Award given to the
best player of the
Australian Football League (
AFL) nominated by the
umpires in all home and away
rounds matches during the season, excluding the
final series.
Points are awarded on a 3,2,1 basis by officiating umpires after each game and put into a sealed vault for opening on the
Monday night preceding the AFL Grand Final. Players who have been disqualified for any length of time throughout the
nominated season are ineligible to win the award. The award is presented at a very extravagant ceremony, broadcast live to
an estimated audience of several million.
Originating in 1924 and named after an ex-chairman and player at the Geelong Football Club, Charles Brownlow, it is
Australian Rules Football's most sought after and prestigious award. The medal itself is very small, no larger than
length of your thumb. The 2002 winner was Brisbane Lions' midfielder Simon Black. Black is the third Lions midfielder to win the medal, others being in 2002 with Jason Akermanis and Michael Voss in 1996 . Recent winners include Shane Woewodin (2000), Shane Crawford (1999), Robert Harvey (1997,1998), James Hird and Voss (1996).