Shock AFL Brownlow Medallist Matt Priddis is embarrassed at his high honour and also relieved he polled the most votes.
The 29-year-old West Coast onballer said it will take a while to digest that he has won the game’s highest individual honour.
“To be honest with you, I was probably a little bit embarrassed,” he said.
“I never quite see myself at this sort of level.
“Obviously it’s not taking away from how honoured I am, but there are so many fantastic players in the competition who I thought were going to win.”
Priddis had an unbeatable three-vote lead by the last round and he was clearly in shock as it dawned on him that, at worst, he would share the medal.
Then he polled two votes to finish on 26, one clear of Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe, who was ineligible through suspension.
Priddis’ outright win saved the AFL some of the inevitable renewed debate about whether suspension should put a player out of the running for the medal.
Priddis also appreciated the significance.
“Nat Fyfe’s season was fantastic and there was a lot made of the bump in the AFL this year,” he said.
“So to be outright winner, it takes the pressure off a little bit.”
Priddis said he was already nervous at the start of the count because he knew he had enjoyed a consistent season.
“When there were a few games that were 50-50 started going my way, that’s probably when I started to get pretty nervous,” he said.
While Priddis was modest about his win, he also said whatever anyone outside West Coast thinks of him as a player has never been a concern.
“I’ve always tried to just control the things I can control,” he said.
It is now AFL folklore that he was passed over in four national drafts before West Coast recruited him as a 20-year-old mature recruit.
He was a trailblazer for players having successful senior careers after failing to be picked up in the draft.
But the former tiler admitted at the time the Eagles recruited him, he was wondering if it would happen.
“I was getting pretty nervy,” he said.
“But … I did say to myself, regardless of whatever happens, I wanted the highest possible level I can play at.
“If that was at (WAFL team Subiaco), then so be it, but I was pretty lucky West Coast gave me that opportunity.”
Coach Adam Simpson is rapt for Priddis, saying it is a reward for many years’ hard work.
“We’re ecstatic – what a fantastic effort,” Simpson said.
“It’s not just one out-of-the-blue year.
“It’s 10-plus years almost of continuous effort and I know you got overlooked for the All-Australian mate, but I think you’ll cop this one.”
Priddis is the first Brownlow medallist since Melbourne’s Shane Woewodin in 2000 not to also make the All-Australian team that season.
PRIDDIS’ 2014 SEASON:
*Polled Brownlow votes in 13 games
*Ranked third in league for clearances with 147
*Ranked third in league for tackles with 160
*Ranked third in league for contested possessions with 330
*Selected in preliminary All-Australian squad, but not final 22-man teamHOW PRIDDIS FARED IN PREVIOUS FIVE BROWNLOW COUNTS:
*7 votes in 2009 (Gary Ablett won with 30 votes)
*13 votes in 2010 (Chrid Judd won with 30 votes)
*19 votes in 2011 (Dane Swan won with 34 votes)
*9 votes in 2012 (Jobe Watson won with 30 votes)
*13 votes in 2013 (Gary Ablett won with 28 votes)WHAT ELSE?
*In 2006 won the Sandover Medal, the WAFL’s best and fairest award
*Worked as a tiler prior to starting his AFL career with West Coast as a mature-age recruit
*Third West Coast Eagle to win the Brownlow, after Chris Judd (2004) and Ben Cousins (2005)
*First player to win the Brownlow after starting his AFL career on the rookie list*Age: 29
*Height: 185cm
*Weight: 86kg
*Games: 173
*Debut: 2006.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
It's a festival of footy as Anzac Round dawns, with matches to be played across a whopping five days in 2024's most spread-out 'weekend'…
Things heating up in Canberra!
Diplomatically answered, Darcy!
For all the pomp and circumstance that surrounds the now-traditional Anzac Day clash at the MCG, there has been one thing conspicuously lacking over…
