Brownlow Medal TV Wrap: What you missed from footy’s night of nights
Nick Daicos may have finally won his maiden Brownlow Medal, but there was plenty happening around the Crown room. What Libba won’t miss, how Seven snubbed Swans, the — almost — million dollar ring and more.
He won’t miss them, but television viewers will miss Tom Liberatore’s airtime on Brownlow night.
He has provided some classic moments in the past with his antics at the Western Bulldogs table always entertaining.
At his last Brownlow as a player, the retiring Dog was at his funny best as he showed why he is loved for what he does off the field just as much as what he did on it.
When asked by Seven presenter Rebecca Maddern how he was feeling now he was retired he very much caught her off guard with his response.
“Nah it feels good, I finally had a photo with my old man (Tony Liberatore) on the red carpet and he reminded me that I won’t be back here next year but he will be, as a repeated winner,” he said.
“It feels good to have a photo with my dad for once.”
And then when asked what he wouldn’t miss as a player he responded with: “a few things, probably these interviews that’s probably the main thing”.
Given a Nick Daicos win was predicted by nearly everyone, there was a different feel to the Channel 7 broadcast on Monday night, as much as they tried to pump up that we had a count on our hands.
Here’s the other talking points and what stood out from the television coverage from the AFL’s night of nights.
BAZLENKA AT IT AGAIN
He was a danger of not actually coming to the event at Crown, but once again Bailey Smith was a darling of the broadcast.
Wearing what could be described as a golden suit, despite the black tie dress code, with lining featuring the logo of his drinks company Barry’s – Smith certainly had the cameras on him a lot as the night went on.
And less formal did the outfit become.
Coming into the room with a golden bow tie as well, that came off and the top button was undone quickly.
The jacket also came off at one point, before he put it back on.
As to describe the outfit, well his teammate Patrick Dangerfield – who equalled Gary Ablett Jr for the most ever Brownlow votes polled with 262 – potentially summed it up best.
“He looks a little bit like Lloyd of ‘Dumb and Dumber’ with that suit,” he said.
“But if anyone can pull off that suit it is Bailey.”
SWANS SNUB?
Barely acknowledging their season was how Ch. 7 decided to handle the elephant in the room that was Sydney.
The Swans’ Isaac Heeney finished in ninth with 26 votes, and at one stage looked to be in the mix for a top five or even a top three spot.
But outside of Andrew Dillon reading out “I. Heeney” after polling, the Swan barely received another mention or had any highlights featured on the big screen.
Seven showed limited highlights of Sydney’s season during the night, as a result of the saga at the Pullman Hotel.
Swans star Errol Gulden did get a mention as a possible contender before the count started, but that is as much as any Sydney player got.
Charlie Curnow received some love in the round recaps for his goals, but aside from that it was a quiet night for red and white fans.
PENDLES’ NICK SLEDGE
Daicos is very good at footy, not so much at table tennis it seems.
The predictions were right with the Collingwood star absolutely romping to his first ever Brownlow Medal win as he smashed the votes record on the way to it.
But he won’t get one over now ex-Collingwood teammate Scott Pendlebury when it comes to table tennis now the Pies great is heading to the Gold Coast.
“He hates losing, especially at table tennis, whenever we travel on the road he is relentless in always trying to get a rematch,” Pendlebury said.
“But we won’t be in a rematch so I will always be the better table tennis player.”
HOMESICK WIZARD
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell definitely found something in Nick Watson’s interview after winning mark of the year very funny.
Mitchell couldn’t stop laughing after Watson and his lack of travel was discussed.
That is set to change after Watson won mark of the year for his hanger on West Coast’s Liam Baker, or as the Hawks star called him after it ‘poster boy’.
With this comes a lot of Virgin Australia Velocity points for trips.
Even though Watson hasn’t done much travelling before.
“I haven’t actually travelled too much overseas,” Watson said.
“I get a bit homesick, so haven’t done too much travelling.
“I’m going to New Zealand so that will be a good test.”
Something about this certainly tickled Mitchell’s funny bone.
Before that Hawks’ co-captain Jai Newcombe had one of the reactions of the night to him not getting the three votes in their round 7 win over Gold Coast.
When it was announced that Josh Battle had received the three votes in the 49-point win, cameras panned to Newcombe looking shocked – or maybe it was a badly timed yawn.
Newcombe, who got the two votes, had 30 disposals and 12 clearances in the 49-point win.
Battle had 29 disposals and seven marks.
The $900K RING
WE know how much a Fremantle premiership is now worth to Dockers star Josh Treacy, more than a $900,000 ring.
While the Dockers’ Brownlow contingent is at their own event at Optus Stadium in Perth ahead of Saturday’s grand final, they have gone above and beyond when it comes to accessories and glamping up.
Somehow the Perth Mint have lent Treacy’s partner Nik Mill a giant diamond ring which costs just under the cool million dollars.
But a premiership on Saturday would be worth even more to the Dockers forward, as Treacy replied “absolutely” to if he would trade in that ring for a flag.
Originally published as Brownlow Medal TV Wrap: What you missed from footy’s night of nights