Daicos wins Brownlow Medal with record 47 votes after two runner-up finishes
The Collingwood midfielder polled a record 47 votes to win the 2026 Brownlow Medal, his first after consecutive runner-up finishes.
Daicos led the voting for 23 of the 24 rounds and was declared winner at round 21 when his 10-vote lead became unassailable. Daicos polled votes in 18 games and set a record with six consecutive three-vote performances.
Geelong's Bailey Smith finished second with 36 votes and Western Bulldogs' Marcus Bontempelli third with 34, an 11-vote margin. Daicos became Collingwood's first medallist since Dane Swan in 2011.
The 23-year-old finished runner-up in 2024 and 2025.
Why it mattersDaicos has cemented his place among the game's elite midfielders in his fifth season and ends a long wait for his club's most prestigious award.
AustraliaThe result confirms Daicos as an AFL superstar and marks a major achievement for Collingwood supporters and fans across Australia.
✓ Claims checked against the source and corrected before publish. checked 3 d ago
