The AFL has confirmed that from the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership season onwards, field umpires will be provided approved player performance statistics after each game to assist in their deliberations for the Brownlow Medal voting.
 
Field umpires will be provided player performance statistics by the AFL in an approved form to be considered as part of their voting deliberation process. The statistics will be supplied through a secure link from Champion Data and accessed on an AFL-issued device. 
 
This process will also be replicated across the AFLW, starting from the upcoming 2026 NAB AFLW season. 
 
The player performance statistics that will be provided to field umpires are: kicks, handballs, disposals, marks, contested marks, tackles, goals, behinds, goal assists, score involvements, clearances, contested possessions, hitouts, kick-ins, intercept marks, intercept possessions and spoils. 

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Umpires will only access the approved statistics provided by the AFL and not access any other data or use any mobile device at any time prior to completion of the Brownlow Medal voting process.

AFL Executive General Manager of Football Performance, Greg Swann, said the integrity and standing of the award remains paramount.
 
“The Brownlow Medal is the most prestigious individual award in the AFL competition. Field umpires who are entrusted to vote are instructed to take time, care and thoughtfully deliberate before reaching a unanimous decision to ensure the integrity of the award is upheld,” Swan said. 
 
“While statistics can provide useful and reliable data, the essence of the award is clearly set out on the ballot paper. It is the subjective opinion of the field umpires that will determine the voting for the award and the umpires are acutely aware of the importance of the award and the standing in which Brownlow Medallists are held in the game.”
 
The AFL emphasises that the provision of statistics is designed to assist deliberations only, with voting remaining a unanimous and subjective decision of the four field umpires following each match.