Harley Reid caught up in Brownlow Medal furore as AFL fans fume over Nick Daicos snub

Footy fans have taken to social media in disbelief after Harley Reid won the AFL's Goal of the Year award, beating out the likes of Nick Daicos, who had two nominations during Monday night's Brownlow Medal ceremony. The AFL's night of nights dished up plenty of controversy, with Patrick Cripps winning his second Brownlow Medal in record fashion, sparking calls for an overhaul to the voting system.

Cripps polled an unprecendented 45 votes, including 12 three-vote games out of the 24 rounds. He beat fellow pre-count favourite Daicos by seven votes, although the Collingwood young gun's tally of 38 would have won any other Brownlow count in history. His runner-up total also beat the old record of 36 - held jointly by Richmond's Dustin Martin (2017) and Port Adelaide's Ollie Wines (2021).

It was an unfortunate night for Daicos, who also lost out on the $50,000 prize that goes with the Goal of the Year award, after his two stunners for Collingwood were overlooked in favour of Reid's memorable major for West Coast against Melbourne in round 10. The Eagles rookie showed strength, speed, power and determination to burst clear from the centre square, take two bounces, burn a number of opposition players and slot the goal from 50 metres out to reinforce his status as an emerging superstar.

“It’s been a hell of a year,” Reid said on stage as he accepted the award and recalled the incredible goal. “We won a hitout, then (I) just got the ball - thought I’d take one bounce... and I’ve just gone bang I guess; it was lucky enough to go through... It was a bit of a blur to be honest, it didn’t really feel like it was happening.”

There's no denying Reid's goal was amazing but many footy fans thought Collingwood's younger Daicos was a more worthy winner after being nominated twice for similarly eye-catching majors against Gold Coast and Brisbane. The Daicos goal against the Suns was more of a team effort and contained three touches from Daicos and an interchange of passes, before the Magpies midfielder burst inside 50, skipped past two defenders and slotted it home.

AFL fans say Nick Daicos was robbed for Goal of the Year

Meanwhile, Daicos' goal against Saturday's grand finalists Brisbane showcased the Magpies star's phenomenal turn of speed and control as he burned a number of Lions defenders from the centre square, took a couple of bounces at full speed and split with the posts with a running shot inside 50. Many fans argued that both of Daicos' goals were better than Reid's, but the public vote ultimately went with the West Coast rookie. There was also a sense that Daicos was dudded by having two nominations in there, with votes likely split between his two outstanding goals.

Many fans also argued there were better goals than Reid's or the two from Daicos and pointed out those nominations continued a trend of powerful runs and goals that favour midfielders, rather than anything outrageous or extraordinary. For example, Essendon's Zach Merrett scored a screamer after being pinned against the boundary line around 40m out from goal and somehow managed to fashion a major that got largely forgotten in the wash-up of the defeat against St Kilda in round 20.

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Then there was the unthinkable snap from St Kilda's Jack Higgins in the Round 2 win against Collingwood that commentator Brian Taylor called out of bounds before the goal was paid. Higgins swivelled and took an audacious snap from the edge of the boundary line and the arc, threading the needle of the posts in one of the most memorable goals of the year. Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli wasn’t even nominated for his over-the-shoulder snap against Fremantle after holding off three defenders.