AFL tightens guest lists for Brownlow, warns against turning ceremony into a 'runway'

The AFL has moved to curb the celebrity spectacle around the Brownlow Medal, tightening guest lists and warning attendees the ceremony is about the game’s highest individual honour rather than a red‑carpet fashion show.

League insiders said invitations this year will prioritise players in genuine contention for votes and past winners, reducing the presence of high-profile partners and socialites who have in recent years turned the event into a major style moment.

The move comes ahead of the Brownlow Medal count at Crown Melbourne on Sept. 22, and follows seasons in which arrivals on the red carpet — nicknamed the "Gownlow" — drew as much media attention as the votes themselves. "The Brownlow is who is the fairest and best player in the competition as opposed to who has the hottest girlfriend," one AFL figure told News Corp, summarising the league's stance.

The clampdown could affect publicity around high-profile couples widely expected to attend. Social media figures and influencers have been linked with players this year, most notably Tammy Hembrow, who has been widely tipped to accompany Geelong recruit Bailey Smith as their relationship has been publicly confirmed through recent outings and comments describing Smith as "sweet and genuine."

On the field, the 2025 count is shaping up as one of the most competitive in recent memory. After 24 rounds, an ESPN Brownlow predictor had Collingwood's Nick Daicos, Geelong's Bailey Smith and Gold Coast midfielder Noah Anderson level on 29 votes each. Adelaide captain Jordan Dawson was on 27, with Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli on 24. Other players — including Geelong's Max Holmes, Port Adelaide's Zak Butters and Gold Coast's Matt Rowell — were also cited as potential late surge candidates.

Votes for the Brownlow are awarded by umpires after each match and are kept secret until the ceremony. The award, presented since 1924, recognises the "fairest and best" player; under longstanding rules any player suspended during the season is rendered ineligible to win the medal, a factor that has occasionally removed headline names from contention.

AFL officials acknowledged that fashion will remain part of the night but said the priority is refocusing attention on football achievement. In recent years, partner and guest fashion choices have generated nationwide headlines and viral moments. League sources said the updated guest approach aims to ensure the count is not overshadowed by a runway competition among attendees.

Organisers have not released a public list of changes to the guest policy, and the AFL did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the specifics of the tightened invitations. Several media outlets have reported that some well-known red‑carpet regulars will be absent from this year's event, either because their partners are not in genuine vote contention, are ineligible, or were not invited under the revised criteria.

As votes are revealed on the night, the league’s emphasis on players and past winners will be tested by the enduring public appetite for celebrity coverage. The Brownlow remains the AFL's most prestigious individual honour; league officials say efforts to limit extraneous publicity are intended to protect the integrity and focus of the count as the competition’s leading performers vie for the award.