Jason Akermanis was excited to be at the 2001 Brownlow Medal because he didn’t have to cook but that changed quickly

JASON Akermanis went to the 2001 Brownlow Medal function in Brisbane excited about the prospect of a “free feed”, and left with the game’s highest individual honour.

JASON Akermanis went to the 2001 Brownlow Medal function in Brisbane excited about the prospect of a “free feed”, and left with the game’s highest individual honour.

Never in his wildest dreams did the Brisbane Lions back pocket-cum-midfielder dare even think that night he might actually be taking Charlie home.

Akermanis had polled OK previously, leading the Lions with 13 votes in 1999, but winning the medal wasn’t part of the plan. Not at that stage, anyway.

“I was starting to attract votes, so I knew that at some stage I could be a chance to get more votes and if I got more votes then naturally you’re going to be a chance,” Akermanis said.

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“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t picture it and dream about it, just as a process, you think ‘Gee that’d be nice’ while you’re sitting in those rooms in 1999 and 2000.”

The night started well for Akermanis, who enjoyed driving his new car — picked up earlier that day — to the Gabba with his “lovely” wife-to-be Megan.

“I was feeling pretty good about myself. I was going to the Gabba, I was going to get a free feed, which you’re always excited about because it saves you cooking for a night anyway.”

Jason Akermanis celebrates his Brownlow win with wife-to-be Megan.

It was business as usual until Akermanis, who was 24 at the time and rarely seen let alone heard outside Brisbane, outgunned the favourite, Adelaide superstar Andrew McLeod, through Rounds 5-9.

The pair went vote-for-vote, with Akermanis polling in four of the five games, including two best-on-grounds, and again in Round 11 to set up a two-vote lead at the halfway mark.

Akermanis will never forget the interview he gave as leader midway through the count.

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“I’m the most relaxed man you’ve ever seen because I knew the second half of the year wasn’t that good,” he said.

“I was pretty happy because we were going to play the Grand Final, our first Grand Final, against Essendon, so I was pretty focused on that. I was very distracted by that.”

True to his word, the votes dried up after Round 11, as they did for McLeod, who went six consecutive rounds without a mention.

When Akermanis bobbed up first, with two votes in Round 16 — a solid 25-disposal game — it sent the Legends Room at the Gabba into a frenzy.

Akermanis in full flight in 2001.

The Lions’ media manager, Peter Blucher, was among those to circle around the Akermanis table as the medal count reached its crescendo.

“He’d say to me, ‘Mate, you know, you could win this’ and of course you’re going, ‘We’ll see, mate’,” Akermanis said.

“I wasn’t not thinking it would happen. I was excited that it could, but I wasn’t thinking it would.”

The focus on McLeod, the centre of attention at the gala in Melbourne, intensified when he rattled off eight votes in three games to jump ahead of Akermanis by one after Round 19.

Akermanis was a late withdrawal the following week, but knew he had one more chance to poll, in Round 21.

“I hadn’t played too bad (against Geelong), but I got three votes and that was the one that kind of gave me (the realisation I could win the medal),” he said.

Akermanis anxiously watches the vote count.

Akermanis was the first Brownlow medallist since the count was first broadcast live on television in 1970 to win the coveted award and not be in the room.

He recalls the well-received but “awkward” interview — via video link — with legendary broadcaster Bruce McAvaney.

“The whole interview process was probably the first time that anyone really had seen me outside of Brisbane,” Akermanis said.

“I look back at a guy who’s got pimples and is very awkward, and I feel very awkward looking at him.

“It was a bit nerve-racking. I wasn’t really sure what to say.”

Akermanis now is training for a trek to Everest Base Camp in November.

He lives in Albury, on the NSW-Victorian border, and coaches North Albury in the Ovens and Murray league.