Adelaide Captain Jordan Dawson is emerging as a strong contender for the AFL’s highest individual honour, the Brownlow Medal, which will be awarded on Monday night.

Umpires vote 3-2-1 for the best and fairest players in every match, and the player who receives the most votes at the end of the home-and-away season is declared the winner. 

Should two or more players lead the count in a tie, multiple winners are crowned.

The medal will be awarded at the Crown Palladium on Monday, with broadcast beginning at 7pm (ACST).

The 2025 AFL Rising Star will also be awarded on Monday night.

Ahead of the prestigious award, here’s everything you need to know.

Crows to watch at this year’s count

Crows fans are likely to see Dawson feature throughout the vote count, with the Skipper being tipped to poll well.

In his third season as Captain, Dawson finished the minor round averaging 23.4 possessions and 4.4 clearances per game, and rated elite amongst the competition for average tackles (7.4).

The reigning co-Club Champion winner showcased his ability to help the Crows over the line in countless games with his attack on the footy and hunger to win one-on-one contests.

Dawson’s stellar season included being named in the All-Australian team as Vice Captain, the AFLPA’s Best Captain, while also finishing fifth in the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year award, with 90 coaches’ votes.

Key forward Riley Thilthorpe is likely to be among Adelaide’s vote-getters after a career-best season.

Thilthorpe finished the 2025 campaign as the Crows’ leading goalkicker with 55 majors from 23 games.

The 23-year-old also averaged 13.7 disposals at 67.1 per cent efficiency, 5.7 marks, 2.1 inside 50s, 6.7 score involvements, 1.9 contested marks and two tackles.

His efforts earned him an inaugural All-Australian blazer, making the team alongside Dawson.

Fellow forward Izak Rankine is also expected to poll well for the Crows, despite being ineligible for the Brownlow due to suspension.

Rankine lined up in 22 games this season, averaging 20.5 possessions, was rated elite for average clearances with 4.4, and kicked 31 goals.

Crows Brownlow history

Adelaide premiership great and former Captain Mark Ricciuto is the Club’s only Brownlow Medallist, jointly winning alongside Sydney’s Adam Goodes and Collingwood’s Nathan Buckley in 2003.

The trio finished the count with 22 votes apiece.

Ricciuto averaged 23.5 disposals in his Brownlow Medal year, and booted 24 goals.

He polled more votes in the 2004 season but finished runner-up.

Crows star Andrew McLeod finished third in 2000 and runner-up in 2001, before Ricciuto became the first Adelaide player to win the medal.

Scott Thompson holds the record for the most votes in one season for Adelaide, receiving 25 in 2012.

He also has polled the most overall votes, with 152. Next is Ricciuto (146), followed by McLeod (144).

Rory Laird has received the most votes for any current Adelaide player, with 100, while McLeod holds the Crows’ record for most three-vote games with 31.

Dawson has the highest votes per game average, with 0.69.

Rising Star Award

The AFL’s Rising Star will be awarded at the event on Monday night, with Crows young gun Dan Curtin a potential to claim the Ron Evans Medal.

Curtin, 20, enjoyed a standout second season, lining up in every game, including Adelaide’s two finals series.

He received a Rising Star nomination in Round 13 and was noted for his improved form, particularly after transitioning to the wing.

The utility, who also swung forward at times during the season, averaged 13.2 disposals across 23 games, having claimed 26 disposals on two occasions (R6 v Richmond, and R18 v the Bulldogs).

The Telstra AFL Rising Star is chosen through two main phases - A panel of experts nominate one eligible player each week of the regular season based on their performance in that specific round.

Then, at the end of the season, the same panel casts 5-4-3-2-1 votes for the nominated players to determine the overall winner.

Eligibility requires players to be under 21 by January 1 that year, and to have played 10 or fewer senior games before the season started, with suspensions making a player ineligible to win the award.

Former Crow Daniel Talia is the only Adelaide player to have won the Rising Star award, taking it home in 2012.

The 2025 Brownlow will be broadcast on Monday, September 22, on Channel 7, from 7pm, (ACST), with the count to get underway from 7.30pm.