GOLD Coast star Matt Rowell has won the 2025 Brownlow Medal in a stunning count on Monday night, racing to an early lead and powering home to become the second winner in the Suns' history.
Rowell, who helped lead his club to an historic first finals campaign in a career-best 2025 season, outshone the leading pre-count contenders to poll 39 votes, winning from Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos (32) and Geelong gun Bailey Smith (29).
The No.1 pick from 2019 became the first player in Brownlow Medal history to poll three votes in each of his first four games, going on to secure eight best-on-grounds and polling in 16 games as he joined dual medallist Gary Ablett as a Gold Coast winner.
The 24-year-old's final tally was the second most in history, behind last year's winner Patrick Cripps (45), with the brutish onballer catching the umpires' attention early and polling relentlessly in a season that also saw him also earn All-Australian selection for the first time.
Collingwood superstar and pre-count favourite Daicos achieved his third consecutive podium finish after being pipped in the final round in 2023 and finishing runner-up in a record-breaking 2024 count, which saw him poll 38 votes.
The Magpies' midfielder threatened to make a move with three consecutive best-on-grounds from round 15-17, cutting Rowell's lead to two votes. But the Suns' ball-winner held him off and then charged home in a run of eight vote-getting games to write his name into the history books.
He was declared the winner after round 22, winning the prestigious award after a terrific season that saw him rank No.2 in the AFL for clearances (8.5), No.3 tackles (8.6), and No.3 for contested possessions, averaging a career-best 26.3 disposals.
"I can't believe I'm standing up here tonight … a lot of boys could have been standing up here tonight, so I feel very humbled and very honoured," Rowell said.
"I'm pretty speechless to be honest.
"My family are massive supporters and they're everything to me. They're at every game and support me so much … it's why I'm standing up here today."
Rowell, who joined 2008 winner Adam Cooney as the only other No.1 draft pick to win a Brownlow Medal, said he had always dreamed of playing in the AFL and "lived and breathed" the game growing up.
A childhood Carlton fan, the Carey Grammar and Oakleigh Chargers product admitted to being a "footy weirdo" after developing a habit in recent seasons of eating turf off the AFL playing surface before games.
"I started doing that a few years ago. You try a lot of weird things and that was kind of like a grounding process that I wanted to do before games," he said.
"Feel, sight, taste obviously. Those are the kinds of things you do."
Rowell also paid tribute to teammates Touk Miller, David Swallow and Jarrod Witts who "did a lot of the grunt work" for Gold Coast before his arrival.
Re-signed until the end of 2027 after signing a contract extension mid-year, he thanked the Suns and singled out midfield sidekick Noah Anderson.
Rowell had been expected to share votes with his captain on Monday night but hoarded them for himself early as Anderson polled just two votes in the first 10 rounds, eventually finishing with 25 after entering as a leading contender.
Rowell's ability to poll more prominently than expected through the early stages of the season saw him race to 15 votes by round seven in a burst that defined the count.
second through the middle stages and trailing Rowell by just one vote after round 14 as Smith and Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson also climbed the leaderboard into the top five.
None of them could bridge the gap to Rowell, however, who became a first-time winner, receiving his Medal from 2024 winner and dual medallist Patrick Cripps in the ceremony at Crown Melbourne.
2025 Brownlow Medal, Top 10
Matt Rowell - 39 votes
Nick Daicos - 32
Bailey Smith - 29
Jordan Dawson - 27
Andrew Brayshaw - 26
Noah Anderson - 25
Marcus Bontempelli - 25
Caleb Serong - 25
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera - 23
Max Gawn - 23
