Who will top the Swans vote in the 2021 Brownlow Medal? Who will join AFL Brownlow royalty? Which Swans are to set to poll for the first time in the game’s highest individual honour? And could a young Swan poll on debut?
All will be unveiled on Sunday night, September 19 (5:30pm AWST / 7:30pm AEST) when the votes will be counted remotely for the second year in a row amid the Covid-19 pandemic.
Ahead of Sunday night, we take a look at the 'Coachlow Medal' which points to Luke Parker, Isaac Heeney, Callum Mills and Lance Franklin who are set to feature.
The Coachlow? It is what you get if you convert the 5-4-3-2-1 votes of each coach after each game into notional 3-2-1 Brownlow votes, with split votes in the event of ties.
For example, in Round 23 when the Swans beat the Gold Coast Suns the coaches collectively voted Franklin (9), Lloyd (7), Dawson (5), Heeney (4), Parker (3), Papley (1) with one vote to the Suns’ Touk Miller.
So the ‘Coachlow’ votes would be Franklin 3, Lloyd 2, Dawson 1.
In Round 22 against North, when Hayward (8), Parker (8) and Harry Cunningham (5) headed the coaches votes the ‘Coachlow’ votes would be Hayward (2.5), Parker (2.5), Cunningham (1).
On the fictitious ‘Coachlow’ leaderboard the Swans vote would be headed by Parker (11.33), Heeney (10.0), Mills (8.83), Franklin (7.83), Papley (7), Hickey (5) and Dawson (4.5).
View the opening round-by-round guide to the opening half of the season to the Brownlow Medal vote count. The second half of the season guide will be published on www.sydney.swans.com.au in the coming days.
Round 1 v Brisbane – Gabba – won by 31 points
The Swans surprised most in the AFL when they beat 2020 preliminary finalists Brisbane at the Gabba by 31 points on the back of a nine-goal third quarter. Tom Papley and George Hewett shared their 100th game after debuting together with Callum Mills in Round 1 2016. In his 93rd game Mills was a standout as Tom Hickey made an eye-catching Swans debut to become the first player in AFL history to play for four clubs in four different states. And Errol Gulden, Braeden Campbell and Logan McDonald began their AFL journey. Could Gulden join the ‘votes on debut’ club?
Coachlow Votes: Callum Mills (S) 3, Tom Hickey (S) 1.5, Errol Gulden (1.5).
Leading AFLCA Votes
10 - Callum Mills (S) – 29 possessions, 2 goals
7 - Tom Hickey (S) – 23 possessions, team-high 14 contested possessions, game-high 9 clearances
7 – Errol Gulden (S) - 19 possessions, 3 goals on debut – Rising Star nomination
Round 2 v Adelaide - SCG – won by 33 points
Lance Franklin played his 301st game 581 days after his 300th game in Round 23 2019 as the Swans hosted Adelaide. With one goal in the first quarter, one in the third and one in the last he reignited his quest for 1000 AFL goals.
Coachlow Votes: Taylor Walker (A) 3, Tom McCartin (S) 1.5, Braeden Campbell (S) 1.5.
Leading AFLCA Votes
8 – Taylor Walker (A) – 6 goals
5 – Tom McCartin (S) - career-best 18 possessions, 12 intercepts
5 – Braeden Campbell (S) – season-high 25 possessions in 2nd game – Rising Star nomination
Round 3 v Richmond – MCG – won by 45 points
The Swans put pre-season doubters back in their box when they beat 2018-20-21 premiers Richmond at the MCG for a 3-0 start to the season. And they did it in resounding fashion led by a player who had not even made his AFL debut when the Tigers began their rein – Sam Wicks.
Coachlow Votes: Sam Wicks (S) 3, Tom Papley (S) 2, Tom Hickey (S) 0.5, Jordan Dawson (S) 0.5.
Leading AFLCA Votes
10 – Sam Wicks (S) – career-best 21 possessions, 13 marks & 3 goals, 8 score involvements
7 – Tom Papley (S) – 4 goals, 8 score involvements
4 – Tom Hickey (S) – 15 possessions, 16 hit-outs
4 – Jordan Dawson (S) – 27 possessions, 7 score involvements
2 – Chad Warner (S) – 21 possessions, 2 goals, 8 score involvements – Rising Star nomination
Round 4 v Essendon – SCG – won by 3 points
Swans found themselves one of three unbeaten sides after beating Essendon by three points after conceding six goals in a row either side of quarter-time to go 25 points down. In a clutch finish they clung to a four-point lead late when Lance Franklin took a mark and converted for his 950th career goal. A desperate Dane Rampe fingertip touch saved a goal and not even the last goal of the game from Cale Hooker to change the result.
