Swan's Shock Brownlow Miss Post by: Dave-O 21 September, 2010 - 11:06 AM

(Photo: Getty Images)

It was Brownlow Number two for Chris Judd when he was declared the winner of the 2010 Brownlow Medal.

The Carlton skipper polled 30 votes finishing four ahead of last year's winner Gary Ablett, while Magpie Dane Swan finished third with 24 votes.

With Swan the raging favourite going into the count, Judd told Channel 10 he gave himself no chance of winning.

"I can honestly say none at all. Dane's [Swan] had an amazing year. I don't think anyone comes to these things expecting to win."

On Triple M's Hot Breakfast Luke Darcy said that Chris Judd was a worthy winner.

"He's had an extraordinary career. To see [him] come across in different circumstances. At West Coast he had the gun midfield, like Ben Cousins and Daniel Kerr, and he's had to single-handedly do it on his own."

However, Eddie McGuire thought Dane Swan was very unlucky not to win. "I thought Dane Swan would be the player of the year but that's not what the Brownlow is about. The Brownlow is an award voted by the umpires.

"And there in lies the tale. The umpires vote. They don't sit there with sheets of stats. They vote on their gut. And obviously the way Chris Judd plays is very fair in most instances."

However, Eddie did question how Judd could poll three points in a losing side. "The one that stood out was as the Carlton captain he got three votes in a 10-goal losing game to Collingwood."

Judd is the first player in Brownlow history to poll best on ground votes in five successive games.

Leave your comment

• Les Vains says

  I agree with Eddie. Round 6 Carlton lost, Swan 31 poss, Pendelbury 29 poss, Judd 37 poss... Judd 3 votes.

  Rounds 5 & 7 Judd & Carrazzo same poss, Round 8 Carrazzo 28, Judd 27 Judd coloured Glasses as round 4 (first back) 30 poss while Walker 36 and Murphy 32.

  I agree he is a great player but sometimes being known is its own reward.

  Posted Tuesday 21 September, 2010 3:37 PM
• Michelle Scicluna says

  Why can he still be eligible for the Brownlow when he was suspended for 3 games this season? If he had gouged someone's eye in Round 1 he would be ineligible! Why are reports made during the previous years' finals series and suspensions that take place in the current season not considered when determining whether someone is ineligible? I think the AFL should change their rules on this.

  Posted Tuesday 21 September, 2010 5:23 PM
• Sam Comley says

  Judd is a gun, you cant honestly say he didn't deserve it, if you watch the games he played this year he was constantly tagged and tagged heavily... he still manages to get the most or close to the most possessions and contested possessions and nearly all of them are effective... Dane Swan and Garry Ablett both get lots of disposals but they don't get there own ball, they get it fed out to them by the rest of there experienced midfield... also both of them use the ball less effectively then Judd... Judd stands out in the games he played in and when he is firing he is firing and is clearly best on ground, and you can see that, Swan and Ablett don't stand out as much and even tho they are both stars, when they are firing they are not always best on ground... JUDD IS

  Posted Tuesday 21 September, 2010 6:11 PM
• PENNY says

  What staggers me is the fact that Swan only got 2 BOG's for the year. How is that possible? Clearly the stand out player of the year. What can we expect though, umpires make bad decisions all day long why should they get the Brownlow voting right !!

  Posted Wednesday 22 September, 2010 9:24 AM
• Pete says

  He gave him a 3 game head start, and had it wrapped up by round 20. Didn't buckley win a norm smith in a losing G/F? just proves you can poll votes even if you lose.

  Posted Wednesday 22 September, 2010 10:20 AM