PORT ADELAIDE’s Ollie Wines has become the club’s first Brownlow medallist, claiming the honour at a ceremony in Perth on Sunday night.

Wines had arguably the best season of his career, averaging a career-high 32.1 disposals per game.

The Port Adelaide vice-captain recorded a career-high 43 disposals twice during the regular season in 2021, while also averaged six clearances, 5.2 inside 50s, 443 metres gained and 6.4 score involvements.

The 26-year-old polled a total of 36 votes, equalling the record set by Dustin Martin in 2017 and finishing three ahead of Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli and five ahead of Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver.

“I’m a little bit rattled to be honest,” Wines said immediately after being presented the award by dual Brownlow Medallist Nat Fyfe.

“There are so many great players I still look up to at my age who have had incredible seasons, and a few of them are playing in the biggest game of the year on the weekend and I’m extremely envious of them. I’d love to be in their position.

“It was a great count. Bont is a tremendous player and Clayton (Oliver) is a bit younger than me but we played a bit of junior footy and I played with his brother Mitch and we came from the same country town so I’m sure the people back in Echuca are up and about, despite only a few people being allowed into the local pub. They’ll be cheering tonight.”

A favourite with the bookies leading in, Wines polled in 16 games – a new Brownlow record - including eight games where he received the maximum three votes.

He took the lead in the count after polling a single vote against Carlton in Round 22 while Port Adelaide enjoyed seven straight wins on the way to a Preliminary Final.

Wines paid credit to his teammates and everyone involved in the Port Adelaide Football Club for supporting him and giving him the opportunity to perform at his best.

“More than anything this is a club award,” Wines said. “It doesn’t take an individual, it takes a team, a football club, not just a football department.

“The admin staff, everyone to get someone to this point. Our year obviously didn’t finish how we’d wanted it to but we had another good year, we made a preliminary final so there’s a bit to take out of it but we’re not satisfied yet.”

It was Wines’ best ever tally of votes in a single season, surpassing the 18 he polled in the 2017 season and by far the best tally by a Port Adelaide player, beating the 22 votes Chad Cornes got in the 2004 Premiership season.

He also became the second Port Adelaide player to reach 100 career Brownlow Medal votes behind fellow midfielder Travis Boak.

Boak also had a ripping season finishing equal seventh in the count with a career-high 25 votes, while Karl Amon (11 votes) and Aliir Aliir (seven votes) also polled well.

Boak’s career best tally (beating the 21 he polled in both 2014 and 2020) took him past 150 career Brownlow votes, the most by any Port Adelaide player.

It was a tight count with four players passing 30 votes for the first time.

Inaugural AFL captain Gavin Wanganeen is the only other Brownlow Medallist to play for the club, but his win came in 1993 while he was playing for Essendon.

Boak and Josh Francou had previously finished second in the count.

2021 BROWNLOW MEDAL LEADERBOARD

Ollie Wines (Port Adelaide) – 36 votes

Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs) – 33 votes

Clayton Oliver (Melbourne) – 31 votes

Sam Walsh (Carlton) – 30 votes

Darcy Parish (Essendon) – 26 votes

Jack Steele (St Kilda) – 26 votes

Travis Boak (Port Adelaide) – 25 votes

Tom Mitchell (Hawthorn) – 25 votes

Jarryd Lyons (Brisbane) – 23 votes

Christian Petracca (Melbourne) – 23 votes

PORT ADELAIDE'S 2021 BROWNLOW MEDAL LEADERBOARD

Ollie Wines – 36 votes

Travis Boak – 25 votes

Karl Amon - 11 votes

Aliir Aliir - 7 votes

Dan Houston - 5 votes

Charlie Dixon - 3 votes

Zak Butters - 1 votes

Mitch Georgiades - 1 votes

Robbie Gray - 1 votes

Connor Rozee - 1 votes