No red faces as Sam Mitchell fades in Brownlow count

SAM Mitchell had the AFL holding its breath as the embarrassment of having an ineligible Brownlow winner was narrowly avoided.

Sam Mitchell

SAM Mitchell missed his first Brownlow Medal count since 2002 and had the AFL holding its collective breath as the embarrassment of having an ineligible winner of the award was narrowly avoided.

As Collingwood star Dane Swan won the medal that many thought should have been his last year, Mitchell led the count as late as Round 20 before being overrun in the final four rounds.

Mitchell polled 30 votes - the most by any ineligible player and the most by a Hawthorn player under the current 3-2-1 system - to finish only four votes adrift of Swan, with St Kilda's Nick Dal Santo on 28.

The 28-year-old Hawk watched the medal count from his home with family and friends while threatening to join North Melbourne's Corey McKernan (1996) and Western Bulldog Chris Grant (1997) as the only players denied the AFL's highest individual honour due to a suspension or reprimand.

The hard-working midfielder accepted a reprimand but was not suspended for making high contact to Geelong's Steve Johnson in Round 5, but given his initial points from the match review panel exceeded 100, he was deemed ineligible for the award.

Luke Hodge admitted during the tense count that he hoped that his teammate would stop polling late in the night, to avert further disappointment for Mitchell and the Hawks after their heartbreaking, three-point preliminary final loss to Collingwood last Friday.

"I would love him to get the most votes because he deserves it, but hopefully Dane Swan comes home hard," Hodge said on Channel 7 when Mitchell led after Round 20.

"I think he is sitting at home with some family members. Hopefully for him, he doesn't poll any more.

"I know that's a bad thing to say."

Hodge said there had never been a thought of Mitchell challenging his charge after it was known he could accept a reprimand and play against Port Adelaide the next week.

"Once 'Mitch' got the opportunity to play, he didn't want to miss it (the Port Adelaide game)," he said. "He had the total focus on the team."

The issue of a player not suspended being ineligible for the Brownlow Medal has been a hot talking point since Mitchell's minimal front-on contact with Johnson. Triple Brownlow medallists Bob Skilton and Ian Stewart both claimed last weekend that the AFL should change the rules.

Hawthorn's Lance Franklin, also ineligible because of suspension, led early and ended up with 20 votes.