FROM unexpected threes to unexpectedly missing out, a thrilling Brownlow Medal count delivered plenty of shocks on Monday night.
In the end, Brisbane star Lachie Neale (31 votes) claimed the individual honour for a second time, edging out Marcus Bontempelli (29) and Nick Daicos (28).
BROWNLOW TRACKER Every vote for every player, as it happened
BROWNLOW HUB All you need for footy's night of nights
YOUR CLUB'S BROWNLOW NIGHT Leader, top five, total votes
TALKING POINTS Lachie's mystery votes, revenge games, Jezza at it again
GALLERY The best pics from the Brownlow Medal red carpet
While there were some surprise votes throughout the night, the umpires were broadly aligned with the 18 coaches. The Brownlow top six – Neale, Bontempelli, Daicos, Errol Gulden, Zak Butters and Christian Petracca – was the same as the top six in the AFL Coaches Association's champion player of the year award, albeit in a different order.
But, as always, there were some anomalies.
Overall, there were 16 instances of players getting three votes from the umpires but none from the coaches, and 19 occasions where players picked up a perfect 10 from the coaches but got no love from the umpires.
Collingwood's Tom Mitchell and St Kilda's Brad Crouch were the only players with multiple three-vote Brownlow games that resulted in zero votes from coaches while Fremantle's Luke Jackson was the only player to get 10 from the coaches and zero from the umpires on more than one occasion.
Check out the full list below as we take a closer look at some of the biggest surprises from the count.
Round 2
Dayne Zorko earned maximum coaches' votes but none from the umpires after having 22 disposals and kicking two goals in Brisbane's win over Melbourne in round two. Neale (27 and eight clearances) was one of the beneficiaries, picking up two Brownlow votes. In the same round, Callum Mills (28 and two goals) was overlooked in the Brownlow after starring for Sydney against Hawthorn, but the coaches gave him a perfect 10. Joel Amartey grabbed three Brownlow votes after kicking four goals in 50 per cent game time.
Round 3
Taylor Adams picked up three votes in the Magpies' 14-point win over Richmond in round three, but none from the coaches after his 20-disposal game. Jordan De Goey (35 disposals and nine clearances) missed out on Brownlow votes but got 10 from the coaches, Nick Daicos (33 and two) got two from the umpires and just three from the coaches, while Tom Mitchell (30) and Josh Daicos (28 and a goal) were overlooked by the umps. Tiger Tim Taranto had 29 touches and nine clearances, but the one Brownlow vote instead went to Nathan Murphy. Izak Rankine's four-goal haul in the Showdown also saw him earn 10 coaches' votes, but none from the umps.
Round 5
Nic Martin seemed to be caught by surprise when now-retired teammate Andrew Phillips earned three votes in Essendon's win over Melbourne in round five. Phillips had 12 disposals, 21 hitouts and two goals to beat Zach Merrett and Christian Petracca to maximum Brownlow votes, while getting none from the coaches. Caleb Serong (37 disposals and eight clearances) could count himself unlucky to miss out on Brownlow votes in round five after getting a perfect 10 from the coaches.
Round 6
Neale's three-vote performance against Greater Western Sydney in round six got plenty of interest. The Lions gun was held to 20 disposals (including seven kicks) and six clearances as teammate Charlie Cameron kicked seven goals. Josh Kelly (41 disposals) and Stephen Coniglio (38 and nine clearances) also had big games as Neale was overlooked entirely by the coaches, but grabbed three from the umpires.
Round 8
Round eight saw four players earn maximum coaches' votes while getting no love from the umpires. Cat Esava Ratugolea was among them, while Zak Butters (28 disposals and six clearances) starred in Port's win over Essendon. Callum Wilkie (28 disposals and nine marks) was also overlooked and Jackson missed out despite 24 disposals and two goals for Fremantle against Hawthorn.
Round 9
Dion Prestia grabbed three votes in the Tigers' win over the Cats in round nine after gathering 19 disposals and kicking a goal. He missed out from the coaches, who had Nathan Broad (one Brownlow vote) best on ground. Dustin Martin had 19 disposals and kicked four goals but missed out on Brownlow votes, while Jayden Short had 26 touches and a game-high 714 metres gained. Also in round nine, Sean Darcy (18 disposals, 44 hitouts and nine clearances) missed out on Brownlow votes despite dominating for the Dockers in Sydney, while Petracca got no Brownlow votes but 10 from the coaches, after 30 disposals, six clearances and five goal assists for Melbourne against Hawthorn.
Round 10
While three players (Mitch Lewis, Luke Parker and Jack Sinclair) took home 10 from the coaches and none in the Brownlow in round 10, it was the Saint who was perhaps unluckiest. Sinclair had 37 disposals, 733 metres gained and kicked two goals in St Kilda's win over Greater Western Sydney, but didn't get the attention of the whistle blowers.
Round 14
Perhaps the most surprising three-vote game came via Jason Horne-Francis in round 14. With 13 disposals at 53.8 per cent efficiency and two clearances, the Port Adelaide midfielder somehow secured maximum Brownlow votes in a win over the Cats. Dan Houston (31 disposals and six clearances) got the nod from the coaches but missed out on Brownlow votes altogether, while Connor Rozee (25 disposals) was also overlooked by the umps.
Round 21
Jackson's enormous performance for the Dockers against the Lions in round 21 earned the perfect 10 from the coaches, but he missed out on Brownlow votes. The ruckman had 24 disposals, 44 hitouts, five clearances and kicked a goal in a narrow loss in Perth.
Players who got three Brownlow votes but no coaches' votes
Round 1: Shai Bolton (Richmond)
Round 3: Taylor Adams (Collingwood), Brad Crouch (St Kilda)
Round 5: Andrew Phillips (Essendon), Brad Close (Geelong)
Round 6: Lachie Neale (Brisbane)
Round 7: Tim English (Western Bulldogs), Tom Mitchell (Collingwood)
Round 8: Christian Petracca (Melbourne), Jack Steele (St Kilda)
Round 9: Dion Prestia (Richmond)
Round 10: Tom Mitchell (Collingwood)
Round 14: Jason Horne-Francis (Port Adelaide)
Round 16: Brad Crouch (St Kilda)
Round 20: Dom Sheed (West Coast)
Round 21: Jordan Dawson (Adelaide)
Players who got 10 coaches' votes but no Brownlow votes
Round 2: Dayne Zorko (Brisbane), Callum Mills (Sydney)
Round 3: Jordan De Goey (Collingwood), Izak Rankine (Adelaide)
Round 5: Caleb Serong (Fremantle)
Round 8: Esava Ratugolea (Geelong), Luke Jackson (Fremantle), Zak Butters (Port Adelaide), Callum Wilkie (St Kilda)
Round 9: Sean Darcy (Fremantle), Christian Petracca (Melbourne)
Round 10: Luke Parker (Sydney), Mitch Lewis (Hawthorn), Jack Sinclair (St Kilda)
Round 17: Adam Cerra (Carlton)
Round 18: Sam Taylor (Greater Western Sydney), Daniel Rioli (Richmond)
Round 21: Luke Jackson (Fremantle)
Round 23: Jake Lever (Melbourne)