The Brownlow Medal - the AFL's highest individual honour - always delivers drama, surprises, and a spotlight on the game's elite talents.
In 2025, Gold Coast's Matt Rowell delivered a stunning performance to claim the medal with 39 votes, upsetting perennial favourite Nick Daicos, showcasing just how unpredictable the count can be.
With Rowell's breakthrough now in the history books, attention turns to 2026. A host of midfield stars are primed for big seasons, bolstered by team improvements, leadership roles, injury returns, and fresh opportunities to dominate in front of the umpires' eyes.
So, here are the seven players who could win the Brownlow Medal in 2026, assuming they stay healthy.
Honourable mentions: Zak Butters, Matthew Rowell, Caleb Serong, Andrew Brayshaw, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Ed Richards
1Nick Daicos
Barring any injuries, 2026 surely has to be Daicos' year.
2025 was Daicos' third consecutive year averaging 30 disposals per game, while his scoreboard impact continues to accelerate too, averaging a career-high 7.8 score involvements per game last year.
That meant he was involved in almost a third of all Collingwood scores (32.4 per cent).
Despite Collingwood's age profile, if Nick Daicos is on the field, anything feels achievable for this club.
Back-to-back years of finishing runner-up and a third-place finish preceding that highlights just how close Daicos is already to claiming the AFL's ultimate individual honour.
Considering his poise in big moments, Daicos remains one of the more enthralling players in the league to watch and is undoubtedly within reach of claiming a first Brownlow Medal in 2026.
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