Nat Fyfe wins 2015 Brownlow Medal

Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe has roared to the AFL Brownlow Medal, winning with a stunning tally of 31 votes.

Fremantle Dockers AFL player Nat Fyfe

Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe remains the favourite to win his first AFL Brownlow Medal. (AAP)

Fremantle's Nat Fyfe has won the 2015 Brownlow Medal for the AFL's best and fairest player, with a blockbuster tally of 31 votes in Monday's count.

The 24-year-old is the first man to be judged best-afield by the umpires nine times during a season and first Docker to win the award.

He roared to a tally of 29 votes from his first 13 matches, more votes than any other player received throughout the whole season.

Fyfe edged 2014 winner Matt Priddis to the award, who polled 28 votes, with Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell third with 26 votes.

The popular Docker received his medal from Gold Coast captain and dual Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett, saying his club could be proud of the award despite exiting the premiership race on Friday with a preliminary final loss to Hawthorn.

"I'm a bit blown away to be honest," Fyfe said.

"It's greater than me, it's the Fremantle footy club and all our members and fans and supporters.

"We can take this home and really celebrate it as a club and as a community."

In addition to being the first Docker to win the award Fyfe is the youngest winner since Adam Cooney in 2008, who won as a 22-year-old.

The result is a reverse of the 2014 top two, though Fyfe was ineligible last year when he finished behind Priddis.

Fyfe played through injury in the second half of the season, missing four of the last six games.

He emerged for the finals series, and played with a fractured fibula in Friday night's loss to the Hawks.

His injury concerns meant he was parked on 31 votes for the last six rounds, anxiously waiting to see if Priddis, Mitchell or anyone else would run him down.

"I wouldn't advise doing it to anyone," he laughed.

"The last few days have been a whirlwind ... until I really sat down and the vote got under way, I didn't really put much thought into it, to be honest.

"But the nerves started to come late."

Fyfe's tally of 31 votes is the third-highest haul in the modern era, behind Dane Swan's 34 in 2011 and Robert Harvey in 1998, who polled 32.

Mitchell's 26-vote haul means he overtakes fellow Hawthorn great Leigh Matthews to become the highest Brownlow poller without a medal.

His third top-three finish takes Mitchell to 204 career votes, fifth in the all-time list.

Ablett, who sits third among all-time vote-winners, became the first man to win 100 votes at two AFL clubs with a tally of five.


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Source: AAP


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