Brownlow Medal 2021: When is it, how to watch, odds, who will win

The AFL's night of nights didn't quite look the same last year and the 2021 edition will be a similar affair as the effects of the pandemic continue to be felt around the country.

Here's everything you need to know about the 2021 Brownlow Medal.

Brownlow Medal 2021 Betting Guide: Odds, club-by-club votes, tips, markets, predictor, winner, data, bets

WHEN IS THE 2021 BROWNLOW MEDAL?

Traditionally, the Brownlow Medal ceremony is held on the Monday night before AFL grand final day.

Though last year, it was moved to the preceding Sunday, with that set to continue in 2021.

The AFL has confirmed the grand final will be played in Perth on September 25, with the Brownlow Medal ceremony is to be held on Sunday, September 19.

The medal count will begin at 5:30pm AWST/7:30pm AEST. 

WHERE IS IT?

Perth has been named as host of all major events leading into the grand final, including the Brownlow Medal, with Optus Stadium to host a portion of the event, featuring players from WA and South Australia.

The Gabba will also host Queensland-based players, while players in Victoria and New South Wales will tune in remotely from home.

AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan will be reading the votes out from Optus Stadium.

HOW CAN I WATCH IT?

As usual, Channel 7 will broadcast the Brownlow Medal ceremony. The broadcast kicks off at 7pm from the red carpet, with the vote count beginning at 7:30pm AEST/5:30pm AWST.

No word on who will host yet, though Hamish McLachlan assumed the role last year, alongside Jacqui Felgate.

2021 BROWNLOW MEDAL ODDS

Odds via Palmerbet, correct as of 17/9/21.

2021 BROWNLOW PREDICTOR

Want the inside word on who's set to take out Charlie this year? Look no further.

Throughout the season, your pals at Sporting News have, just like the umpires, given a 3-2-1 for every game.

Here's what we came up with.

Take a look at the business end of our leaderboard below.

We've got a pair of inside midfield bulls in Port Adelaide's Ollie Wines and Melborne's Clayton Oliver as the equal favourites to win this year's Brownlow.

According to our predictor, Dogs skipper and recently crowned AFLPA MVP Marcus Bontempelli will lead for much of the year only to be pipped right on the line.

Injuries hampered the seasons of the past two winners in Lachie Neale and Nat Fyfe, leaving it a wide open race.

Oh, and if you're not a midfielder, you may as well stay home.

WHICH PLAYERS ARE INELIGIBLE TO WIN THE BROWNLOW?

Any player suspended for a week or more is ineligible for the Brownlow Medal.

Adelaide Crows: N/A
Brisbane Lions: Dayne Zorko (Round 12)
Carlton: Lachie Plowman (Round 10), Zac Williams (Round 15)
Collingwood: Mark Keane (Round Five), Jordan De Goey (Round 13), Brody Mihocek (Round 22)
Essendon: N/A
Fremantle: Nathan Wilson (Round 12), Andrew Brayshaw (Round 21)
Geelong Cats: Patrick Dangerfield (Round One), Gary Rohan (Round Two)
Gold Coast SUNS: Touk Miller (Round Eight)
GWS GIANTS: Sam Reid (Round Two), Jeremy Finlayson (Round Eight), Toby Greene (Round 21)
Hawthorn: Mitchell Lewis (Round Four), Kyle Hartigan (Round 10), James Worpel (Round 13)
Melbourne: Jack Viney (Round 20)
North Melbourne: N/A
Port Adelaide: Scott Lycett (Round Eight)
Richmond: Marlion Pickett (Round 10)
St Kilda: Daniel McKenzie (Round Six)
Sydney Swans: Sam Wicks (Round 13)
West Coast Eagles: Liam Ryan (Round 15)
Western Bulldogs: Caleb Daniel (Round Four)

BONTEMPELLI WINS AFLPA MVP

Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli capped off a brilliant season by taking out the AFL Players' Association MVP award.

Bontempelli finished on 1176 votes, picking up his first MVP award well ahead of Carlton's Sam Walsh.

The 25-year-old averaged 27 disposals per game, while kicking a career-high 26 goals in 2021.

AFLPA MVP top five

1. Marcus Bontempelli (1176 votes)
2. Sam Walsh (426)
3. Touk Miller (411)
4. Christian Petracca (338)
5. Jack Steele (261)

BROWNLOW MEDAL HISTORY

The Brownlow Medal, or 'The Charles Brownlow Trophy', is awarded to the AFL's best and fairest player.

It was first awarded in 1924 and has been awarded every season since, barring 1942-45 because of World War II.

The medal is named after Charles Brownlow, a former Geelong Football Club footballer (1880-1891), club secretary (1885-1923), and VFL president (1918-19), who died in January 1924 after an extended illness.

Cats player Edward 'Carji' Greeves won the inaugural medal on a total of seven votes, with just a single vote given from each game to the player the umpire thought was best on ground.

The lowest winning tally has been four which secured Richmond's Stan Judkins the medal in 1930 (later shared with Allan Hopkins of Footscray and Collingwood's Harry Collier on countback), while Dustin Martin's 36 votes in 2017 is the record highest total under the current system.

Four players have won the medal three times: Haydn Bunton (Fitzroy 1931, '32, '35), Dick Reynolds (Essendon 1934, '37, '38), Bob Skilton (South Melbourne 1959, '63, '68) and Ian Stewart (St Kilda 1965, '66, Richmond 1971). 

Nat Fyfe is the only current player to have won it more than once.

HOW DOES THE VOTING WORK?

At the end of each game in the home-and-away season, the umpires award three votes to the best player, two to the second-best player, and one to the third-best player.

The votes are tallied and revealed on the night of the ceremony, with the player with the most votes receiving the Brownlow Medal (subject to eligibility).

The fairest component of the medal is achieved by making any player ineligible who is suspended by the AFL Tribunal during the home-and-away season.

An ineligible player can't win the Brownlow Medal, regardless of the number of votes he has received.

This came into play in 1996, 1997 and 2012, when Corey McKernan, Chris Grant and Jobe Watson were all ineligible to win the Brownlow.

PREVIOUS WINNERS OF THE BROWNLOW MEDAL

Here's who's won the Brownlow Medal since 2010, showcasing the dominance of midfielders in the award.

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