Victorian police have charged four men with alleged suspicious gambling on the AFL’s Brownlow Medal best and fairest award in 2021 and 2022.
Officers have laid a total of 103 charges against the men, including use of corrupt information for betting purposes and undertaking a course of conduct to obtain financial advantage by deception.
The charges were laid after a ‘protracted investigation,’ Victoria Police said in a statement on Tuesday morning.
The winner of the code’s highest individual honour is decided by votes made by field umpires at every match throughout the regular season.
Three votes are awarded for the player believed to have been best on ground, with two votes for the second-best player, and one vote for the third-best.
Carlton’s Patrick Cripps took out the honour in 2022, with Port Adelaide star Ollie Wines winning the count in 2021.
Pictured: Patrick Cripps after winning the Brownlow Medal last year. He also took out the award in 2022, with the voting that year being investigated by police
Ollie Wines (pictured with partner Olivia May) won the Brownlow in 2021, with that year’s voting also the subject of the police investigation
Former AFL umpire Michael Pell (pictured) was arrested by Victoria Police in 2022 but not charged. He has always maintained his innocence
The charged men are a 34-year-old from Doreen, a 31-year-old from Hadfield, a 35-year-old from Reservoir, and a 34-year-old from Glenroy, Victoria Police said.
The charges include eight counts of use of corrupt conduct information for betting purposes – communicate information, and 70 counts of undertaking a course of conduct to use corrupt conduct information for betting purposes.
The Reservoir man is also charged with use of corrupt conduct information for betting purposes – encourage to bet, and 15 counts of undertaking a course of conduct to obtain financial advantage by deception.
They have been summonsed to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on September 11, and they face a maximum sentence of 10 years’ imprisonment if found guilty.
Victoria Police detectives from the force’s Sporting Integrity Intelligence Unit arrested four men in 2022 over claims a person with inside knowledge leaked information about the Brownlow votes tally.
One of those men was former AFL umpire Michael Pell, who was interviewed by police but not charged. Pell has always maintained his innocence.
In October 2023, Pell’s lawyer Jordana Fayman said the ongoing nature of the investigation has ‘taken its toll’ on Pell and his family.
‘Given all that has transpired over the last 10 months, he looks forward to the investigation finally being complete,’ she said.
A long list of all-time greats have won the game’s most prestigious individual honour, including Dustin Martin (pictured) and Chris Judd
Pell walked away from the AFL on mental health grounds following his dramatic arrest.
Winners of the code’s most prestigious award include reigning medallist Patrick Cripps, 2024 winner Lachie Neale of the Brisbane Lions, and past greats such as Chris Judd, Dustin Martin and Gary Ablett Jr.
Collingwood star Nick Daicos is the current betting favourite to win this year’s medal, paying $2.50 with the TAB.
He’s followed by Geelong’s Bailey Smith and Adelaide’s Jordan Dawson on $5, with the Gold Coast’s Noah Anderson paying $10.
