Nick Daicos wins Brownlow Medal for 2026 with the Collingwood star dominating the count on AFL's most glamorous night

Crowd favourite Nick Daicos has won the 2026 Brownlow Medal.

Daicos, 23, was announced as winner of the prestigious award at the counting ceremony at Crown Melbourne at 10pm on Monday night. 

The Collingwood star was bettors' favourite to win this year's Brownlow Medal after just falling short of the award in the last three seasons, despite being favourite.  

He was already named player of the season by the AFL Players Association and AFL Coaches Association.

Daicos received 47 votes for his first Brownlow, the most ever collected by a player. 

The former record for number of votes belonged to Carlton's Patrick Cripps who collected 45 in 2024.

Daicos was also the first player to have six consecutive three-point games and polled in 18 of his 22 matches.

'I never thought I'd be up on this stage. It's something that I genuinely have to pinch myself,' Daicos said while accepting the medal. 

When asked about his previous forecasted Brownlow wins, Daicos joked: 'I've just learned not to trust the the betting markets, to be honest.

'But as I said, it's a massive award and I'm so privileged to be up here.

'I can't believe I'm a Brownlow medallist.' 

Daicos averaged 34.9 disposals, 5.7 clearances, 6.7 inside-50s and 1.1 goals. 

He won the AFL's greatest individual honour from Geelong star Bailey Smith, who received 36 votes, and Western Bulldogs champion Marcus Bontempelli, who scored 34 votes.

Daicos, the Collingwood vice-captain who's widely expected to be named skipper next season, is the club's first Brownlow medallist since Dane Swan in 2011.

Behind Bontempelli and Smith were Melbourne skipper Max Gawn at 28 votes, Brisbane star Will Ashcroft with 27, Carlton's two-time winner Patrick Cripps with 27 and North Melbourne's Harry Sheezel also at 27. 

Port Adelaide superstar Zak Butters, set to join Bontempelli at the Bulldogs next season, was among the contenders before his late-season ankle injury and finished on 26.

Brisbane's Conor McKenna won goal of the year while Hawthorn dynamo Nick Watson was awarded mark of the year. 

The Brownlow Medal is awarded to the best and fairest player according to umpires.

Umpires award votes to the three best players of every game, excluding finals.

The best player is given three votes, followed by two votes for the second-best and one vote for the third-best.

The number of votes is kept secret until the Brownlow ceremony.