A chance to celebrate the year that was and to recognise the game's top players, the 2026 Brownlow Medal is set to be an exciting count on Monday night as the AFL prepares to present its top individual honour. 

While there is a clear standout favourite to take home the prestigious award, Geelong is still expected to feature heavily throughout the night and there will be a number of different things for Cats fans to keep an eye on. 

Bailey Smith is predicted to poll well after finishing third in last year's Brownlow Medal, taking his game to new heights in his second season in the Hoops. 

Patrick Dangerfield is also well within striking distance of a remarkable record, while plenty of other Cats will have the chance to set career-highs following outstanding years. 

Take a look through the big things to keep an eye on as the Brownlow Medal unfolds on Monday night. 

Geelong's Top Chance

Bailey Smith

Collingwood's Nick Daicos is regarded by many as the clear favourite on Monday night, but the AFL's Brownlow Predictor has Bailey Smith finishing second after another brilliant season for the star on-baller. 

What bodes well for Smith is his consistency across the season, collecting 25 or more disposals in all bar one game and reaching 40 disposals on three occasions, finishing second in the AFL for total disposals. 

He ranked first in the competition for inside 50s, while also sitting in the top 20 players for clearances, tackles, contested possessions and score involvements. Combined with his iconic headband and long-flowing hair, Smith will certainly have caught the eyes of the umpires throughout the season. 

What also works in Smith's favour is that Geelong recorded three more wins than Collingwood this year, so while it would need to be a remarkable upset if the AFL's predictor is correct, it could still be a fascinating battle on Monday night. 

AFL's Brownlow Predictor

Who Might Surprise

Shaun Mannagh

There are plenty of ebbs and flows within a season for both teams and players, but there were not many individuals that had a higher ceiling in 2026 than Shaun Mannagh at full flight. 

The crafty high forward was able to play both in attack and through the midfield during the year, finishing with a very solid average of 17.5 disposals, 4.5 inside 50s and 1.5 goals per game. 

But it was those standout games that could see him poll well on Monday night, including his 30-disposal and five-goal performance against Brisbane in Round 10, or his 33-disposal and four-goal outing against the GWS Giants. 

He has polled two Brownlow votes to this point of his career and the AFL's predictor has him polling seven in this year's count, so keep an eye on how Mannagh fares throughout the evening. 

Mannagh's Best Chances

• Round 10: 30 Disposals, Seven Inside 50s, Five Goals
• Round 18: 33 Disposals, Seven Clearances, Four Goals
• Round 24: 33 Disposals, Six Inside 50s, Three Goals

Max Holmes

Perhaps flying under the radar a little due to missing the final five games of the regular season, Holmes still played 18 games in the home-and-away campaign and had a number of dominant outings that could see him poll well. 

Holmes started the year in sensational form, collecting 29 disposals and 32 disposals in his first two matches, going on to amass 30 disposals or more on eight occasions throughout the season. 

What stands out with the dashing Cat is his run and carry, not necessarily needing an abundance of possessions to have a big influence on games, but able to impact the contest through meters gained and damaging use with ball in hand. 

Holmes was enormous against Fremantle in Round 1, played a vital role in Geelong's first meeting with North Melbourne this year and dominated against the Suns, so expect him to feature throughout the vote count. 

Holmes' Best Chances

• Round 1: 32 Disposals, Seven Inside 50s, Five Clearances
• Round 8: 29 Disposals, Six Inside 50s, Two Goals
• Round 14: 31 Disposals, 11 Rebound 50s, One Goal

The Record Breaker

Patrick Dangerfield 

Another unbelievable record is well within reach for Geelong's skipper, with Patrick Dangerfield needing just four votes to become the leading vote-getter in Brownlow Medal history. 

Heading into the 2026 count, Dangerfield sits just three votes behind the current all-time leader, Gary Ablett Junior and can surpass the 'Little Master' for top spot with another four votes. 

The superstar Cat had a number of big performances scattered throughout the season, such as his epic five-goal haul against Brisbane, or his dominant showing in the wet against Adelaide. 

The only thing working against Dangerfield is that some of his biggest outings came in Geelong losses, while his game-winning display against Carlton in the Elimination Final also will not count. 

The AFL's predictor has the all-time great polling three votes, so Dangerfield will still certainly have a chance to create some history on Monday night. 

Dangerfield's Best Chances

• Round 13: 30 Disposals, Seven Clearances, One Goal
• Round 17: 17 Disposals, Six Inside 50s, Five Goals
• Round 24: 22 Disposals, Six Inside 50s, Three Goals

Potential First Time Vote Getters

Connor O'Sullivan 

Best Chance: Round 20 v Melbourne

• 21 Disposals
• 12 Intercept Possessions
• Six Score Involvements
• Five Intercept Marks

Lawson Humphries

Best Chance: Round 11 v Sydney

• 33 Disposals
• Nine Intercept Possessions
• Eight Score Involvements
• One Goal

Oisin Mullin

Best Chance: Round 9 v Collingwood

• 21 Disposals
• Nine Score Involvements
• Five Clearances

Geelong's Previous Brownlow Winners

1924 - Edward 'Carji' Greeves

1951 - Bernie Smith

1962 - Alistair Lord

1989 - Paul Couch

2007 - Jimmy Bartel

2009 - Gary Ablett Junior

2016 - Patrick Dangerfield