IN the end, the inseparable Curnow brothers were just that on the John Nicholls Medal leaderboard.

Ed and Charlie finished alongside one another on 98 votes, placing equal third in the vote count behind winner Patrick Cripps and runner-up Kade Simpson.

It was a poignant moment for brothers who are eight years apart, as they both enjoyed career-best seasons in 2018 at vastly different stages in their career.

Unafraid to taunt one another at any given time, the significance of the moment wasn’t lost on either brother following the count.

“Charlie is so exciting to have at the Club, with his confidence and work ethic,” the older Curnow said.

“It inspires me to be a better player, it inspires me to beat him in the best-and-fairest count — and I didn’t! It’s pretty good fun, I couldn’t believe the finish.”

After a bruised larynx from a stray forearm prematurely ended his 2017, Ed bounced back this season and then some. Missing a solitary game, the 28-year-old went one better than his fourth-placed finishes in 2013 and 2015 to land on the podium for the first time.

Meanwhile, Charlie took his game to another level this year, on the way to leading the Club’s goalkicking with 34 goals. He has already forged a reputation as one of the most exciting players in the competition.

Standing alongside his older brother, the 21-year-old Curnow couldn’t hide or understate Ed’s influence in his burgeoning career.

“I hate to say it — especially with him right here — but I’ve looked up to Ed ever since I was a lot younger,” Charlie said with a smile.

“Having an older brother who played AFL… He really fought for his career, he made a name for himself and earned a lot of respect.

"Learning off him and knowing what hard work is about — I really appreciate having a brother like that.”

On a night where a new dawn for the Carlton Football Club was unveiled with the announcement of joint captains Patrick Cripps and Sam Docherty, Curnow senior said Curnow junior and company would play a critical role in phase two.

“What we’ve got now at the Club is good people. Charlie has got a lot of good mates from his draft and from the ones that followed,” Ed said.

“When you’ve got good people in an environment, you’re going to bounce at some stage.”

As part of the quintet who arrived via the 2015 draft, Charlie said the impetus was on the Club’s emerging leaders to step up and own the future.

“As much as it’s been a year, that we didn’t hope for, I got drafted a few years ago now with a bunch of other boys,” Charlie said.

“We’re really driving the Club forward and making sure we go in the right direction, with guys like Ed and ‘Murph’ leading the way.

“We’re going to be going places quick.”

With the curtain coming down on 2018, the attention turns to next season for the Curnows and the rest of the Old Dark Navy Blues.

And after this year’s John Nicholls Medal stalemate, you get the sense that the competition between the brothers will go up a gear in 2019.