Injury has almost certainly robbed Essendon captain James Hird of a second Brownlow Medal. Hird finished with 19 votes – just three votes behind joint winners Adam Goodes (Sydney), Nathan Buckley (Collingwood) and Mark Ricciuto (Adelaide). It was a remarkable effort considering he missed six games with injury and went off in the early minutes of two others.

Matthew Lloyd (14) was the second best Essendon player while the surprise of the night was Scott Lucas who polled just one vote despite a brilliant season. Round-by-round voting is attached.

VOTING ROUND BY ROUND

Round 1: Essendon v Brisbane
3: M Voss
2: N. Lappin
1: B. Scott

Round 2: Essendon v Melbourne
3: S. Wellman
2: D. Solomon
1: D. Fletcher

Round 3: Essendon v Carlton
3: R. Houlihan
2: D. Hulme
1: J. Hird

Round 4: Essendon v Western Bulldogs
3: D Hille
2: M. Lloyd
1: N. Brown

Round 5: Essendon v Collingwood
3: J. Hird
2: N. Buckley
1: D. Cupido

Round 6: Essendon v Fremantle
3: P. Hasleby
2: P. Bell
1: D. Headland

Round 7: Essendon v Richmond
3: K Johnson
2: M. Coughlan
1: G. Stafford

Round 8: Essendon v Hawthorn
3: J. Johnson
2: M. Johnson
1: M. Mercuri

Round 9: Essendon v Port Adelaide
3: W. Tredrea
2: R. James
1: N. Stevens

Round 10: Essendon v West Coast
3: M. Lloyd
2: M. Kerr
1: B. Cousins

Round 11: Essendon v Sydney
3: P. Williams
2: B. Hall
1: T. Kennelly

Round 12: Essendon v Kangaroos
3: A. Simpson
2: B. Harvey
1: D. Petrie

Round 13: Essendon v Geelong
3: D. Peverill
2: D. Cupido
1: C. Ling

Round 14: Essendon v St Kilda
3: M. Lloyd
2: J. Hird
1: A. Welsh

Round 15: Essendon v Adelaide
3: S. Welsh
2: M. Ricciuto
1: J. Hird

Round 16: Essendon v Brisbane Lions
3: J. Hird
2: M. Bolton
1: L. Power

Round 17: Essendon v Melbourne
3: S. Wellman
2: J. Misiti
1: G. Rigoni

Round 18: Essendon v Carlton
3: J. Hird
2: A. McKay
1: M. Johnson

Round 19: Essendon v Western Bulldogs
3: M. Lloyd
2: J. Hird
1: N. Brown

Round 20: Essendon v Richmond
3: M. Coughlan
2: M. Lloyd
1: S. Lucas

Round 21: Essendon v Fremantle
3: J. Johnson
2: J. Hird
1: M. Lloyd

Round 22: Essendon v Collingwood
3: S. Woewodin
2: J. Hird
1: N. Buckley

Essendon’s Brownlow Medal Leaders:

James Hird 19
Matthew Lloyd 14
Jason Johnson 6
Sean Wellman 6
David Hille 3
Damien Peverill 3
Damian Cupido 3
Mark Johnson 3
Dean Solomon 2
Mark Bolton 2
Joe Misiti 2
Dustin Fletcher 1
Mark Mercuri 1
Andrew Welsh 1
Scott Lucas 1