Coachlow Votes: Luke Parker (S) 3, Sam Reid (S) 2, Zach Merrett (E) 1.
Leading AFLCA Votes
10 – Luke Parker (S) – game-high 32 possessions (16 contested), 6 clearances, 8 score involvements
8 – Sam Reid (S) – 15 possessions, 2 goals, 9 hit-outs, 6 contested marks
4 – Zach Merrett (E) – 27 possessions (13 contested), 9 tackles
Round 5 v GWS – SCG – lost by 2 points
Tom McCartin had a 65m set shot after the siren for a Swans win. He hit it well but it was always going to be too far. In the end a remarkable Josh Kelly snap for GWS ultimately decided the cliff-hanger which looked like it might go to the Swans after Lance Franklin kicked five goals and Toby Greene had a nightmare in front of the big sticks, kicking 1-7.
Coachlow Votes: Lance Franklin (S) 2.5, Jacob Hopper (GWS) 2.5, Josh Kelly (GWS) 1.
Leading AFLCA Votes
9 – Lance Franklin (S) – 14 possessions, 8 marks (5 contested), 5 goals, 7 score involvements
9 – Jacob Hopper (GWS) – 26 possessions (11 contested), 6 clearances, 8 score involvements
6 – Josh Kelly (GWS) – 26 possessions, 8 score involvements
Round 6 v Gold Coast – Metricon Stadium – lost 40 points
A bad one. Not even 117 possessions from Josh Kennedy (42), Luke Parker (36), Jake Lloyd (35) and Callum Mills (34) could spare the Swans a heavy loss as Tom Hickey’s season teetered on the brink with a knee injury that saw him miss a re-match with his original club.
Coachlow Votes: Touk Miller (GC) 3, Noah Anderson (GC) 1.5, Ben King (GC) 1.5
Leading AFLCA Votes
10 – Touk Miller (GC) – team-high 36 possessions (17 contested), 9 tackles, 9 clearances
7 – Noah Anderson (GC) – 34 possessions, 6 clearances
7 – Ben King (GC) – 14 possessions, 7 marks, 5 goals, 10 score involvements
2 – Josh Kennedy (S) – season-high 42 possessions (22 contested), 11 clearances, 7 clearances
Round 7 Geelong – SCG – won by 2 points.
What a turnaround. Down by 28 points at quarter-time, the Swans trailed until the 31st minute of the final term when Tom Papley kicked his second goal after James Rowbottom had put them within striking distance three minutes earlier. A sensational win led by Tom Hickey playing without a posterior cruciate ligament in one knee.
Coachlow Votes: Tom Hickey (S) 3, Mitch Duncan (G) 2, Jack Henry (GC) 4
Leading AFLCA Votes
10 – Tom Hickey (S) – 20 possessions (16 contested), 1 goal, 23 hit-outs, game-high 11 clearances
6 – Mitch Duncan (G) – 29 possessions, 9 tackles, 7 clearances, 11 score involvements
4 – Jack Henry (G) – career-best 23 possessions, 7 intercepts
3 – Ollie Florent (S) – 26 possessions, 2 goals
Round 8 v Melbourne – MCG – lost by 9 points
Swans pulled to within three points of the eventual minor premiers with a Callum Mills goal midway through the final term of his 100th game before Tom McDonald kicked what turned out to be the sealer for the Demons 10 minutes from full-time.
Coachlow Votes: Tom McDonald (M) 3, Callum Mills (S) 2, Clayton Oliver (M) 1
Leading AFLCA Votes
10 – Tom McDonald (M) – 18 possessions, season-high 4 goals
7 – Callum Mills (S) – team-high 33 poss (career-best 18 contested), 1 goal, 10 tackles, 6 clearances
6 – Clayton Oliver – game-high 35 possessions (19 contested), 10 clearances
Round 9 v Collingwood – SCG – won by 30 points
Down by 18 points at quarter-time, the Swans held the Pies goalless from 25 minutes into the first quarter until 5 minutes into the last quarter to win comfortably.
