MITCHELL JOHNSON: Patrick Cripps, Nick Daicos record counts shows voting for the AFL award needs to change

Cricket’s Allan Border Medal doesn’t have the history of the AFL’s Brownlow Medal but what it does have over its 25-year existence is a great spread of batsmen, bowlers, all-rounders and even a wicketkeeper on the honour roll.

Anyone can win it.

But it’s obvious the Brownlow has become the midfielders’ medal and stars in other positions have little chance of competing for the award.

This is not to take anything away from Carlton champion Patrick Cripps, a well-deserved winner with his record 45 votes.

West Coast defender Jeremy McGovern won his club’s best and fairest and made the All-Australian team but didn’t get a single vote from the umpires. The first 18 places on the Brownlow leaderboard were all midfielders.

There were also cases where both coaches agreed a player was best on ground in their votes only for that player to then be overlooked altogether by the umpires.

So the voting system needs looking into to ensure the Brownlow retains the prestige it has always had as the pinnacle individual award.

I like the tradition of the umpires voting and it would be a shame to do away with them all together.

The umpires have no allegiances to clubs and nobody is closer to the action. But, of course, they’ve got a lot on their mind as they officiate a fast-paced game where every decision they make is under the microscope of broadcasters and fans.

The coaches have a great view of the whole field and know what is going on tactically and what roles players have been asked to play.

The NRL uses two independent expert judges from a pool of former players for its Dally M Medal and keeps their identities anonymous.

Using former players is something the AFL should consider while not necessarily excluding the umpires.

Such a move could ensure a better spread of players are recognised for the roles they play for their teams.

Tapping the expertise of former players would be a good move I believe.

But none of this takes away from two-time Brownlow winner Cripps’ achievements, which should be celebrated.

The Brownlow does the glitz and glamour side of things very well. And while these nights are about footballers, they are also very important for the partners, friends and family members.

The Allan Border Medal was a chance to let our hair down and enjoy each other’s successes but also for our partners to get dressed up and enjoy a moment in the spotlight that they deserve for all the sacrifices that come with supporting a professional athlete.

I was lucky enough to claim the AB Medal in 2014 so have some sense of the satisfaction Cripps must be feeling.

It’s a great moment where all the hard work feels like it’s paid off.

For me, it was always about playing my role in the team to my best ability.

You’ve probably heard the saying, “there is no I in team”. While this is true, it’s also not.

For teams to gel, it’s about having the right personnel and as a team player you have to be at your best individually.

For Cripps, he played consistently well all year but couldn’t get his team past an elimination final. It will be a bittersweet feeling for him.

It’s a bit like getting man of the match or series in cricket when your side loses.

I remember in 2008 taking 8-61 against a great South African side at the WACA Ground. They are my career-best figures but whenever I’m asked about it, I always reply with “but we lost the match”.

Cripps’ name is again in the books alongside the greats of the game.

As he said, the only thing his career is missing now is a premiership.