Adelaide Captain Jordan Dawson is firming as the Crows’ leading Brownlow Medal hopeful ahead of the AFL’s night of nights on Monday.
The Brownlow Medal recognises the AFL’s best and fairest player across the home-and-away season, with umpires awarding 3-2-1 votes after each match and the player who polls the most votes at season’s end declared the winner.
Should two or more players lead the count in a tie, multiple winners will be crowned.
The medal will be awarded at the Crown Palladium on Monday, with broadcast beginning on Channel 7 and 7Mate at 7pm (ACST), before the official count gets underway at 7.30pm.
Ahead of the League’s highest individual award, here’s everything you need to know.
Crows to watch at this year’s count
The Crows skipper is forecast to poll well, ensuring he remains a player to watch on Brownlow night.
In his fourth campaign as Captain, Dawson averaged 26.5 disposals, 5.7 tackles, 4.1 and clearances across 20 minor round games.
His best game this season came against the Western Bulldogs in Round 14, in which he amassed 32 disposals, 17 contested possessions, seven clearances and kicked three goals.
Dawson’s stellar season culminated with the 29-year-old being named Vice Captain of the All-Australian team, and being awarded the AFLPA’s Best Captain and Most Courageous.
He also led the Coaches Votes for Adelaide, with 80 in 12 games, including four maximum scores of 10.
Midfielder Izak Rankine is set to be among Adelaide’s leading vote-getters after a career-best year.
Rankine shone with a permanent shift into the Crows’ on-ball brigade, averaging 24.4 disposals, 5.2 clearances and 4.1 tackles across 20 minor round games.
His campaign was highlighted by a record-breaking 223 Champion Data ranking points for his performance against Richmond in Round 22.
The 26-year-old amassed more than 30 disposals seven times during the year and earned selection in the 2026 All-Australian squad.
Rankine polled Coaches Votes in nine games, for a total of 67.
Fellow midfielder Sam Berry could also be one for Crows fans to watch on Monday night after a breakout season.
Berry led the competition for effective tackles, with 160, six clear of Brisbane’s Josh Dunkley.
The 24-year-old has received six Brownlow votes leading into the 2026 count.
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.
Before Ricciuto’s win, Crows star Andrew McLeod finished third in 2000 and runner-up in 2001.
Scott Thompson has polled the most overall Brownlow Medal votes in Club history with 152, followed by Ricciuto (146), McLeod (144) and Rory Sloane (108).
Rory Laird has received the most votes for any current Adelaide player, with 105, while McLeod holds the Crows’ record for most three-vote games with 31.
In last year’s Brownlow Medal count, Dawson had a career-best finish coming in fourth overall.
Dawson ended the 2025 count with 27 votes, with only Geelong’s Bailey Smith (29 votes), Collingwood’s Nick Daicos (32), and winner, Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell (39), polling ahead.
The Skipper also broke the Club’s single-season vote record, which was previously held by Scott Thompson (25 votes in 2012).
Rankine polled 15 votes, while Riley Thilthorpe (14), Ben Keays (nine), and Alex Neal-Bullen (eight) rounded out the Club’s top five in 2025.
How to watch
The 2026 Brownlow Medal will be broadcast live on Channel 7 Adelaide and 7Mate from 7pm (ACST).
Key Brownlow Medal timings (ACST)
Red carpet guest arrivals: 4.45pm
Red Carpet broadcast: 7pm
Brownlow Medal count broadcast begins: 7.30pm
Virgin Australia Mark of the Year winner announced: 8.05pm
Retirees segment: 8.20pm
Goal of the Year winner announced: 8.30pm
Jim Stynes Community Award winner announced: 8.55pm
Brownlow Medal winner announced: 9.40pm
Brownlow Medal broadcast ends: 10.15pm
