Gold Coast Suns midfielder Matt Rowell has claimed the 2024 Brownlow Medal in a surprise victory, finishing with 39 votes to beat pre-count favourite Nick Daicos of Collingwood, who managed 32 votes. The 24-year-old becomes the second Suns player to win the AFL's highest individual honour, following Gary Ablett Jnr in 2013.
Rowell surged to 20 votes after 11 rounds and maintained his lead, finishing seven votes clear of Daicos. Geelong's Bailey Smith (29) and Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson (27) rounded out the top four. The win caps a memorable season for the Suns, who reached their first finals series after 15 seasons, progressing to the semi-finals before losing to Brisbane.
Rowell, selected with pick one in the 2019 draft, overcame serious injuries in his first two seasons and has not missed a game since round 13, 2021. Speaking after the win, he said: 'A lot of boys could be standing up here so I feel very humbled. I came in tonight and was just happy to maybe be one of the contenders. I didn't think I would win, and it is amazing to be standing up here. I am pretty speechless.'
The count featured several notable moments, including Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield overtaking former teammate Gary Ablett Jnr for the record of most three-vote games in Brownlow history, with 56. In a bizarre polling incident, Melbourne's Jack Viney received three votes instead of St Kilda's Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, despite the latter's extraordinary performance in round 20.
In other awards, Fremantle's Murphy Reid won the Rising Star award with 48 votes, ahead of Adelaide's Dan Curtin (35) and Brisbane's Levi Ashcroft (26). The 19-year-old kicked four goals in a quarter in the Dockers' loss to Geelong and finished his debut season with 25 goals.
