Neale swamps rivals in Brownlow Medal

A day after the Lions premiership hopes were dashed, Lachie Neale was crowned as a history-making Brownlow medallist.

Lions midfielder Lachie Neale poses with the Brownlow Medal at the Gabba Picture: Getty Images

Brisbane midfielder Lachie Neale capped a remarkable season on Sunday night by claiming the Brownlow Medal in dominant fashion at an awards ceremony with a difference.

The 27-year-old had previously claimed the players and coaches association awards in 2020, as well as earning All Australian status for a second year in succession.

The raging favourite claimed AFL’s most prestigious individual medal with daylight second in a one-sided count.

After Neale polled an eighth best afield from 12 matches, the medal was all but in his possession.

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In the history of the count no one had polled more than his 25 votes after 12 rounds, passing the 23 set by his former Dockers teammate and dual-winner Nat Fyfe.

Had it been a normal season, Neale might well have broken all the records.

“It is unbelievable,” he said. “I feel really humbled to be in this position and to be among those names is pretty crazy to me.

“I never imagined I would be among those players. I am very proud to have won it this year.”

Officially, the medal was sealed by round 16. Neale ultimately finished the abridged 17-match season with 31 votes, 10 clear of Port Adelaide’s Travis Boak with Melbourne’s Christian Petracca and St Kilda’s Jack Steele a further vote back.

It marked a bittersweet weekend for the Lion after Brisbane’s premiership hopes were dashed when beaten by 40 points by Geelong in a preliminary final on Saturday night at The Gabba.

In a season where the majority of the matches were played in Queensland, coronavirus restrictions also altered the Brownlow Medal night.

Players gathered at six small functions around Australia, AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan read the votes at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast while his brother Hamish hosted the night on the Seven Network.

Neale was among those gathered at The Gabba, where he was commiserating with his teammates while being celebrated by the rest of the competition including Petracca, who was sitting nearby.

Such were the restrictions, Neale awarded himself the medal.

Perhaps the Lions only challenger might have been first-year Gold Coast footballer Matt Rowell. His stunning start to his career caught the eyes of the umpires.

The number one pick in last year’s national draft and Neale polled best afield votes between rounds two and four to share the lead before Rowell’s season was ended by a shoulder injury.

“It is pretty cool to be up there with some of those players at the moment,” Rowell said.

Neale spent an isolation period in his home town of Kybybolite in South Australia and it suited him.

For when he returned to Brisbane, he produced a history-making run for the Lions when reeling off four best afields in succession between rounds two and five.

Second-season Blue Sam Walsh was awarded Mark of the Year for a courageous effort when running with the flight of the ball and crashing into a pack against Port Adelaide. Josh Daicos, the son of famous Magpie Peter Daicos, kicked the Goal of the Season.

Tiger Bachar Houli was awarded the Jim Stynes Medal for his community leadership in terms of the work his foundation does.