AFL boss Andrew Dillon flags Brownlow change to recognise top three after Nick Daicos finished runner-up again

AFL CEO Andrew Dillon has flagged the potential for the top three in the Brownlow Medal to be officially recognised.

The AFL’s best and fairest award has traditionally been seen as the ultimate individual award for a player and Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell added his name to the honour board on Monday night.

WATCH THE VIDEO ABOVE: Calls for Brownlow runner-up recognition grow.

While the AFL only officially acknowledges the winner, Commission chairman Richard Goyder did make a special mention of Collingwood champion Nick Daicos in his speech before celebrating Rowell.

“I speak on behalf of everyone in the room, congratulating Nick Daicos on another magnificent year, well done,” Goyder said.

It was the second time in as many years that Daicos has finished runner-up. He was also third in 2023.

While the runner-up is often forgotten about on the AFL’s night of nights, it’s usually a different story at club best and fairest nights.

Most clubs recognise the entire top 10 and in some cases have specific medals for the top three or five.

Channel 7’s Caroline Wilson asked Dillon about the possibility of recognising the runner-up and third place getter, similar to individual events at international world championships and Olympics where silver and bronze medals are celebrated.

“Does it feel unfair sometimes that the guy who finishes second or even third isn’t recognised?” Wilson asked.

“Yeah, look, it’s a really good point, Caro,” Dillon said.

“You look at when the clubs do their best and fairest, they sort of celebrate from first down to 10th. And there’s an acknowledgement for all of that. And even clubs have trophies named for their second, third and fourth in the B&F.

“So I think if there was a way that we could acknowledge, particularly second and third in the Brownlow.

“We’ve got nearly 800 players and so for Matt Rowell, what an incredible effort that he’s had, but Nick Daicos has come top three, three years in a row.

“And that should be celebrated rather than sort of commiserated, I think.”

When pressed further, Dillon said “he’d have to work through that”.

“We’d have to work out, would it be on the night or would you do it afterwards? But I think there’s certainly something should be celebrated about the placings in the Brownlow. I think there’s something in that,” he added.

Dillon also commented on the biggest talking point of the night when St Kilda superstar Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera was surprisingly overlooked for three votes after kicking four goals and having 34 touches in the in over Melbourne.

Melbourne hard nut Jack Viney was awarded the three votes for his 23 touches and 16 tackles.

The fallout has seen many commentators question whether the umpires should have access to stats before they cast their votes.

“Look we talk to the umpires each year about access to stats and we’ve put that to them in the last three or four years they haven’t wanted that, but we’ll have the conversation with them,” he said.

“I think it’s important that the award continues to progress.”