How apt that Carlton Captain Patrick Cripps, as the previous winner, should place the Brownlow Medal over Matt Rowell’s head – on a night in which former Carlton players Michael Sexton, Chris Judd and Eddie Betts were all acknowledged by the latter as significant influences through his years as a passionate Blues supporter.
Cripps, whom history records as the only man to secure two Brownlow Medals as a Carlton player, polled 19 votes in the 2025 count – thereby taking him beyond the 200 career votes only 12 others have tallied.
With 205 career votes, Cripps has now surpassed Hawthorn’s Leigh Matthews on 202. A further six votes next year will take him past West Coast’s and Carlton’s Judd on 210, and another four beyond Dustin Martin (213) and into the top ten.
It’s extraordinary to think that in the 98 years since the first Brownlow was awarded, only six Carlton players have taken ‘Charlie’ home – Bert Deacon, John James, Gordon Collis, Chris Judd, Greg Williams and of course Cripps twice.
With his victory in the 2022 count, Cripps became Carlton’s first non-Victorian to win the Brownlow, given that Deacon hailed from Preston, James from Robinvale, Collis from Healesville, Williams from Bendigo and Judd from East Sandringham.
Deacon and Collis earned their Brownlows off centre half-back in their respective seasons, and James off a half-back flank, but Williams, Judd and Cripps accumulated their votes in midfield – and it’s definitely a midfielders’ medal, as in the past 67 years only five defenders have won Brownlows – Gavin Wanganeen in a back pocket for Essendon in 1993; Brad Hardie in a back pocket for Footscray in 1985; Ross Glendinning at centre half-back for North Melbourne in 1983, Gordon Collis as Carlton’s resident centre half-back in 1964 and Neil Roberts in that same position for St Kilda in 1958.
As with Rowell, Collis is amongst football’s corps of red-headed Brownlow Medal winners, which also includes Brad Hardie, Jason Akermanis, Adam Cooney and Carlton Coach Michael Voss.
The following is a breakdown of votes earned by Carlton’s previous Brownlow winners, including the record 45 votes amassed by Cripps at the 2024 count:
1947 count
1st Bert Deacon (Carlton) 23 votes
2nd Harold Bray (St Kilda) 21
3rd Wally Culpitt (Hawthorn) 18
3rd Ron Bywater (South Melb.) 18
Deacon polled in 12 of the 18 matches of the home and away season in which he played (having missed the Round 16 match with Essendon at Princes Park). Deacon polled 4x3 votes, 3x2 votes and 5x1 votes.
1961 count
1st John James (Carlton) 21 votes
2nd Laurie Dwyer (North Melbourne) 19
3rd Ian Law (Hawthorn) 17
James polled in eight of the 17 matches of the home and away season in which he played (having missed the Round 13 match with Fitzroy at Brunswick Street). James polled 5x3 votes and 3x2 votes.
1964 count
1st Gordon Collis (Carlton) 27 votes
2nd Ken Fraser (Essendon) 19
2nd Phil Hay (Hawthorn) 19
Collis polled in 11 of the matches of the home and away season in which he played (having missed the Round 8 match with South Melbourne at the Lakeside Oval). Collis polled 7x3 votes, 2x2 votes and 2x1 votes.
1994 Brownlow Medal count
1st Greg Williams (Carlton) 30 votes
2nd Peter Matera (West Coast) 28
3rd Garry Hocking (Geelong) 20
Williams polled in 11 of all 22 matches in which he played in a 24-round season which included two byes. Williams polled 9x3 votes, 1x2 votes and 1x1 votes.
2010 count
1st Chris Judd (Carlton) 30 votes
2nd Gary Ablett jun. (Geelong) 26
3rd Dane Swan (Collingwood) 24
Judd polled in 12 of 19 matches of the home and away season in which he played (having missed the Round 1 match with Richmond at the MCG, the Round 2 match with Brisbane at the Gabba and the Round 2 match with Essendon at the MCG.), the Round 2 games played of a possible 22 (having missed the first three against Richmond at the MCG (won by 56 points), Brisbane at the Gabba (lost by 19 points) and Essendon at the MCG (lost by 20). He polled 8x3 votes, 2x2 votes and 2x1 votes.
2022 count
1st Patrick Cripps (Carlton) 29 votes
2nd Lachie Neale (Brisbane) 28
3rd Touk Miller (Gold Coast) 27
7x3, 2x2, 4x1 in 13 games of all 21 in which he played
Cripps polled in 13 of 21 matches of the home and away season in which he played (having missed the Round 5 match with Port Adelaide at the MCG). He polled 7x3 votes, 2x2 votes and 4x1 votes.
2024 count
1st Patrick Cripps (Carlton) 45 votes
2nd Nick Daicos (Collingwood) 38
3rd Zac Butters (Port Adelaide) 29
Cripps polled in 17 of 23 matches of the home and away season in which he played. He polled 12x3 votes, 4x2 votes and 1x1 vote.
