If the AFL coaches association votes are anything to go by, the 2026 Brownlow Medal count will be an intriguing watch.
Ticking past the halfway mark of the season, players have established themselves as early leaders for the coveted 'Charlie'.
In the AFLCA, coaches are asked to give a 5-4-3-2-1 for every game following the contest, and the award has been a strong indicator of performance in the Brownlow.
| Brownlow Medal winner | AFLCA placing | AFLCA winner |
Brownlow Medal Placing
|
|
| 2025 | Matt Rowell | 3rd | Bailey Smith and Noah Anderson | 3rd and 7th |
| 2024 | Patrick Cripps | 2nd | Nick Daicos | 2nd |
| 2023 | Lachie Neale | 5th | Zak Butters | 4th |
| 2022 | Patrick Cripps | 6th | Touk Miller and Clayton Oliver | 3rd and 5th |
| 2021 | Ollie Wines | 2nd | Clayton Oliver | 3rd |
| 2020 | Lachie Neale | 1st | Lachie Neale | 1st |
| 2019 | Nat Fyfe | 3rd | Marcus Bontempelli | 8th |
| 2018 | Tom Mitchell | 3rd | Max Gawn | 4th |
| 2017 | Dustin Martin | 1st | Dustin Martin | 1st |
As it stands, hard-luck Brownlow stories Nick Daicos (74 votes) and Marcus Bontempelli (68) lead the pack in the AFLCA voting after Round 13.
Daicos has polled 11 times in 13 games, and is rightly the favourite to take out 'Charlie' at season's end. The Pies father-son gun has come narrowly close in the past three seasons.
A knee injury late in 2023 curtailed a phenomenal second campaign in the AFL, falling three votes shy of Lachie Neale. After a stellar 2024, Daicos was expected to win, and even after claiming a record 38 votes, Carlton's Patrick Cripps was the victor on 45.
Last year was yet another missed Daicos opportunity, as former schoolmate Matt Rowell topped him by seven to claim the medal.
A similar narrative has been written about Marcus Bontempelli, who was stiff in 2021 as Port Adelaide midfielder Ollie Wines stormed to the win.
The pair currently lead Zero Hanger's MVP as well.
But the intrigue around Isaac Heeney and Luke Jackson, who occupy 3rd and 4th spots in both aforementioned awards, pose as ones to watch.
Heeney's continued stardom has hit another realm in 2026, and his match-winning ability should be noted by umpires as they are by coaches and Zero Hanger's vote givers.
The same goes for Jackson, who despite playing largely a ruck role for Fremantle, has the capacity to become an extra on-baller.
No traditional ruckman since Scott Wynd in 1992 has won the Brownlow, albeit Adam Goodes deserved the medal as a unicorn of his time in 2003 and 2006, playing across all lines effectively.
Could Jackson buck the trend?
The chasers include Hawthorn's Jai Newcombe, Geelong duo Bailey Smith and Max Holmes, Melbourne pair Kysaiah Pickett and Max Gawn, Port Adelaide's Zak Butters, Brisbane's Lachie Neale and Gold Coast's Christian Petracca.
With statistical data now available to assist umpires and a host of contenders pressing their claims, the race for the Brownlow Medal appears more open and compelling than ever.
