It may not have been the result Swans supporters were hoping for, but co-captain Adam Goodes was still able to crack the top 10 in last night’s Brownlow Medal count.
Following a stellar year, Goodes went in as the second-favourite for the award, behind Carlton captain and last year’s winner, Chris Judd. Both players were vying to become just the fifth person in the game’s history to win the medal for a third time.
However, neither man was ever really in the hunt, as the top three vote getters in Dane Swan, Sam Mitchell (ineligible) and Nick Dal Santo raced away towards the middle stage of the count. Swan eventually claimed the medal with a record tally of 34 votes.
Goodes polled in eight games - including four times as best on ground - to finish with the equal seventh amount of votes (19), alongside Carlton’s Marc Murphy, West Coast’s Matt Priddis, and ineligible Demon Brent Moloney.
Goodes finished seven votes clear as the Swans’ leading vote getter on the night, taking his career total to 156 votes, remaining behind only the great Bob Skilton (one of the aforementioned triple Brownlow medalists with 180 votes) in Swans' history.
Ryan O’Keefe (12) and Jude Bolton (10) were the other Swans players to finish the count in double figures, while Josh Kennedy, Craig Bird and Luke Parker all brought up their first career votes.
The Swans registered 79 votes for the season, with 17 players receiving one vote or more - the highest number of players amongst all of the AFL clubs.
Sydney votes in the 2011 Brownlow Medal count
19 Adam Goodes
12 Ryan O'Keefe *
10 Jude Bolton
6 Ben McGlynn
6 Jarrad McVeigh
4 Kieren Jack
4 Shane Mumford *
3 Josh Kennedy
3 Mark Seaby
3 Tadhg Kennelly
2 Rhyce Shaw
2 Daniel Hannebery
1 Luke Parker
1 Lewis Roberts-Thomson
1 Craig Bird
1 Ted Richards
1 Martin Mattner
* denotes ineligible player
Goodesy’s votes
Round 3 - Sydney Swans 15.11 (101) d West Coast 13.10 (88)
A. Goodes - 3 votes
(15 kicks, 6 handballs, 7 marks, 5 tackles, 3 goals, 9 contested possessions, 5 inside 50s, 5 clearances)
Round 7 - Sydney Swans 10.13 (73) d Western Bulldogs 10.5 (65)
A.Goodes - 1 vote
(16 kicks, 8 handballs, 6 marks, 9 tackles, 1 goal, 12 contested possessions, 6 inside 50s, 6 clearances)
Round 8 - Sydney Swans 18.13 (121) d Port Adelaide 9.5 (59)
A.Goodes - 2 votes
(18 kicks, 9 handballs, 7 marks, 2 tackles, 2 goals, 8 contested possessions, 5 inside 50s, 5 clearances)
Round 18 - Sydney Swans 16.18 (114) d Western Bulldogs 11.9 (75)
A.Goodes - 3 votes
(16 kicks, 18 handballs, 10 marks, 6 tackles, 2 goals, 20 contested possessions, 10 inside 50s, 10 clearances)
Round 20 - Essendon 15.10 (100) d Sydney Swans 14.15 (99)
A.Goodes - 2 votes
(25 kicks, 4 handballs, 6 marks, 5 tackles, 3 goals, 15 contested possessions, 9 inside 50s, 9 clearances)
Round 22 - Sydney Swans 10.23 (83) d St Kilda 10.8 (68)
A.Goodes - 2 votes
(13 kicks, 8 handballs, 7 marks, 5 tackles, 1 goal, 12 contested possessions, 5 inside 50s, 5 clearances)
Round 23 - Sydney Swans 15.9 (99) d Geelong 12.14 (86)
A.Goodes - 3 votes
(17 kicks, 13 handballs, 5 marks, 4 tackles, 1 goal, 13 contested possessions, 9 inside 50s, 9 clearances)
Round 24 - Sydney Swans 18.11 (119) d Brisbane Lions 9.13 (67)
A.Goodes - 3 votes
(18 kicks, 11 handballs, 6 marks, 3 tackles, 4 goals, 14 contested possessions, 11 inside 50s, 11 clearances)
