The 2012 Brownlow Medal has provided a great insight into the dominance of former TAC Cup players in the AFL competition.
This year’s Brownlow Medallist Jobe Watson was joined by seven other former TAC Cup players in the top ten vote getters on the evening.
The Essendon Captain was recruited from the Sandringham Dragons with selection No.40 overall in the 2002 NAB AFL Draft under the father-son rule by Essendon.
The versatile midfielder made his run early in the evening, polling in 12 of the initial 13 rounds to sit on 23 votes due to Essendon’s fine form in the first half of the season.
Watson won with 30 votes, ahead of Trent Cotchin and Sam Mitchell who trailed by four votes at the conclusion of the count.
At 27 years of age, Watson equalled a Brownlow Medal record by polling in 14 games, including six best-on-ground performances.
Watson joins the likes of Chris Judd (Sandringham), Jimmy Bartel (Geelong Falcons), Gary Ablett Jnr (Geelong Falcons), Dane Swan (Calder Cannons) and Adam Goodes (North Ballarat Rebels) to have played in the TAC Cup and to have won a Brownlow Medal.
TOP TEN
1. Jobe Watson - 30 votes (Sandringham Dragons)
2. Trent Cotchin – 26 (Northern Knights)
Sam Mitchell – 26 (Eastern Ranges)
4. Dane Swan – 25 (Calder Cannons)
Scott Thompson – 25 (Port Adelaide - SANFL)
6. Gary Ablett – 24 (Geelong Falcons)
7. Patrick Dangerfield – 23 (Geelong Falcons)
8. Dayne Beams – 19 (Southport – QAFL)
Lenny Hayes – 19 (NSW/ACT Rams – TAC Cup)
Josh Kennedy – 19 (Sandringham Dragons)
Last Modified on 25/09/2012 14:53