It’s been a busy month for Gold Coast SUNS skipper Gary Ablett, the twenty seven year old collecting the inaugural Club Champion trophy before being named in the AFL All Australian team as Captain.

And then last night in Melbourne’s Crown Casino, Gary Ablett polled an incredible 23 Brownlow medal votes during one of the most exciting counts in Brownlow history.

While eventual winning Dane Swan was a member of the all conquering Collingwood side that this week squares off against Geelong in the Grand Final. Ablett’s 23 votes were secured whilst leading a first year team who finished the regular season with three wins and at the bottom of the Premiership ladder.

It was the also the fifth successive year that Ablett polled twenty or more votes, the first time in Brownlow history a player has done so.

Gary first tasted Brownlow success in 2009 whilst playing with the Geelong Cats, and showed during his first season as captain of the Gold Coast SUNS, that AFL fans haven’t yet seen the best of the premiership leading Midfielder.

Ablett scored the maximum available votes following the Clubs round five win against Port Adelaide, Gold Coasters making a clean sweep of the round with Michael Rischitelli and Brandon Matera collecting two and one votes respectively.

Jarred Brennan with two votes and Zac Smith with one were the next to collect votes for the Gold Coast SUNS following the Clubs win over Brisbane in QCLASH 1, whilst Ablett was again judged best on field during the GC SUNS loss against the Adelaide Crows in round eight.

Jarrod Harbrow secured a vote on the night the Gold Coast SUNS opened the Metricon Stadium gates against Geelong in round ten, Ablett again in the thick of the action collecting two votes as the GC SUNS rallied late, but fell short against the West Coast Eagles in Perth.

The nominations kept coming for the Clubs inaugural skipper who added a further two votes to his tally against North Melbourne in round twelve, and again in round fourteen despite the Gold Coasters suffering a heavy loss against the Western Bulldogs.

Back in Perth for their round fifteen clash with Fremantle and Ablett was the pick of the bunch collecting three votes after a strong outing in the West before playing a lead role in the Gold Coast SUNS historic win over Richmond in Cairns.

It was the first time AFL Premiership points had been contested in the Far Northern and Ablett edged out the Clubs number one draft pick David Swallow for the maximum votes on offer.

Outstanding all season, Nathan Bock was awarded two votes as the Gold Coast fell agonisingly short against St Kilda at Metricon Stadium in round 19, Ablett collecting the final available vote. Bock was again the best of the GC SUNS players in round twenty two.

It was the night Brisbane bounced back to claim QCLASH 2. The Gold Coast skipper secured a further vote in round twenty two, the Gold Coast unable to keep pace in their return match against the Crows.

Ensuring he left nothing in the tank, Ablett was again best on ground, securing three votes as the GC SUNS found themselves just nine points shy of an undermanned Hawthorn in the final match of the Gold Coast’s debut season, Brandon Matera also rewarded with a final vote in his first season of AFL.