2008 Brownlow Medal

The 2008 Brownlow Medal was awarded to Adam Cooney of the Western Bulldogs, who was adjudged to have been the best and fairest player during the 2008 Australian Football League home and away season. It is the most prestigious individual award in Australian rules football and was held at the Crown Palladium in Melbourne, Victoria on 22 September 2008. [ [http://www.afl.com.au/AFLHQ/EventsHospitality/BrownlowMedalCount/tabid/8686/Default.aspx Brownlow Medal Count] ] Cooney polled 24 votes, one ahead of Brisbane's Simon Black, who won the award in 2002 and was equal second in 2007. Pre-vote favourite Gary Ablett and sentimental favourite Matthew Richardson finished equal third on 22 votes.cite web|url=http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,24386319-23211,00.html|title=Cooney a shock Brownlow winner|publisher=FoxSports.com.au|accessdate=2008-09-22|date=2008-09-22]

Leading votegetters

* The player was ineligible to win the medal due to suspension by the AFL Tribunal during the year.

Voting Procedure

The three field umpires (those umpires who control the flow of the game, as opposed to goal or boundary umpires) confer after each match and award 3 votes, 2 votes and 1 vote to the players they regard as the best, second best and third best in the match respectively.

Ineligible players

As the award is for the Best and "Fairest" player in the league, players found guilty of a suspendable offence by the AFL Tribunal are ineligible to win the award. In 2008 many of the leading contenders including Coleman Medallist Lance Franklin, Sam Mitchell, Adam Goodes, Brett Burton and Daniel Kerr all were found guilty of an offence and are ineligible to win the medal. [Johnson, Lyall; [http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/medal-favourites-fall-like-flies/2008/06/16/1213468334431.html Medal favourites fall like flies] ; Realfooty; 17 June 2008]

Pre-count betting

Despite changing clubs after the 2007 season, Chris Judd was installed as the early favourite when betting opened [ [http://www.rwwa.com.au/home/1638.html Judd Favourite for 2008 Brownlow] ; Racing & Wagering Western Australia; 19 December 2007] , but as the season progressed Gary Ablett, Jr. became a short-priced favourite. When Ablett injured his ankle and missed three matches, Brent Harvey moved to outright favourite. By the end of the season however, Ablett had returned to favouritism, with 2007 winner Jimmy Bartel, Harvey and Adam Cooney close behind. [Connolly, Rohan; [http://www.realfooty.com.au/news/news/harvey-ablett-headtohead-in-a-medaldefining-match/2008/08/18/1218911570765.html Harvey, Ablett head-to-head in a medal-defining match] ; Realfooty; 19 August 2008]

References