The 2017 Brownlow Medal has been run and won, with forward Ben Brown taking out the mantle as North’s highest vote-getter.

Brown racked up 14 votes for the night, having polled just three in three previous seasons, a true sign of his rapid rise as an AFL player.

Ben Cunnington was next best with 11 votes, while Syd Barker Medal winner Shaun Higgins capped off a big year with nine votes of his own.

While there’s always debate as to who did or didn’t deserve votes in any given game, we’ve used the club’s very own best and fairest voting in our comparison.

Players can receive up to 20 votes at the Syd Barker Medal, while the Brownlow is of course the traditional 3, 2, 1 system.

Round 2 v Geelong

Syd Barker Medal: 17. Shaun Higgins, 14. Ben Cunnington, 13. Ben Brown, 12. Robbie Tarrant
Brownlow: 3. Shaun Higgins, 1. Ben Cunnington

Higgins’ 27 disposals, 9 inside 50s, 7 tackles and 2 goals saw him recognised as best on the field by both the North voters and umpires.

Cunnington was next in line in both counts, after gathering 28 touches and 9 clearances.

Round 4 v Western Bulldogs

Syd Barker Medal: 18. Ben Cunnington, 15.  Jack Ziebell, 14. Ben Brown
Brownlow: 2. Ben Cunnington

Many experts predicted Cunnington would poll three from the umpires, but the number 10 got the two for his 33 disposals (20 contested) and 10 clearances on Good Friday.

Round 5 v Fremantle

Syd Barker Medal: 14. Ben Cunnington, 14. Marley Williams, 12. Jamie Macmillan
Brownlow: 3. Ben Cunnington

Predicted to get the two by AFL.com.au, Cunnington took home best afield honours with 29 touches, 10 clearances and 5 tackles.

Marley Williams was perhaps a little unlucky not to get his first career votes after amassing 24 disposals and 10 rebound 50s, as well as a laying a hugely important tackle late in the game.

Round 6 v Gold Coast

Syd Barker Medal: 18. Ben Brown, 16. Shaun Higgins, 15. Sam Gibson, 15. Scott Thompson
Brownlow: 2. Ben Brown, 1. Shaun Higgins

The North coaches and umpires were in agreeance, having Brown (17 disposals, 6 goals) and Higgins (28 possessions, 1 goal) as the Roos’ best, behind a deserved Gary Ablett (45 touches, 1 goal).

Round 7 v Adelaide

Syd Barker Medal: 19. Jarrad Waite, 17. Ben Cunnington, 16. Robbie Tarrant, 16. Luke McDonald, 16. Kayne Turner, 15. Scott Thompson, 15. Nathan Hrovat, 14. Mason Wood, 14. Ryan Clarke, 14. Marley Williams
Brownlow: 3. Jarrad Waite, 2. Ben Cunnington, 1. Mason Wood

In an outstanding team performance, Waite was the clear standout with 6 goals to go with his 22 disposals.

Cunnington amassed 13 clearances and 29 touches, while Wood had arguably the best game of his career so far, with 24 touches and 2 goals for a deserved one vote.

Round 9 v Melbourne

Syd Barker Medal: 17. Ben Cunnington, 16. Ben Brown, 15. Marley Williams, 15. Kayne Turner
Brownlow: 3. Ben Brown, 2. Ben Cunnington

Cunnington got the coaches’ nod, Brown the umpires’, with the pair hugely influential in the win over Melbourne.

The former had 26 disposals (17 contested) to go with 7 clearances and a goal, while the latter booted five majors. The three votes would have been just as befitting for either Kangaroo.

Round 10 v Carlton

Syd Barker Medal: 14. Shaun Higgins, 13. Jack Ziebell, 12. Kayne Turner, 12. Trent Dumont
Brownlow: 2. Shaun Higgins

North polled just two of six votes, despite winning the match, but perhaps that was indicative of the evenness of the team on the day.

Higgins racked up 27 possessions and kicked 2 goals, voted the Roos’ best by the coaches and umpires alike, while Ziebell could consider himself a little unlucky after picking up 29 disposals.

Round 13 v St Kilda

Syd Barker Medal: 13. Todd Goldstein, 12. Sam Gibson, 12. Robbie Tarrant
Brownlow: 1. Sam Gibson

On a tough night at the office, Gibson proved one of few shining lights to finish with 30 touches.

Goldstein was a solid performer on the night with 17 and a goal, but was overlooked by the umpires.

Round 14 v Western Bulldogs

Syd Barker Medal: 17. Ben Cunnington, 13. Jarrad Waite, 11. Shaun Higgins, 11. Robbie Tarrant
Brownlow: 1. Ben Cunnington

Cunnington was a clear standout against the Bulldogs and certainly had a case for the top votes across the two teams.

28 disposals and 6 clearances was only enough for the one vote.

Round 16 v Fremantle

Syd Barker Medal: 15. Ben Brown, 15. Ben Cunnington, 14. Shaun Higgins, 13. Aaron Mullett
Brownlow: 2. Ben Brown

Brown (13 disposals, 4 goals) and Cunnington (28 touches, 8 tackles, 8 clearances) were considered equally as impressive by the Roos’ coaches, but the umpires had the former second best afield amongst two Dockers.

Round 18 v Essendon

Syd Barker Medal: 17. Ben Brown, 15. Taylor Garner. 15. Jarrad Waite, 13. Shaun Atley
Brownlow: 2. Ben Brown

Brown was again listed as North’s best by the coaches, and he polled the two votes from the umpires despite the loss to Essendon.

Round 19 v Melbourne

Syd Barker Medal: 17. Ben Brown, 16. Jack Ziebell, 14. Shaun Higgins, 14. Andrew Swallow
Brownlow: 2. Ben Brown, 1. Shaun Higgins

A 14-possession, 4-goal haul was certainly deserving of votes from the umpires for Ben Brown, but the three going to the Demons’ Clayton Oliver was somewhat of a surprise.

Higgins 28 touches and 7 inside 50s gained him the one vote, while Jack Ziebell was overlooked completely, despite racking up 10 clearances to go with 26 disposals.

He was second-best according to the Roos’ coaches.

Round 20 v Collingwood

Syd Barker Medal: 15. Jack Ziebell, 10. Robbie Tarrant, 10. Ryan Clarke
Brownlow: 1. Jack Ziebell

In one of the club’s most disappointing losses of the year, Jack Ziebell provided his share of highlights, with 5 second half goals to go with 22 disposals.

If the result was more in North’s favour, he no doubt would have been in line for more votes.

Round 23 v Brisbane

Syd Barker Medal: 20. Ben Brown, 17. Shaun Higgins, 16. Scott Thompson
Brownlow: 3. Ben Brown, 2. Shaun Higgins

In the only ‘perfect’ game of 2017, Brown polled 20 votes from the coaches and the top nod from the umpires for 14 disposals, 9 marks and 7 goals.

Higgins was brilliant with 29 touches and 2 goals of his own, while Scott Thompson can consider himself a little unlucky not to be among the votes in game 200.

The unlucky ones

- Robbie Tarrant’s shutdown role on Lance Franklin in Round 8 was enough for 17 votes from the North coaches, but he went unnoticed by the umpires on the day.

- Ben Cunnington played a lone hand against Port Adelaide in Round 17. With a remarkable 26 contested possessions and 33 in total, 11 clearances and 8 tackles, he was arguably the best midfielder on the ground and got 18 votes from the North coaches. But in a 70-point loss it was always going to be tough.

- The result again played a big part in Cunnington missing votes again in Round 22 against the Saints, despite amassing 36 possessions and booting 2 goals.