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Brownlow 2025 Brownlow thread

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It’s not Rowells fault, but the Brownlow has hit a new low. Hopefully Greg Swann makes some changes to how this award is adjudged. At this point the Brownlow is meaningless.
 
The fact that Harris Andrews only got 5 votes shows how irrelevant the Brownlow has become.
 

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Not sure what we expected. The umpires have enough issues with the AFL continually modifying the rules of the game. It is almost to a stage where the system is out dated for the modern game.
 
Not sure what we expected. The umpires have enough issues with the AFL continually modifying the rules of the game. It is almost to a stage where the system is out dated for the modern game.

Honestly forgot it was on (although it has been quite a while since I've really paid attention). 100% agree that the voting isn't really 'fit for purpose' anymore. Especially with the 4 umpires now on the ground. Who determines any tie-breakers? How much to junior umpires just go along with the thoughts of the vets?

The Brownlow is a nice tradition as an award, and it should be kept, but more emphasis should be given to other awards. Probably the one area where we should really lean into the US sports style of doing things. Have an awards night with things like the Coleman, Brownlow and Rising Star, but also include/have on the same level something like:
  • best forward (form a voting panel and judge it on more than just who kick the most goals)
  • best defender
  • best midfielder (unless you want to just make the Brownlow this)
  • best player as voted by the Coaches
  • best player as voted by the Players Association
  • league MVP as voted by a panel
  • some kind of 'best clubman' award to celebrate the guys who maybe get overlooked, or come back from serious setbacks. Have each club nominate one player each season and then a winner is determined. Name it after Jason McCathney or someone similar (Ramanauskas?)

Have some basic criteria for each category and for anything needing a panel you get the media involved with it weighted so that's there not too much Vic based bias. As an example you could have print publications vote on best defender, with each org getting to nominate 3 voting members, and radio/TV doing best forward in the same way.
You then publish the voting results of each panel member so you can see if anyone is just being a dick about things.

Wrap it all up in a 2 hour program/black tie event where the top 5 for each category get a quick highlights package before the winner is announced (Oscars style)
 
Honestly forgot it was on (although it has been quite a while since I've really paid attention). 100% agree that the voting isn't really 'fit for purpose' anymore. Especially with the 4 umpires now on the ground. Who determines any tie-breakers? How much to junior umpires just go along with the thoughts of the vets?

The Brownlow is a nice tradition as an award, and it should be kept, but more emphasis should be given to other awards. Probably the one area where we should really lean into the US sports style of doing things. Have an awards night with things like the Coleman, Brownlow and Rising Star, but also include/have on the same level something like:
  • best forward (form a voting panel and judge it on more than just who kick the most goals)
  • best defender
  • best midfielder (unless you want to just make the Brownlow this)
  • best player as voted by the Coaches
  • best player as voted by the Players Association
  • league MVP as voted by a panel
  • some kind of 'best clubman' award to celebrate the guys who maybe get overlooked, or come back from serious setbacks. Have each club nominate one player each season and then a winner is determined. Name it after Jason McCathney or someone similar (Ramanauskas?)

Have some basic criteria for each category and for anything needing a panel you get the media involved with it weighted so that's there not too much Vic based bias. As an example you could have print publications vote on best defender, with each org getting to nominate 3 voting members, and radio/TV doing best forward in the same way.
You then publish the voting results of each panel member so you can see if anyone is just being a dick about things.

Wrap it all up in a 2 hour program/black tie event where the top 5 for each category get a quick highlights package before the winner is announced (Oscars style)
That’s kind of what the AA is except it is also dominated by midfielders for some reason
 
Honestly forgot it was on (although it has been quite a while since I've really paid attention). 100% agree that the voting isn't really 'fit for purpose' anymore. Especially with the 4 umpires now on the ground. Who determines any tie-breakers? How much to junior umpires just go along with the thoughts of the vets?

The Brownlow is a nice tradition as an award, and it should be kept, but more emphasis should be given to other awards. Probably the one area where we should really lean into the US sports style of doing things. Have an awards night with things like the Coleman, Brownlow and Rising Star, but also include/have on the same level something like:
  • best forward (form a voting panel and judge it on more than just who kick the most goals)
  • best defender
  • best midfielder (unless you want to just make the Brownlow this)
  • best player as voted by the Coaches
  • best player as voted by the Players Association
  • league MVP as voted by a panel
  • some kind of 'best clubman' award to celebrate the guys who maybe get overlooked, or come back from serious setbacks. Have each club nominate one player each season and then a winner is determined. Name it after Jason McCathney or someone similar (Ramanauskas?)

Have some basic criteria for each category and for anything needing a panel you get the media involved with it weighted so that's there not too much Vic based bias. As an example you could have print publications vote on best defender, with each org getting to nominate 3 voting members, and radio/TV doing best forward in the same way.
You then publish the voting results of each panel member so you can see if anyone is just being a dick about things.

Wrap it all up in a 2 hour program/black tie event where the top 5 for each category get a quick highlights package before the winner is announced (Oscars style)

Something like the AFLPA MVP is pretty useful, look at how the multiple winners ends up:


1758583709938.png

Way more reflective of who's actually the best player in the game IMO.
 

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That’s kind of what the AA is except it is also dominated by midfielders for some reason
I'd happily roll the AA presentation into the above awards night, but the AFL seem keen on keeping it a separate event.
You could actually tie it together by announcing that the starting 18 are the top-6 for each of the forward/midfield/defender medal and then pick a winner from each group of 6.
Although my preference would be to keep the award judges separate form the AA panel
 

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Brownlow 2025 Brownlow thread

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