It'll be shown live on Setanta Sport USA, at 6:30 a.m. ET/3:30 a.m. PT Monday, for the U.S. audience. So the global audience can see what all the fuss is about over here. I'll try and keep a count on the round-by-round updates here. And yes, photos of the red carpet arrivals will be encouraged. Geelong teammates Gary Ablett Jr. and Jimmy Bartel, along with others such as North Melbourne's Brent Harvey, and St. Kilda's Nick Riewoldt are among the favorites.
Over $12 million has reportedly been bet on the Brownlow in Australia, and here's some of the current odds (as of 11 a.m. Melbourne time on Sunday)... Gary Ablett Jr. (Geelong) -- $2.35 Jimmy Bartel (Geelong) -- $3.50 Brent Harvey (North Melbourne) -- $4.40 Joel Corey (Geelong) -- $13.00 Nick Riewoldt (St. Kilda) -- $13.00 Chris Judd (Carlton) -- $14.00 Adam Cooney (Western Bulldogs) -- $15.00 Matthew Richardson (Richmond) -- $21.00 Simon Black (Brisbane) -- $23.00 Joel Selwood (Geelong) -- $23.00 That's the top ten, odds based on each $1 bet. Index of all Brownlow Medal-related betting
As favorite, Geelong's Gary Ablett Jr. is taking on his front-runner's position in stride, saying that he and girlfriend Lauren Phillips are set to relax and enjoy the night's festivities. Rundown of Brownlow Medal favorites
Admittedly, it is one of the more fun parts of watching the Brownlow -- and I am referring to the babes! Yes, the wives, girlfriends and dates of the players are quite an attraction. However, from an influential source, with regard to Brownlow-related fashion... Geelong captain's partner critical of other WAGs' Brownlow fashion choices Will "more be more" this year, rather than "less is more"? I highly doubt it, but we'll see.
The countdown's about to start. And the red-carpet arrivals are long since done. I'll try and provide updates from Round 3 onward. Now, as for the female eye candy... A few pictures: Gary Ablett Jr and girlfriend Lauren Phillips. Are we going to see a repeat of this moment later tonight? We'll see...
Brent Harvey's wife Shayne McClintock. All photos from the Herald Sun's site, incidentally... Geelong captain and All-Australian Tom Harley and partner Felicity Percival. Jeez, not following her own advice and scrutiny, is she? Alex Fevola, wife of Carlton's Brendan. Hubba, hubba... and I know Brendan Fevola, and he'll feel the same way, too...
Richmond's Brett Deledio and Katie Chivers. Carlton captain Chris Judd and Rebecca Twigley Geelong's Corey Enright and Renee Costa
Brent Harvey with Shayne McClintock Kangaroo Brent Harvey with Shayne McClintock. Jana Peterson, partner of AFL executive Andrew Catterall
And already, a hiccup... Andrew Demetriou read the Round 2 results ahead of the Round 1 results. No one knew, until someone told him. He's very red-faced about it.
After four rounds... Simon Black (Bris) -- 8 Matthew Richardson (Richmond), Joel Corey (Geelong), Ryan Griffen (WB), Mark McVeigh (Ess) and Brad Sewell (Hawthorn) -- 6 each
Through seven rounds... Richardson (Rich) -- 12 Black (Bris) -- 11 Cooney (WB) -- 10 Goodes (Syd)* -- 10 Franklin (Haw)* -- 9
Through eight rounds... Black (Bris) -- 14 Richardson (Rich) -- 13 Sewell (Haw) -- 11 Cooney (WB) -- 10
After nine rounds... S. Black (Bris) -- 15 Cooney (WB) -- 13 Richardson (Rich) -- 13 Sewell (Haw) -- 13 Goodes (Syd)* -- 12 Franklin (Haw)* -- 10 Mitchell (Haw)* -- 10 Ablett (Geelong) -- 8
After 12 rounds... S. Black (Bris) -- 20 Cooney (WB) -- 19 Goodes (Syd)* -- 19 Ablett (Geelong) -- 16 Richardson (Richmond) -- 16 Sewell (Haw) -- 13 Franklin (Haw)* -- 13 Mitchell (Haw)* -- 13 Gary Ablett Jr. has polled eight votes in the last three rounds, but his problem is the other contenders. While Black holds steady, both Cooney and Richardson each polled three votes apiece in this last round.
