Two-time AFL Brownlow Medallist Gary Ablett wishes his legendary father Gary Snr and Geelong captain Joel Selwood could also have the honour.
An emotional Ablett paid rich tribute to the two fellow AFL stars after winning a nail-biting count on Monday night in Melbourne.
Going into the last round, the Gold Coast captain was on 25 votes – one behind Collingwood’s Dane Swan and two behind Selwood.
Swan, the 2011 winner, and Selwood failed to poll any votes as Ablett picked up three for his outstanding game against Greater Western Sydney.
That was the last vote that AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou read out and the room erupted in applause as Ablett won by a single vote.
Inevitably, one of the first questions asked on stage after Ablett was presented with the medal was to discuss the constant comparisons with his famous father.
“I do (get sick of the comparisons) because there shouldn’t be any comparisons,” Ablett Jnr said.
“My old man’s the best player ever to play the game and he should have won a Brownlow.
“Now I’ve got two, I can give him one.”
Ablett said Gary Snr and his mother Sue, who has remarried and is overseas on her honeymoon, had been the two biggest influences in his career.
“I’m just so thankful I have a dad like that and I should mention my mum as well, she’s an amazing support,” he said.
Like his father, Gary Jnr made his career at Geelong, playing in two premiership teams and winning the 2009 medal.
In late 2010, Ablett made the massive move to the Suns and has flourished at the expansion club.
He has also maintained close ties with his old Cats teammates and wanted to share the medal with Selwood, the Geelong captain.
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“When it got to the last round, I was really hoping I polled the two because I really think Joel Selwood deserved to be up here as much as me,” he said.
“As I said on stage, he’s a very good friend of mine, a fantastic guy and a fantastic leader.”
Ablett also said he would have been rapt had Selwood won the medal on his own.
Selwood repaid the compliment, saying Ablett richly deserved a second Brownlow and probably had a third in him as well.
“My heart was actually okay through that – my partner Kathryn, my manager, she was probably a little bit different,” Selwood told AAP.
“He’s a pretty easy man to lose to.
“He’s a class act and the best player in the league, I believe.
“He’s been an idol of mine since I got to Geelong and just a guy I think everyone in the league respects.”
Ablett admitted he was surprised to receive votes in games against Richmond and Carlton.
Those unexpected votes proved critical.
“Thank you to the umpires for giving me a couple of votes – I appreciate it,” Ablett said.
“But that happens with everyone.
“There are some games you go into where you feel like you played an alright game and you get a vote maybe you didn’t expect.”
Ablett is the fifth player to win Brownlows at different clubs.
His major ambition before retirement is to play in a Suns premiership team.
PLAYER 3 2 1 TOTAL
Gary Ablett (Gold Coast) 7 2 3 28
Joel Selwood (Geelong) 7 3 – 27
Dane Swan (Collingwood) 5 5 1 26
*Steve Johnson (Geelong) 5 5 – 25
Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide) 6 1 2 22
Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood) 3 5 2 21
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Tom Rockliff (Brisbane Lions) 5 3 – 21
Dan Hannebery (Sydney) 5 3 – 21
Kieren Jack (Sydney) 3 3 4 19
Trent Cotchin (Richmond) 5 2 – 19
*Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle) 3 3 3 18
Jobe Watson (Essendon) 3 4 – 17
Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn) 2 3 4 16
Dustin Martin (Richmond) 3 2 3 16
*Leigh Montagna (St Kilda) 3 2 3 16
David Mundy (Fremantle) 4 2 – 16
Rory Sloane (Adelaide) 2 3 3 15
Luke Hodge (Hawthorn) 4 1 1 15
Michael Barlow (Fremantle) 1 4 3 14
Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs) 2 3 2 14
Josh Kennedy (Sydney) 3 2 1 14
Andrew Swallow (North Melbourne) 4 1 – 14
Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs) 4 – 2 14
Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn) 1 5 0 13
Matt Priddis (West Coast) 2 3 1 13
Travis Boak (Port Adelaide) 2 3 1 13
Jarrad McVeigh (Sydney) 2 2 2 12
Brad Ebert (Port Adelaide) 2 1 3 11
Andrew Walker (Carlton) 3 0 2 11
Harry Taylor (Geelong) 1 3 1 10
Drew Petrie (North Melbourne) 1 3 1 10
Brett Deledio (Richmond) 1 3 1 10
Marc Murphy (Carlton) 3 0 1 10
Dyson Heppell (Essendon) 3 0 1 10
