Update The AFL Brownlow Medal Voting System - To Include Statistics
Update The AFL Brownlow Medal Voting System - To Include Statistics
The issue
First, I would like to congratulate Patrick Cripps on his incredible achievement of winning the 2024 Brownlow Medal with a record-breaking 45 votes! His outstanding performances throughout the season have cemented his status as one of the AFL’s greats, and he fully deserves this historic win.
However, while Cripps’ season was nothing short of remarkable, the 2024 Brownlow count also exposed issues with the current voting system. At present, umpires cast their votes based purely on memory and perception, without the benefit of post-game statistics. This approach led to some surprising and questionable outcomes during this year’s count.
For instance, in Round 2, Marcus Bontempelli was phenomenal, racking up 32 disposals, 2 goals, and a 68% disposal efficiency. Despite this dominant performance, he did not poll any votes. This oversight highlights the limitations of a voting process that doesn’t utilize critical game data.
Conversely, there were instances where players polled votes despite statistically average games:
Patrick Cripps (Round 13): While Cripps is an amazing player, his 19 disposals, no goals, a 47% disposal efficiency, and 3 Inside 50s didn’t quite reflect a standout performance. Yet, he still managed to poll 2 votes in that round, which raises questions about consistency.
Nick Daicos (Round 13): Daicos recorded just 15 disposals, 1 goal*, a 68% disposal efficiency, and 1 Inside 50s yet he polled 1 vote. Based on his numbers, there were likely other players who contributed more significantly but were overlooked.
These examples underscore the need for a fairer, more objective voting system that incorporates key statistics alongside umpire observations. While stats shouldn’t be the sole factor in determining votes, they should complement the umpires' impressions to avoid missing or misjudging standout performances.
By including metrics such as Disposals, Goals/Behinds, Disposal Efficiency, Contested/Uncontested Possessions, Inside 50s, and Pressure Acts, the Brownlow voting system would more accurately reflect a player’s contribution on the field.
Join us in urging the AFL to modernize the Brownlow Medal voting system, ensuring it is fair, transparent, and reflective of modern football. Let’s bring in a system that celebrates players who truly deserve recognition based on their full performance!
Sign this petition today to make a change!
92
The issue
First, I would like to congratulate Patrick Cripps on his incredible achievement of winning the 2024 Brownlow Medal with a record-breaking 45 votes! His outstanding performances throughout the season have cemented his status as one of the AFL’s greats, and he fully deserves this historic win.
However, while Cripps’ season was nothing short of remarkable, the 2024 Brownlow count also exposed issues with the current voting system. At present, umpires cast their votes based purely on memory and perception, without the benefit of post-game statistics. This approach led to some surprising and questionable outcomes during this year’s count.
For instance, in Round 2, Marcus Bontempelli was phenomenal, racking up 32 disposals, 2 goals, and a 68% disposal efficiency. Despite this dominant performance, he did not poll any votes. This oversight highlights the limitations of a voting process that doesn’t utilize critical game data.
Conversely, there were instances where players polled votes despite statistically average games:
Patrick Cripps (Round 13): While Cripps is an amazing player, his 19 disposals, no goals, a 47% disposal efficiency, and 3 Inside 50s didn’t quite reflect a standout performance. Yet, he still managed to poll 2 votes in that round, which raises questions about consistency.
Nick Daicos (Round 13): Daicos recorded just 15 disposals, 1 goal*, a 68% disposal efficiency, and 1 Inside 50s yet he polled 1 vote. Based on his numbers, there were likely other players who contributed more significantly but were overlooked.
These examples underscore the need for a fairer, more objective voting system that incorporates key statistics alongside umpire observations. While stats shouldn’t be the sole factor in determining votes, they should complement the umpires' impressions to avoid missing or misjudging standout performances.
By including metrics such as Disposals, Goals/Behinds, Disposal Efficiency, Contested/Uncontested Possessions, Inside 50s, and Pressure Acts, the Brownlow voting system would more accurately reflect a player’s contribution on the field.
Join us in urging the AFL to modernize the Brownlow Medal voting system, ensuring it is fair, transparent, and reflective of modern football. Let’s bring in a system that celebrates players who truly deserve recognition based on their full performance!
Sign this petition today to make a change!
92
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Petition created on 23 September 2024