A premature end to Gary Ablett’s season thanks to a shoulder dislocation in round 16 rocked the AFL, but it has set up what promises to be one of the most open Brownlow Medal counts in history.

A total of eight Brownlow Medals are on stand-by tonight, with a multitude of stars vying for the AFL’s most coveted individual award.

The Gold Coast captain had an iron-like grip on his status as the game’s best player by round 15, appearing a virtual lock to join Haydn Bunton Snr (Fitzroy), Dick Reynolds (Essendon), Bob Skilton (South Melbourne) and Ian Stewart (St Kilda and Richmond) as the game’s only triple Brownlow medallists.

But the chase for a third “Charlie” was made all the more harder, with shoulder surgery ending Ablett’s season seven rounds early.

2014 Gold Coast SUNS Brownlow Medal Form Guide

Nonetheless, Gold Coast’s midfield maestro is adamant he made the right decision to go under the knife, with specialists later confirming Ablett faced an 80 per cent likelihood of re-injuring his shoulder had he opted to fast-track his recovery.

“Without a doubt,” Ablett told The Herald Sun.

“After I saw the surgeon, and we had a look at the scans, I don’t think it was possible that I could have played on with the damage I had done.”

Many AFL analysts believe history will have to repeat itself if Ablett is to defy the odds, after the two-time premiership winning midfielder pipped former teammate Joel Selwood by one vote in one of the most thrilling counts in recent years just 12 months ago.

Nat Fyfe threatens to be the biggest story of the night, with the Docker a chance to become the third ineligible winner.

Fyfe turned in a superb season, and was recognised admirably when his peers voted him the AFLPA’s Most Valuable Player.

But an early season two-game suspension, for head-high contact made against GC SUN Michael Rischitelli, has put a line through his shot at a first Brownlow.

The emergence of Port’s midfield star Robbie Gray has this year’s AFLCA Player of the Year in with a real chance, with Power coach Ken Hinkley telling reporters on Saturday his young charger was “the best player in the competition this year”.

For the first time in almost three decades, 2014 could see “Chas” awarded to a key forward, with Lance Franklin’s unbelievable rise in the Harbour City likely to see this season’s Coleman Medal winner poll strongly.

Not since Lockett tied with John Platten in 1897 has a key forward won the Brownlow – marking 27 years to the day.

The 2014 Brownlow Medal will be broadcast live on 7Mate and Fox Footy throughout Queensland.