The AFL is preparing to overhaul how the Brownlow Medal is celebrated, with CEO Andrew Dillon confirming the league is exploring ways to formally recognise the top three finishers from 2026.
Traditionally, the game’s highest individual honour has only acknowledged the outright winner.
This year, Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell claimed the medal, while Collingwood’s Nick Daicos was again left in the shadows despite another stellar season.
Celebrating more than just first place
Dillon told Channel 7 that the time had come to rethink how the night honours players.
“You look at when the clubs do their best and fairest, they sort of celebrate from first down to 10th. And even clubs have trophies named for their second, third and fourth in the B&F,” he said. “So I think if there was a way that we could acknowledge, particularly second and third in the Brownlow... that should be celebrated rather than sort of commiserated, I think.”
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Daicos has now finished in the top three for three consecutive seasons, without official recognition. Dillon conceded the AFL would need to consider whether new honours would be presented on the night or afterwards, but said, “I think there’s certainly something should be celebrated about the placings in the Brownlow. I think there’s something in that.”
The AFL boss also revealed discussions are ongoing about whether umpires should have access to match statistics before casting votes, after controversy over St Kilda’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera being overlooked despite a standout performance.
If implemented, the move would mark the first major change to the Brownlow ceremony in decades.