Coachlow Votes: Isaac Heeney (S) 3, Jake Lloyd (S) 1.5, Brayden Maynard (C) 1.5.
Leading AFLCA Votes
9 – Isaac Heeney (S) – 22 possessions, 3 goals, 9 score involvements
5 – Jake Lloyd (S) – 28 possessions,
5 – Brayden Maynard (C) – team-high 29 possessions, 8 intercepts
4 – Callum Mills (S) – 28 possessions, 7 tackles, 7 score involvements
3 – Tom Hickey (S) – 19 possessions (game-high 16 contested), 18 hit-outs, game-high 8 clearances
Round 10 v Fremantle – Perth Stadium – lost by 2 points
Swans led by 15 points at half-time and were 13 points down at three-quarter time after a goalless third term. Isaac Heeney kicked the first goal of the final stanza before Lance Franklin kicked three in a row to put the Swans in front nine minutes from the end, but Nat Fyfe kicked the winner for the Dockers.
Coachlow Votes: Lance Franklin (S) 2, Nat Fyfe (F) 2, Rory Lobb (F) 2.
Leading AFLCA Votes
8 – Lance Franklin (S) – 18 possessions, 6 goals, 4 contested marks
8 – Nat Fyfe (F) – 27 possessions, 1 goal, 13 clearances
8 – Rory Lobb (F) – 18 possessions, 4 goals, four contested marks
Round 11 v Carlton – SCG – won by 22 points
Swans kicked 4-4 to 1-3 in the final quarter to win by 22 points after six lead changes in a fluctuating first three quarters in which each side kicked four goals in a row.
Coachlow Votes: Isaac Heeney (S) 3, Patrick Cripps (C ) 2, Jake Lloyd (S) 0.5, Harry McKay (C) 0.5.
Leading AFLCA Votes
10 – Isaac Heeney (S) – 22 possessions, 3 goals, 14 marks (4 contested), 10 score involvements
6 – Patrick Cripps (C ) – 27 possessions, 6 tackles, 7 clearances
4 – Jake Lloyd (S) – team-high 29 possessions
4 – Harry McKay (C ) – 11 possessions, 8 marks, 3 goals, game-high 8 score involvements
Round 12 v St.Kilda – SCG – won by 9 points
The Swans led by 21 points late in the first term but after a torrid battle and a costly 1-6 from Saints goalsneak Jack Higgins a James Rowbottom major inside the last minute hot the home side home after St.Kilda pulled to within five points. And yet still the Saints dominated the coach’s votes 19-11
Coachlow Votes: Jack Steele (StK) 2.5, Jack Higgins (StK) 2.5, Brad Crouch (StK) 1.
Leading AFLCA Votes
6 – Jack Steele (StK) – 31 possessions (16 contested), 1 goal, 10 tackles, 7 clearances
6 – Jack Higgins (StK) – 23 possessions, 1 goal, 12 marks
5 – Brad Crouch (StK) – game-high 38 possessions, 7 tackles, 7 clearances
4 – Dane Rampe (S) – 16 possessions
4 – Jake Lloyd (S) – 27 possessions
3 – Tom Hickey (S) – 21 possessions (team-high 14 contested), team-high 7 clearances
Round 13 v Hawthorn – SCG – lost by 38 points
In Round 13 the Swans played what turned out to be their last home game of the season on Friday night 11 June before fleeing the rising Covid numbers of Sydney, not to return until after the campaign had finished. It was as if their minds were elsewhere as the sixth-placed Swans lost badly to 17th-placed Hawthorn. Coaches votes went 30-0 to the Hawks.
Coachlow Votes: Tom Mitchell (H) 2, Jon Ceglar (H) 2, Changkuoth Jiath (H) 2.
Leading AFLCA Votes
8 – Tom Mitchell (H) – 34 possessions, 7 tackles
8 – Jon Ceglar (H) – 20 possessions (game-high 19 contested), 1 goal, 35 hit-outs, 11 clearances
8 - Changkuoth Jiath (H) – career-best 28 possessions
Round 14 – BYE
Stay tuned for the second half of the season guide which will be published on www.sydney.swans.com.au in the coming days.
