Dwayne Russell has declared “the best (AFL) players are in the midfield,” defending the way Sunday night’s Brownlow Medal count unfolded.
Ollie Wines won the count on 36 votes; however, the best key position player was former Adelaide captain Taylor Walker with just nine votes.
The 2021 All-Australian backline didn’t combine for enough votes to beat Wines, but the SEN host believes the Brownlow did what it was supposed to do.
“I don’t think it’s broken,” Russell said on SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
“The best players in the competition ended up being the best players at the end of the count.
“It was a close count, it was a great count, it was an exciting count, and the best players do play midfield now.”
The top six on the medal leaderboard were all part of the 2021 All-Australian team, showcasing a level of consistency in judging the game’s best players.
Russell said many great forwards have turned into midfielders to become more influential for their side.
“Jake Stringer, once upon a time, might have been a permanent forward, but we want Jake Stringer in the midfield,” he said.
“Toby Greene would make an exceptional permanent forward, but we want Toby Greene in the midfield.
“We want Jordan De Goey in the midfield, we want Marcus Bontempelli in the midfield.
“I don’t think you’re ever going to make it a non-midfielders medal because the best players are in the midfield.”
The last key position player to take home the Brownlow was Sydney’s Adam Goodes in 2003, when he was primarily a ruckman, before winning his second medal in 2006 on more midfield minutes.