cornes | Glenelg |
| 1978 | Malcolm Blight | North Melbourne |
| 1979 | Peter Moore | Collingwood |
| 1980 | Kelvin Templeton | Footscray |
| 1981 | Barry Round | South Melbourne |
| 1982 | Brian Wilson | North Melbourne |
| 1983 | Terry Daniher | Essendon |
| 1984 | Tony Lockett | St Kilda |
| 1985 | Brad Hardie | Footscray |
| 1986 | Robert Dipierdomenico | Hawthorn |
| 1987 | Tony Morwood | Sydney |
| 1988 | Gerard Healy | Sydney |
| 1989 | James Hird and Paul Salmon | Essendon |
| 1990 | Tony Liberatore | Footscray |
| 1991 | Jim Stynes | Melbourne |
| 1992 | Scott Wynd | Footscray |
| 1993 | Gavin Wanganeen | Essendon |
| 1994 | Greg Anderson | Brisbane |
| 1995 | Paul Kelly | Sydney |
| 1996 | Michael Voss and James Hird | Brisbane and Essendon |
| 1997 | Robert Harvey | St Kilda |
| 1998 | Shane Crawford | Hawthorn |
| 1999 | Shane Woewodin | Melbourne |
| 2000 | Shane Woolley | North Melbourne |
| 2001 | Jason Akermanis | Brisbane |
| 2002 | Simon Black | Brisbane |
| 2003 | Nathan Buckley, Adam Goodes, Mark Coughlan | Collingwood, Sydney, Richmond |
| 2004 | Chris Judd | West Coast |
| 2005 | Ben Cousins | West Coast |
| 2006 | Adam Goodes | Sydney |
| 2007 | Jimmy Bartel | Geelong |
| 2008 | Adam Cooney | Western Bulldogs |
| 2009 | Gary Ablett Jr. | Geelong |
| 2010 | Chris Judd | Carlton |
| 2011 | Sam Mitchell and Trent Cotchin | Hawthorn and Richmond |
| 2012 | Jobe Watson | Essendon |
| 2013 | Gary Ablett Jr. | Gold Coast |
| 2014 | Matt Priddis | West Coast |
| 2015 | Nat Fyfe | Fremantle |
| 2016 | Patrick Dangerfield | Geelong |
| 2017 | Dustin Martin | Richmond |
| 2018 | Tom Mitchell | Hawthorn |
| 2019 | Nat Fyfe | Fremantle |
| 2020 | Lachie Neale | Brisbane |
| 2021 | Ollie Wines | Port Adelaide |
| 2022 | Patrick Cripps | Carlton |
| 2023 | Lachie Neal | Brisbane |
Note: Jobe Watson was originally awarded the 2012 Brownlow Medal, but it was later vacated due to a doping scandal. — James Conner's Backup: Who Will Fill The Void?
The Brownlow Medal in Modern AFL
The Brownlow Medal continues to be a significant event in the AFL, celebrating the league's fairest and best player. While the game evolves, the prestige and honor associated with the Brownlow Medal remain constant, serving as a testament to the enduring values of Australian Rules Football.
