On Sunday night, Ollie Wines became the first Port Adelaide player in the history of the club to win the Brownlow Medal.
The 26-year-old midfielder polled in 16 of the 22 matches he played to finish with a total of 36 votes, three clear of Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli (33), with Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver (31) and Carlton’s Sam Walsh (30) in third and fourth receptively.
While the Power were unsuccessful in a Preliminary Final, it capped a remarkable individual campaign from Wines who equalled Dustin Martin’s single season votes record, writing himself into his own club’s record books in the process.
Wines acknowledges his standing at Port, but he was quick to reference the rich history of the club stemming from its SANFL success.
“A football club with so much history and to be the first one to win this for our footy club, I’m incredibly honoured to be the first Brownlow Medal winner,” he said on SEN’s Whateley.
“But against Magarey (Medal) winners and people that have represented our club since 1870, it is very humbling for me.
“It’s a little bit of reward for a disappointing end to the year, but I know we’ll be back.”
The Echuca product admits the tag of being a Brownlow Medallist may take some time to fully sink in, especially considering some of the famous names he joins on the prestigious list.
“This is going to take a while to settle in, probably weeks, probably months,” he said.
“It’s incredibly humbling to know some of the names that have won it before me, guys I still idolise to this day.
“The biggest one is Michael Voss who had a lot to do with me at Port Adelaide. To have my name next to his and to be similar to what he’s achieved is very special and I’m incredibly humbled.”
It was an intriguing count throughout with Bontempelli leading into the final rounds before Wines drew level then hit the front and moved clear with two votes against the Dogs in Round 23.
When did he know he had it sewn up?
“Probably not until Round 22 when I knew Marcus wasn’t going to poll in the Bulldogs game,” said Wines.
“I knew it was done and dusted after that. That was when it first started to hit me.
“It wasn’t until I was on the stage getting presented the medal by Nat Fyfe that it first hit me, it’s going to take another few weeks or few months to settle in.”
The former Port co-captain, who now deputises for Tom Jonas, encountered a fleeting moment a few years ago where he considered leaving Alberton.
However he stayed true to the Power and it has certainly paid dividends from a personal viewpoint even if the team has fallen short in the last two seasons.
“There were times I had to think if it was the right fit for me still and if I needed somewhere else to find a new lease on my career,” he said further.
“It didn’t happen and I’m incredibly grateful for that. I love this group, I love everything about our football club, we’ve got full faith in the list we’ve got and the future we’ve got over the next five to 10 years.
“To win this award puts that in perspective and really shows that if you put your head down and work hard, something can happen.”
And how is he handling the label of, ‘Brownlow Medallist Ollie Wines’?
“It’s a bit rattling to hear that still, but I’m sure over the coming months and years it will start to sink in.”