For whatever reason, it is still hailed as the highest individual award in the game. The Brownlow Medal carries a prestige that other awards – the Leigh Matthews Trophy and the Coaches’ Association Champion Player of the Year simply don’t possess.
One gets prime time on a major network. The others are awarded as part of Fox Footy’s coverage.
To win a Brownlow sets you apart from your peers as THE player of the year, and with Patrick Cripps joining Lachie Neale, Nat Fyfe, and 14 others as multiple winners, he has well and truly established himself as an all-time great. His record-breaking 2024 vote total set tongues wagging, and not all for good reasons.
But how have players fared over the journey?
We see some players poll well every year, hovering around the top ten and leading their club’s votes, but who is the best performed Brownlow player of the past five years?
2019 has now been removed from our annual five-year count, which means Nat Fyfe’s last big year is now gone, and his overall standing has plummeted as a result
Also due to fall are the combination of Dustin Martin and Patrick Dangerfield, who have hovered around the top of the list since we commenced this back in 2020. This year marks a significant changing of the guard.
So, let’s jump in.
Last year’s ranking in parentheses
E19 – NOAH ANDERSON – GOLD COAST – 56 votes (UNRANKED)
E19 – TRAVIS BOAK – PORT ADELAIDE – 56 votes (9)
E19 – TOM MITCHELL – COLLINGWOOD – 56 votes (17)
E16 – JEREMY CAMERON – GEELONG – 57 votes (19)
E16 – TOBY GREENE – GWS – 57 votes (20)
E16 – ERROL GULDEN – SYDNEY – 57 votes (UNRANKED)
15 – LUKE PARKER – SYDNEY – 58 votes (8)
14 – MAX GAWN – MELBOURNE – 61 votes (E11)
13 – ZAK BUTTERS – PORT ADELAIDE – 62 votes (UNRANKED)
12 – CALEB SERONG – FREMANTLE – 63 votes (UNRANKED)
11 – OLLIE WINES – PORT ADELAIDE – 70 votes (E11)
10 – SAM WALSH – CARLTON – 73 votes (13)
9 – ANDREW BRAYSHAW – FREMANTLE – 76 votes (UNRANKED)
8 – NICK DAICOS – COLLINGWOOD – 77 votes (UNRANKED)
7 – CLAYTON OLIVER – MELBOURNE – 81 votes (5)
6 – JACK STEELE – ST KILDA – 84 votes (7)
5 – ZACH MERRETT – ESSENDON – 85 votes (6)
4 – MARCUS BONTEMPELLI – WESTERN BULLDOGS – 101 votes (3)
3 – CHRISTIAN PETRACCA – MELBOURNE – 109 votes (2)
2 – PATRICK CRIPPS – CARLTON – 111 votes (4)
1 – LACHIE NEALE – BRISBANE – 120 votes (1)
So, Crippa scored 45 votes this year and still couldn’t pinch top spot?
How does that happen, HB?
I’m glad you asked. You see, back in 2019, Neale picked up 26 votes, so he had those votes removed from his total. He started on 124, dropped to 98, then added This year, he added 22 votes, and jumped back up to 120 as a result. So he had a net-loss of four votes when we add up the entire five years worth of votes.
In 2019, Cripps lost 26 votes, but picked up those 45 this season.
Cripps started on 92 votes. Deduct the 26 from 2019, and he drops to 66. Add in his 45 from this year, and viola! He is on 111, just as it says above… which is lucky for me
Got it? Good!
Five new faces in the mix this season, gives an indication that the times, they be a-changing.
Daicos is the biggest mover, into the top ten with just three years of votes under his belt. Assuming he suffers no injuries, we could see him threaten the top bracket as early as 2025. He will lose no votes when we discard the 2020 season after the 2025 season is complete, as he commenced his career in 2022.
As for those who waved a fond farewell, Dusty bows out, registering just one vote this season. Jack Macrae picked up no votes, and dropped out accordingly, whilst Patrick Dangerfield, Tim Kelly, and Touk Miller (he is in 21st spot) all fell out of the bracket.
All 5YB winners
Post 2019 – PATRICK DANGERFIELD (134 votes)
Post 2020 – PATRICK DANGERFIELD (127 votes)
POST 2021 – DUSTIN MARTIN (104 votes)
POST 2022 -LACHIE NEALE (104 votes)
POST 2023 – LACHIE NEALE (124 votes)
POST 2024 – LACHIE NEALE – (120 votes)
As always, massive thanks to those who support this work. It is a labour of love for me, and having you guys as members of the site basically keeps me going. So sincerely… thank you – HB
Like this content? You could buy me a coffee – I do like coffee, but there is no guarantee I won’t use it to buy a doughnut… I like them more. And I am not brought to you by Sportsbet or Ladbrokes… or Bet365, or any of them.
