AFL Brownlow Medal 2024: Nick Daicos’ chance at emulating Chris Judd’s win in his third season

The early years of Nick Daicos and Chris Judd’s careers have often been compared. Now, the Collingwood star has a chance to emulate Judd in his third season at tonight’s Brownlow Medal.

Nick Daicos and Chris Judd. They fit nicely in the same sentence.

If everything goes right on Monday night for the Collingwood young gun then he will join one of the game’s greatest ever midfielders in a quirky Brownlow Medal fact.

Judd won his first Brownlow in his third year at the West Coast Eagles. Daicos is the equal favourite with Carlton’s Patrick Cripps to take home the game’s highest honour in his third year. It’s the 20th anniversary of the Judd victory and this week he recalled his overwhelming emotion was one of embarrassment.

Chris Judd with the 2004 Brownlow medal Picture: Joe Castro

Nick Daicos missed out last year but 2024 could be his year. Picture: Getty Images

“It was a lifetime ago. It was a thrill and good fun but very unexpected,” Judd said.

“I remember the main thing was feeling embarrassed when it became aware I was going to win it.

“In your third year you’re still only just getting to terms with that you’re an AFL player and you really don’t view yourself in that sort of company of the names who have won it before you.

“It was a bit of a funny Grand Final week because Port (Adelaide) and Brisbane were the two teams in it so there was probably a bit of attention on the Brownlow – more so than usual.”

Judd wasn’t the favourite back in 2004, that honour was bestowed on Port Adelaide forward Warren Tredrea, who didn’t share the bookmakers optimism.

It was a week he remembers fondly and it started after the Power got over the top of St Kilda in a nailbiting Friday night preliminary final.

“(Port chief executive) Brian Cunningham pulled me aside on Saturday and said our preference would be that you don’t travel (to the Brownlow), but the AFL wants to ask you what you want to do,” Tredrea said.

“They are willing to charter a flight for you, it would just be you going. For a millisecond I was like, ‘Hang on, chartered flight. Is there something in it?’.

“But then I said no thanks and I happily stayed at Alberton with my teammates.”

Channel 7 organised a live cross to Tredrea midway through the count and by that stage the Power skipper knew his Brownlow chances were gone.

Warren Tredrea at the 2004 Brownlow Medal Count at the Port Adelaide Club Rooms. Picture: AAP Image/ Rob Hutchison

“I had three big games at the start of the year but when they went three votes, two votes, one vote I knew I was gone. I thought if I was going to win I needed to go three, three, three but it didn’t happen.”

With Tredrea out of the equation, it was his cross-town rival Adelaide skipper Mark Ricciuto who was sharing the leaderboard with Judd on 21 votes after Round 17.

But like he did on the field, Judd, who turned 21 just a couple of weeks before the count, went into overdrive and ran away with Charlie.

He finished on 30 votes, seven clear of Ricciuto with Port Adelaide defender Chad Corners third on 22. Tredrea finished well back with just 15 votes, further confirming his belief that the Brownlow was a midfielder’s award.

Tredrea had been on the money coming into the night, publicly declaring he thought Judd, who’d arrived at the Eagles with the No.3 pick in the 2001 national draft, would be the winner.

“I marvelled at him playing when he first stepped into the league,” Tredrea said. “I remember West Coast were coming back from not being a great team and in his first year, 2002, I remember him playing half-forward and thought, ‘Gee, this kid has got some jets’.

“He was unbelievable and as good as (Ben) Cousins was at the time, he was just as good in his third year. He wasn’t coming to grips with AFL footy then, he was already dominating.

“I look at young Daicos, that is the comparison but they are different players. In terms of comparison both have been unbelievable but Daicos is probably a bit more of an accumulator.

“Whereas Juddy in his first, second and third year, he would grab the ball against the best mids in the comp and take off. They would be hanging off him, it would be like a water skier learning behind the boat.

“He was phenomenal and you look at the midfield around the comp then, yes today is strong but when Judd was going (Michael) Voss was at his best, (Simon) Black was at his best, (Jason) Akermanis.

“We had (Peter) Burgoyne and (Josh) Francou), there were star players like (Nathan) Buckley and (James) Hird.

“Judd just had the nitro switch. Everyone was worried about his shoulders (when he was drafted) but his legs, he’d just go bang and nobody would get near him.”

Judd was the youngest winner of the award since Essendon’s Gavin Wanganeen who won it in 1993 at the age of 20.

Six years later he would win his second Brownlow Medal, in his third year at Carlton. Again he wasn’t the favourite and many consider it one of the biggest shocks in recent times.

After missing a few counts over the journey, Judd will be in the room on Monday night to celebrate the 20th anniversary of his first win and will have his Blues hat on.

“I’ll be barracking for Crippa as he’s had a brilliant year as well but if he’s not to get it, Daicos would be a very worthy winner.”

Originally published as AFL Brownlow Medal 2024: Nick Daicos’ chance at emulating Chris Judd’s win in his third season