Welcome to Daily Mail Australia’s live coverage of the 2026 Brownlow Medal awards ceremony at the Crown Palladium in Melbourne.All eyes were on Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos, who was the hot favourite to finally win his first Brownlow Medal.After coming so close on three previous occasions, Daicos won his first Brownlow Medal, notching up a record 47 points.Follow our live updates here. Key UpdatesDaicos begins acceptance speech with heartwarming tribute to girlfriendDaicos is declared the Brownlow Medal winnerAnd the winner for Goal of the Year goes to…..Bailey Smith is in the houseView moreDaicos begins acceptance speech with heartwarming tribute to girlfriendDaicos opened his heartwarming speech with a heartfelt tribute to his partner Arlette Amor.The couple have been together for four years after they first met in high school.’So grateful to have you in my corner,’ he told her.’You offer me such great perspective with what you do with work every single day and also uni studies and you make me realise what really matters in the world.’I have a tough day and pretty quickly come home and I’m levelled out, because what you do, you have such a great impact.’He also paid tribute to his parents Colleen and Peter – a Collingwood legend himself, along with his two older siblings.’I can’t wait to share this night with you. I’m not here without you,’ he continued’I’m so grateful for all your support. I feel like playing at Collingwood and being a father-son has been extr a spotlight on me at times.’Daicos also paid tribute to Collingwood, his manager and his sponsors.’Truly, I am lost for words to be up here. It’s a massive honour and I’m so grateful,’ he concluded.Share A humble Daicos takes to the stage’I never thought I would be up on this stage. It’s something I have to genuinely pinch myself,’ Nick Daicos said as he accepted the 2026 Brownlow Medal.’I walk into the club every day and am immensely grateful to be an AFL footballer. I owe it to Collingwood to train with intensity.’Daicos prevailed after runner-up finishes in the past two seasons, a third placing in 2023 and an eighth place in his debut year of 2022.’I’ve just learned not to trust the betting markets,’ he said.’This is a massive award and I’m so privileged. I can’t believe I’m a Brownlow Medallist, to be honest.’He spoke about growing up with a famous footballing father, Collingwood premiership legend Peter Daicos.’Dad has the the best work ethic, he worked his backside off,’ he recalled.’He would drop his bags in the kitchen. Josh (his brother and fellow Collingwood teammate) and I would pester him to go to our local park.’They’re my favourite memories growing up – Josh and I trying to do set shot practice.’Quickly we were kicking out and dad was kicking dribbles from the boundary. It didn’t last long.’ShareBrownlow’s heartwarming gesture for young fanNick Daicos publicly paid tribute to a young Collingwood fan fighting cancer moments after winning his maiden Brownlow Medal.During his acceptance speech, Daicos signed a newspaper front page for eight-year-old cancer patient Logan.It was his first autograph as a Brownlow Medallist.’This is coming to you Logan, we will make sure it happens,’ Channel Seven’s Hamish Mc Lachlan said during the broadcast.Daicos and Logan have formed a close bond since meeting through the Make A Wish Foundation earlier this year.’I have a youngster, Logan, who is staying awake at the moment. He has cancer. And I worked closely with him this year,’ Daicos told the crowd.’I think that shows the platform we can have and impacting people like that, I think we send videos back and forth throughout the week.’We’re only able to do that and put a smile on his face because we’re playing footy.’Then at the same time, I think he’s probably taught me more than I taught him.’ShareHow the Brownlow Medal top 10 leaderboard finished1. Nick Daicos (Collingwood) – 47 votes2. Bailey Smith (Geelong) – 36 votes3. Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs) – 34 votes4. Max Gawn (Melbourne) – 28 votes=5. Will Ashcroft (Brisbane), Patrick Cripps (Carlton), Harry Sheezel (North Melbourne) – 27 votes=8. Zak Butters (Port Adelaide), Issac Heeney (Sydney Swans) – 26 votes10. Izak Rankine (Adelaide Crows) – 25 votesShareWhy the Brownlow Medal winner almost got disowned by his AFL-famous dad Daicos admitted that he wasn’t not always a Collingwood fan growing up, despite his famous father Peter playing 250 games for the Pies.He recalled his father’s disgust when he briefly switched alliances.’I did love Marc Murphy and Chris Judd growing up. I came home one day with the number three on my back on a Carlton guernsey and walking around singing ‘Da da da da daaaa’,’ Daicos recalled.’I’m not kidding, Dad was treating me like a Covid patient. I was eight-years-old – I wasn’t getting