After 15 rounds... S. Black (Brisbane) -- 20 Ablett (Geelong) -- 19 Cooney (WB) -- 19 Goodes (Syd)* -- 19 Richardson (Richmond) -- 16 This marked the start of Gary Ablett Jr.'s month-long injury spell, where he'll miss three full games. Luckily for the favorite, no one else on this leaderboard has been able to poll votes, although Black is projected to pick up votes in the next round.
Black picks up three more votes, while no one else on the leaderboard picks up any. After 16 rounds... S. Black (Brisbane) -- 23 Ablett (Geelong) -- 19 Cooney (WB) -- 19 Goodes (Syd)* -- 19 Richardson (Richmond) -- 16
"Richo" takes the three votes in the Richmond v Brisbane match at the MCG in Round 17 -- but more importantly, no votes for Simon Black. After 17 rounds... S. Black (Brisbane) -- 23 Ablett (Geelong) -- 19 Cooney (WB) -- 19 Richardson (Richmond) -- 19 Goodes (Syd)* -- 19 Pavlich (Fremantle) -- 15
A potential controversy, as Sydney's Adam Goodes and Hawthorn's Lance Franklin -- both ineligible through suspension -- move in behind Black. After 19 rounds... S. Black (Brisbane) -- 23 Goodes (Syd)* -- 21 Franklin (Haw)* -- 20 Ablett (Geelong) -- 19 Cooney (WB) -- 19 Richardson (Richmond) -- 19 Pavlich (Fremantle) -- 15 However, Gary Ablett Jr. has made his return from injury, so we'll see if he can make a move...
Final: Adam Cooney from the Western Bulldogs is the 2008 winner of the Brownlow Medal. 24 - Adam Cooney (WB) 23 - Simon Black (Bris) 22 - Gary Ablett (Geelong) 22 - Matthew Richardson (Richmond) 21 - Adam Goodes (Sydney)* 20 - Lance Franklin (Hawthorn)* Recapping the thrilling final rounds: Round 20 - What a round! Cooney, Ablett and Richo all made a move and four players can still win. Black (23), Ablett (22), Richo (22) and Cooney (21) are in the hunt. Round 21 - The thrilling finish continues. Cooney snares a best-on-ground to grab the lead. Wow! Can the star Bulldog hang on after coming from behind? Round 22 -- As no one on the leaderboard can poll any votes, Cooney becomes the first Number 1 overall draft pick to win the Brownlow. And Gary Ablett Jr. misses out on a close vote count for the second year in a row. Cooney also becomes the first Footscray/Western Bulldog to win the Brownlow since Scott Wynd in 1992.
The more I learn about this great game, the more I appreciate how truly unique it is. Where else in the world do they have a sporting ceremony with such glamour and pageantry? Even the US, known worldwide for being "over the top" in its hype and red carpet mania, doesn't have anything like this. Aussie Sport TV just posted a red-carpet special (SHOCK!)...can't wait to watch it...
Congrats to Cooney didn't deserve it though. Had a great 1st half of the season but really faded in the 2nd.
I'm sure I'll be seen as a sour puss and congratulations to Adam Cooney but was his season as good as Gary Ablett, James Bartel, Brent Harvey or Sam Mitchell? He was good early but he fell away in the second half, I thought anyway. I know it's only an umpires award and the significance has dropped a little in the last 10 years, but I have to say when I found out he won, I was just a tad surprised.
Not as much as Simon Black, though. His Brownlow fortunes certainly mirrored that of his own team, as the Lions really struggled for second-half form, after Round 11.
Not what you would call Brownlow form but Black was reasonably consistent throughout. Brownlow wise he still had Power around but thats about it. The sorry part about Brisbane is next year will be the same. It will still be a matter of Brown and Bradshaw = win/loss.