i'm sorry but i thought it was a load of shit...bartel was by far the better player and somehow polled only 10 votes??
unbelievable, i don't know what games the referees were watching.
I almost feel as if they were hesitant to give bartel votes because he won it the year before. He should have atleast been in the top 5 not top 50

"Most people would not have given him a chance at all."

Because he clearly wasn't the best player in the league this year. He's a great guy but I would've liked to see someone more deserving win it (Ablett, Bartel, Buddy).

Richo for PM!

Agree about Gentleman Jim. Couldn't believe that he didn't poll in some games. He was my pick to win.

But Cooney's first half (maybe even 2/3) of the season was up there with anyone else's. If you all remember, most were jumping on him for the Charlie midway through the year. He slipped away a bit when the Dogs also did in the latter part of the season, but I think he was a deserved winner.

It's just something else that the umpires have gotten wrong. It should have been Ablett, even with the games he missed. How Bartel (or Luke Hodge for that matter) polled as low as he did is a mystery, as was the high number of votes that Simon Black received.

I think you will find that the reason Bartels or Ablett didn't poll better is because a number of people in the Geelong squad were also getting votes.

Simon Black's votes weren't a shock at all. He was tipped to be the leader or equal leader at the halfway mark by TAB Sportsbet. His first half of the season was sensational, as was Cooney's. Cooney is a very well deserved winner!

The biggest shocks IMO were that Bartel didn't come home with a wet sail as expected, but that's onlt because Geelong have so many guns that all polled votes.
Also Luke Hodge (2 votes total) & Sam Mitchell were clearly overlooked by the umpires, whilst Brad Sewell picked up 16 votes.
Brent Harvey was also expected to poll much better.

It doesn't always go to plan, but I think Cooney is a gun & it's a great win for a South Aussie boy!

GO HAWKS!!!

I think the big thing in Cooney's favour was that he improved so much this year.

The other players mentioned, the Geelong guys and boomer harvey, its kind of expected and therefore they get overlooked.

Cooney did great and well done to him but honestly, I think the Brownlow has lost its standing a bit, ever since Woewoedin...

I'm not sure much can be done to change the system, it really should be up to the umps becuase it is the best and fairest.

Maybe they just need to take a bit more time and ask- if he didn't play, how much weaker would that side be? Rather than ignoring players because above average is average to them...

Bryce Gibbs was the real winner on the night!!!!!!!!

fairest - umpires
best - coaches!

#205112 who should we blame? They're the voters and they're clearly incompetant at judging the best players.

I understand that Geelong have many stars but when they get 6 votes as a team pretty much every game-there are votes to go around and for Jimmy to dominate games with 35+ quality touches and not get a vote is a disgrace.

All you need to look at to see the umpires are biased in their voting is the game a few years ago when James Hird won the game off his own boot with 30+ possesions and a few goals but didn't get a vote because he criticised the umpiring in the post-game press conference.

Just wait until their favourite little man Daniel Kerr is back up and running next year. He will get 5 free kicks a game and win the Brownlow by 10.

Those umps are pricks. I reckon the only person that the whole crowd wanted to win was Richo...... and he deserved it too. Hell he can kick as well as shaq can shoot free throw's, but he is the only real person that wears his heart on his sleeve and never gives up. That's what real champions are made of.