fed, I was getting isolated.’It was brutal times, so I had to get back to Collingwood.’He also admitted to having a liking for Hawthorn’I had a weird obsession with Hawthorn – they were winning at the time and loved some of their players,’ he said.’I would play these games in my head, I’d be Hawthorn and then the Western Bulldogs.’I used to try to be Cyril (Riolo) but didn’t have his pace or skill,’Nick and his brother spent countless afternoons as kids with Greythorn Junior Football Club, where their dad coached.As they got older, they finally realised why their father was so famous.’It was something never forced on us. That is what Josh and I wanted to do. ‘We never realised the enormity of growing up with a dad that played for the club and had such an impact at the Collingwood club. ‘I remember 2010 grand time he was commentating, we got there two hours early and didn’t get to the commentary box with ten minutes to go. ‘We were asked Dad, ‘how are you so popular and have these friends?’ ‘We didn’t know any better, Dad was Dad.ShareSurprising way how the Daicos brothers spent Brownlow Medal Eve 2026 Brownlow medal winner Nick Daicos is set for for another big evening after a sleepless Sunday night.Photos have emerged of the Collingwood star playing board games with his brother Josh and father Peter while enjoying a few beers on Sunday night.It was reported during the Channel Seven’s Brownlow coverage that they were still up playing at 4am in the morning.ShareDaicos is declared the Brownlow Medal winnerNick Daicos won his first Brownlow Medal with three rounds still remaining.He became just the second player to record more than 40 points on three separate seasonsAfter 21 rounds, Daicos was declared the winner on 41 points, 10 clear of next best.He then notched up two more best-on-ground performances to finish on a record 47 points.ShareIs 2026 finally the year for Nick Daicos?Nick Daicos has surged ahead in the Brownlow Medal count.After 15 rounds, the Collingwood star leads with 26 points, polling in 11 out of 13 games.Daicos is three points clear of Bulldogs’ Marcus Bontempelli and Geelong’s Bailey Smith, with nine rounds remaining.His former Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury expects Daicos to poll another 15 votes.’He hates losing especially at table tennis,’ he joked.’Whenever we travel on the road he is relentless at trying to get a rematch. I won’t give one, so I always leave as the better player.’Daicos has since extended his lead to 32 points after 17 rounds, six points clear of Zak Butters.ShareJim Stynes Community Leadership Award announcedFremantle’s Bailey Banfield is the 2026 winner of the Jim Stynes Community Leadership Award.Banfield has built long-standing partnerships with the Starlight’s Children’s Foundation, Worthy Australia and the Purple Hands Foundation.He also also this year established and led a player-driven program, Freo Cares.’Footy it has given me so much, so to be able to have this platform, to be able to give back a little bit what I have got from this sport is an incredible honour,’ he said.’To be able to give back some of that is something I am incredibly proud of. ‘Even to stand up here and take about the work that do is incredibly powerful.’Banfield spoke from Fremantle’s Brownlow function in Perth after he and his wife Julia earlier revealed that they were expecting their first child.ShareNervous wait continues for Lachie Neale Lachie Neale was all smiles at the Brisbane Lions’ Brownlow medal function as he prepares to fight a one-match suspension.Neale is set to miss Lions’ grand final against Fremantle this Saturday suspension for a behind-the-play hit on Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan in the preliminary final.The Lions have confirmed they will challenge that ban at the tribunal on Tuesday night.If the suspension stands, Neale would not only miss the Lions’ shot at a rare premiership three-peat, it would mean he has likely played his last game for the club.It’s been tumultuous year for Neale with his personal life dominating the headlines following the break-up of his marriage to Jules.Neale’s relationship with Tess Crosley, who had previously been a close friend of Jules, saw the marriage implode.She moved back to Perth, taking the couple’s two young children with her, and Neale stood down as Brisbane captain as the off-field controversy swirled.Neale has since moved on with Emma Field, who appeared to be a no-show at Monday night’s function in Brisbane.ShareBrownlow count is neck and neckAfter 11 rounds, Nick Daicos is back at the top of the leaderboard with 18 points, just ahead of one point ahead of Bontempelli and Butters, who briefly had the lead after 10 rounds.ShareMark of the Year announcedHawthorn’s Nick Watson wins Mark of the Year for his stunning grab in atrocious conditions.Share