Walsh's near Brownlow triumph stuns AFL world

While overmuch was made astir Port Adelaide prima Ollie Wines' Brownlow Medal triumph, arguably arsenic awesome was Sam Walsh's polling of 30 votes.

Heading into past night's count, not lone Wines, but likes of Marcus Bontempelli, Clayton Oliver, Jack Steele, Christian Petracca and Touk Miller were the individuals backed successful by the bookies to marque the astir sound astatine the Brownlow Medal count.

In what was the astonishment of the night, 21-year-old Walsh cracked 30 votes to decorativeness fourth-best connected the tally.

Season 2021 was conscionable Walsh's 3rd twelvemonth of elder football.

The Carlton young weapon was a portion of past night's historical tally, which for the archetypal clip successful past saw astatine slightest 4 players canvass 30 oregon much votes.

Sam Walsh of the Blues and Tom Mitchell of the Hawks chatduring the 2021 Brownlow Medal Count astatine NEP Studios Southbank connected September 19, 2021 successful Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images ) (Getty)

Wines finished with 36 votes, Bontempelli was second-best with 33, portion Oliver earned 31.

"I wasn't expecting a full lot," Walsh said.

"It's 1 of those awards... it's bully amusive and bully to beryllium with my teammates."

Much of the night's attraction was enactment connected Walsh, who aboriginal successful the number recovered himself up of the pack.

The midfielder's precocious polling sent the AFL satellite into meltdown arsenic erstwhile players and pundits flocked to societal media to laud his achievement.

FINAL LEADERBOARD:

1st - Ollie Wines - 36 votes

2nd - Marcus Bontempelli - 33 votes

3rd - Clayton Oliver - 31 votes

4th - Sam Walsh - 30 votes

=5th - Darcy Parish 26 votes

= 5th - Jack Steele 26 votes

For a regular dose of the champion of the breaking quality and exclusive contented from Wide World of Sports, subscribe to our newsletter by clicking here!