Gulden finishes fourth in 2023 Brownlow Medal

Sydney Swans young-gun Errol Gulden has capped off a stellar 2023 season by finishing equal fourth in the 2023 Brownlow Medal count.

The 21-year old was extremely close to taking out the league's most prestigious individual accolade, coming home strong to poll in nine of out of the ten final games.

Gulden was in the mix right until the end, going into the final round count in equal second place knowing he had a 42 disposal, two goal game against Melbourne in Round 24. 

In that game he picked up one vote to take his tally to 27, before Brisbane skipper Lachie Neale claimed the three votes to secure the 2023 Brownlow Medal.

Gulden's remarkable run home saw him claim the best of field, 3 votes in Rounds 15, 16, 18, 20, 21 and 23 and two votes in Round 17 and one vote in Round 24.

In finishing equal fourth on 27 votes (behind Neale 31 votes, Marcus Bontempelli 29, Nick Daicos 28, Zak Butters 27), Gulden became just the 15th player in Swans history to poll 20 votes in a season and was also the second youngest.

His 27 votes is the most by any Swan since the 1940 Brownlow Medal when Herbie Matthews polled 32 votes to win the medal. Since that night the club has had 12 Brownlow medalists and none have registered as many votes as Gulden did in his just third Brownlow medal count.

Fellow Swans young star Chad Warner also polled well, particularly in the early rounds, polling 16 votes in total. The midfielder had three best-on-ground performances in Rounds 4, 11 and 22 and picked up two votes in Rounds 1,5 and 10. 

Swans co-captain Luke Parker picked up another 10 career Brownlow votes to take his Brownlow total to 152 votes and now sits just eleven vote shy of Adam Goodes (163 votes) who holds down second position on the Swans all-time Brownlow vote tally with Sydney Swans legend Bob Skilton atop with 180 votes.

A full breakdown of 2023 Brownlow votes can be found here.