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Nick Daicos Wins Record-Breaking Brownlow Medal
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Daicos Secures First Brownlow Medal with Historic 47 Votes
On September 21, 2026, Collingwood midfielder Nick Daicos was presented with his first Brownlow Medal, the AFL’s highest individual honour. He amassed 47 votes, the highest total ever recorded in the 3-2-1 voting era, surpassing the previous record of 45 votes set by Carlton’s Patrick Cripps in 2024. Daicos clinched the award with three rounds of the home-and-away season still to play, finishing 10 votes ahead of Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli.
Season Performance and Path to Victory
The 23-year-old’s season featured 13 best-on-ground performances, including six consecutive from round 15 to round 20. He averaged 34.9 disposals, 5.7 clearances, and 1.1 goals per game. Daicos also captured the AFL Players Association MVP and the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year awards, becoming the first player since Lachie Neale to win all three major individual honours in a single season. Prior to 2026 he had finished third (2023), second (2024, 2025) and eighth (2022) in Brownlow counts.
Voting Statistics and Historical Context
- 47 votes – new all-time high.
- 13 best-on-ground games – fresh benchmark.
- Polled in 18 of 22 matches, missing one due to a calf injury.
- First Collingwood Brownlow winner since Dane Swan in 2011.
- This season marked the first time AFL umpires could consult detailed player statistics when allocating votes.
Official Statements & Responses
Nike, Daicos’s principal sponsor, had promoted the win as “inevitable” in a front-page advertisement earlier in the week, a claim vindicated by the record tally. The AFL confirmed that umpires were granted access to comprehensive match statistics for the first time, a procedural shift intended to enhance voting transparency. Regarding the Sydney Swans players suspended for breaching club standards, the league clarified that they remained eligible to receive Brownlow votes, and all such votes were counted in the final total.
Impact and Significance
Daicos’s victory ends a 15-year Brownlow drought for Collingwood and reinforces his status as one of the most accomplished young players in AFL history. In his acceptance speech, he highlighted a personal connection with eight-year-old Logan, a child battling cancer, noting that the platform provided by professional football allowed him to bring joy to the youngster and that Logan had, in turn, taught him valuable lessons. The win also positions Daicos as the favourite for the club’s Copeland Trophy, awarded next month.
What’s Next
The Collingwood Football Club will present Daicos with the Copeland Trophy in the coming weeks, further cementing his place among the Magpies’ all-time greats.