It’s the AFL’s night of nights as all attention turns to the Crown Palladium on the traditional Monday night ahead of Saturday’s Grand Final.
As the countdown draws to a close on the 2026 edition, SUNS Media takes a look back at the club’s history with the Brownlow Medal over the past 16 seasons.
Past winners
Since joining the competition in 2011, Gold Coast is one of six clubs to produce multiple winners.
Gary Ablett Jnr broke new ground as the club’s maiden Brownlow Medal winner in 2013 with a three-vote game in the final round of the season clinching the little master’s second medal. Ablett finished with 28 votes that season but it would be far more comprehensive the second time around for the SUNS 12 years later.
By Round 10 last season, Matt Rowell had polled 19 votes including six best-on-ground outings and was well on his way to a maiden Brownlow Medal. The bullish midfielder would go on to poll in every game bar one from Round 16 onwards, claiming the medal with a two-vote performance in Round 23. He finished with a club record 39 votes, a tally only bettered under the current voting model by Patrick Cripps 12 months prior.
In 2022, Touk Miller was level at the summit with Lion Lachie Neale heading into the final round before the pair were pipped by Cripps in Round 24.
Club leaders
Gary Ablett Jnr remains as the SUNS’ highest polling player with 122 votes, including 27 three-vote games, across seven seasons on the Gold Coast. There’s every chance he welcomes two more SUNS to the 100-vote club with both Rowell (89 career votes) and captain Noah Anderson (83) within reach ahead of Monday night.
Ablett still remains the AFL's all-time leading vote getter - a record he’s likely to relinquish tonight to Patrick Dangerfield.
Rowell currently sits in 12th position all-time for average votes per game (0.82).
Christian Petracca heads to tonight’s count as SUN for the first time as the leader for most three-vote games among his new club. Petracca has been voted best-on 27 times - the equal-eighth most of any current player.
Take it to the bank
Which performances will leave SUNS fans a little perplexed if they don’t translate into three vote performances?
Opening Round: Christian Petracca wasted little time endearing himself to SUNS supporters racking up 34 disposals, six clearances and three goals in a blistering season opener.
Round 1: He went one better in Round 1, slicing the Eagles apart with four majors and another six clearances.
Round 2: A career-high seven goals against the Tigers on the ‘G must surely translate to three votes for the key forward.
Round 22: one of the best individual performances of the season from Matt Rowell amassing an incredible 40 disposals, 17 clearances and 16 tackles against the Giants in Canberra.
Best chances in 2026?
Petracca is likely to be among the front runners throughout the early rounds following a blistering start to the season, while Rowell’s strong finish is likely to see him come home with a wet sail, not too dissimilar to the historic 2025 count.
According to AFL.com’s Brownlow Medal predictor, several SUNS are expected to poll votes for the first time this season including Club Champion Bodhi Uwland, Mac Andrew, Joel Jeffrey and Ethan Read.
