Live: Daicos favourite to end Brownlow wait on AFL’s night of nights

It’s old hat for these Lions by now. For the fourth straight year, the Brownlow is worked into their grand final week preparations. Might explain why they look so relaxed.

The Dockers are busy preparing for the second grand final appearance in club history, and are hosting their own Brownlow event back home in the west as a result. Here are a few shots from the do over there.

Haven’t seen any sign of Lachie at the Brisbane event tonight (the Lions will host their own at home this year instead of travelling before the GF), perhaps for understandable reasons.

Of course, Neale’s eligibility for the grand final will be determined by the tribunal tomorrow afternoon. And good news! We’ll be blogging that too, so head back here from 5pm tomorrow to find out if Neale is able to overturn his one-game striking ban,

Now unless you are one of those conspiracy theorists who think the AFL has a look the votes before the night and that Andrew Dillon’s wife in 2024 saying before the count that Marcus Bontempelli wouldn’t win despite him being the heavy favourite at the time is a smoking gun…

Here is the first time CEO Andrew Dillon has seen this year’s Brownlow votes. Who knows what mysteries lie within them?

Because he had an absolutely fantastic season as the standout superstar in his team. He was incredibly consistent, strong in wins and defeats, and is unlikely to have many votes stolen off him by other star teammates.

It should be said that Daicos was a heavy favourite last year too and fell seven votes short of winner Matt Rowell. But in response to that shock, the AFL changed rules which now allow the umpires to see player stats after the game, something which is presumed will help Daicos’s cause.

It should ALSO be said that Daicos has already been named the player of the year by the coaches and his fellow players. He would clearly be a very deserving Brownlow Medallist.

A lot of eyes will be on the Swans cohort that is in the building tonight.

Tom McCartin and Logan McDonald have just made their way in with their partners, and a few more are expected to roll through as well.

The Swans table will be a very interesting watch should Isaac Heeney get near the top of the leaderboard at the pointy end of the night.

We’ve cooked up a handy cheat-sheet with all the who, when and whats you need to know tonight.

The most important thing to note is that the main event and the count itself begins at 8pm AEST.

But for everything else, check out the explainer below:

Not 48 hours after that crushing, incredible preliminary final defeat to Brisbane we have a few Hawthorn stars in the house.

James Sicily and Jai Newcombe, still no doubt smarting from Saturday night, have put on a brave face.

It is unclear whether Essendon has made any progress on getting James Hird to the club, at least tonight.

Hird made his way in earlier and the man who beat him in Essendon’s coaching race, Mark McVeigh, and Essendon president Andrew Welsh have just arrived together with their wives.

I wonder if there will be much interaction between the trio tonight.

Nick Daicos, tonight’s hot favourite, is here on the red carpet and says the nerves are pretty good.

The Pies champ says he had lunch with Patrick Dangerfield this afternoon.

I wonder if Danger gave him some tips on making the winner’s speech.

Daicos says he’s got no notes on him if he wins, saying: “I just want it to be authentic”.

Good evening and welcome to ABC Sport’s live blog coverage of the 2026 Brownlow Medal. Tonight we will look back on and celebrate the many highlights from the 2026 AFL season and present its most prestigious award to its best and fairest player.

Who will it be?!? It’ll be Nick Daicos. But could it be someone else?!? No. Surely it’s at least possible it could be someone else?!? No it is not possible. But surely for the sake of drawing and maintaining interest in a five-hour live blog it could be someone else?!? Why, of course it could be someone else! Anything could happen!

Myself and Chris De Silva will be bringing you all the goings on from footy’s night of nights as grand final week officially begins. Stick around, hit up the comments and keep us company.