By Tyson Otto

Copyright news

The game’s once most prestigious individual award was plunged into crisis at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium as the Gold Coast midfielder romped to win the medal with a haul of 39 votes, finishing ahead of Collingwood’s Nick Daicos.

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Rowell was in many ways a deserved winner, but details emerging from the vote count show his win may go down in history as the last of its kind.

The AFL is under pressure like never before to take voting responsibilities away from umpires following years of criticism.

There were widespread calls on Monday night across the footy world for the annual awards night to undergo major surgery.

The most obvious starting point is transitioning the voting process towards a panel of former players and footy analysts — however, that system also causes plenty of debate when votes are cast for the Norm Smith Medal on Grand Final day.

The backlash on Monday night shows enough is enough when it comes to whistleblowers carrying the burden of casting the votes for best-on-ground performances.

It has annoyed fans for decades that the award has turned into a “midfielders medal” with umpires snubbing forwards and defenders because they are not as visible to them.

The standard of umpiring this season has been described by some former players as the worst in recent memory and Monday night’s results are further evidence umpires no longer have their fingers on the pulse.

The NRL’s system of using former players — predominantly from Channel 9 and Fox League — to cast the votes is the obvious alternative, but the system has also been criticised in recent years.

Essendon legend Tim Watson on Tuesday said the umpires that snubbed St Kilda’s Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera from receiving three votes for his Round 20 masterclass need to have laser eye surgery.

There was open disbelief from Demons and Saints players in attendance when Wanganeen Milera was awarded just two votes for the match where he single-handedly stole victory for his club with one of the best fourth quarters ever played.

The 22-year-old did it all as the Saints came back from 46-points down and won thanks to a goal after the siren from Wanganeen-Milera.

He finished the contest with a staggering 34 disposals, four goals, nine score involvements and six clearances, but umpires Jeff Dalgleish, Nicholas Brown, Martin Rodger and James Strybos instead awarded him two votes with Jack Viney picking up three votes and Christian Petracca earning one vote.

“I don’t want to be unkind, but umpires Dalgleish, Brown, Rodger and Strybos, they should book themselves into laser vision this morning,” Watson said on SEN Breakfast.

“That’s not being too unkind is it? I don’t know how you can do that. How can you possibly overlook NAS.”

He joked there was “nearly a riot” when the two votes were announced by AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon.

Demons captain Max Gawn laughed openly as the votes for the match were announced. His face said it all.

Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron even threw his hand in the air as he signalled for a review of the votes.

It was just one of many cases where footy analysts have called out whistleblowers for getting it horribly wrong.

Rowell’s performances have now been put under a microscope with 11 of his votes coming from matches where neither coach judged him worthy of votes for the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award.

In Round 4 against Adelaide, the midfield bull was awarded three votes despite tallying just 17 disposals and committing eight clangers.

in Round 7 against Sydney, Rowell also got three votes despite an extraordinary 10 clangers and 16 possessions.

According to AFL Media, there were 13 cases of players getting three votes from the umpires but none from the coaches. There were also 21 cases where players picked up a perfect 10 from the coaches, but received none from umpires.

Dillon last year refused to consider making any changes to the voting process, despite widespread criticism.

He said the umpires were “trusted implicitly” to deliberate over the votes without needing to be supplied with match statistics before casting their votes.

Former Brownlow Medal winner Dane Swan was scathing of the Wanganeen-Milera Round 20 clanger.

“NAS not getting 3 there might be the worst decision in the history of the Brownlow,” the Collingwood great wrote on X.

“What a joke that is. It’s got a big smell about it.”

Former Brownlow medallist Adam Cooney also posted on X: “This might be the last year the umpires get to do it”.

Leading footy journalist Jon Ralph posted on X: “You didn’t need stats for the umpires to know Nas deserved three votes instead of Viney for the most incredible individual performance we witnessed this season.

“The Brownlow should be our most important individual award, not the subject of constant ridicule. Time for a review.”

He went on to post: “Let’s find a way to refine the voting with some more assistance to the umpires so we can celebrate the winner, not scratch our heads at the bizarre voting”.

The reaction from fans across the footy world has been apoplectic — and they are all saying the same thing.

Radio host Jacob Landsmeer wrote: “We can’t have the umpires doing Brownlow votes anymore”.

SEN footy commentator Miles Pfitzner posted on X: “If four umpires can’t work out who the best player on the ground is we have an even more serious problem with them than we thought. Not just the game decisions.

Code Sports journalist Ronny Lerner posted: “Go home umps. You’re drunk”.

“This will be talked about for years to come. Unbelievable.”

Code Sports journalist Daniel Cherny posted: “Hahahahahaha take it off them that’s a pisser”.

Veteran sport journalist Paul Cochrane posted: “The #Brownlow is officially cooked”.

Channel 7 footy host Cameron Luke posted: “I feel for Matt Rowell. I think tonight might be a catalyst for change even if it’s the ability to offer the umps more time post game to give votes (maybe even stats), but Rowell is a star nonetheless”.

SEN’s Mitchell Scott wrote: “Call it off. That’s a disgrace”.

A prominent Collingwood fan said: “The umpires should be stripped of voting for the award, they’re clueless as they come”.

Football journalist Peter Ryan posted on X: “Is that the moment that sunk the Brownlow?”

Ryan Reynolds wrote: “Absolute nightmare stuff this. NAS not getting three votes might be one of the worst in Brownlow history”.

Brownlow Medal 2025 results

Matt Rowell – 39 votes

Nick Daicos – 32 votes

Bailey Smith – 29 votes

Jordan Dawson – 27 votes

Andrew Brayshaw – 26 votes

Noah Anderson – 25 votes

Marcus Bontempelli – 25 votes

Caleb Serong – 25 votes

Max Gawn – 23 votes

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera – 23 votes