The Chas Brownlow Trophy was first presented in 1924 to the "fairest and best" player in the, then, VFL competition. It was created and named in honor of former Geelong player and adminstrator, and VFL president, who had died earlier that year after a long illness.

Players are ineligible to win the medal if they have been suspended, or given a number of sanctions across the season that equal a suspension.

Six Melbourne players have won the award a total of seven times. Ivor Warne-Smith is the only multiple winner.

Most Brownlow Votes

Winners

• Ivor Warne-Smith, 1926 and 1928
• Don Cordner, 1946
• Brian Wilson, 1982
• Peter Moore, 1984
• Jim Stynes, 1991
• Shane Woewodin, 2000

Voting systems
1924-1930 - One vote per game
1931-1975 - 3, 2, 1 votes
1976-1977 - 3, 2, 1 votes from each umpire
1978-present - 3, 2, 1 votes

Year	Top MFC Player	Votes	Notes
1924	Bert Chadwick	6	=2nd
1925	Bert Chadwick	4
1926	Ivor Warne-Smith	9	Winner
1927	Richard Taylor	6	=2nd
1928	Ivor Warne-Smith	8	Winner
1929	Ivor Warne-Smith	4	=2nd
1930	Robert B Johnson	3	=2nd
1931	Percy Beames	15
1932	Percy Beames	12
1933	Eric Glass	7
1934	Allan La Fontaine	10
1935	Allan La Fontaine	15
1936	Allan La Fontaine	19
1937	Jack Mueller	17
1938	Gordon Jones	12
1939	Jack Mueller	11
1940	Ron Baggott	11
1941	Allan La Fontaine	11
1946	Don Cordner	20	Winner
1947	Don Cordner	16
1948	Alby Rodda	11
1949	Don Cordner	12
1950	Denis Cordner	12
1951	Denis Cordner	14
1952	Denis Cordner and Stuart Spencer	11
1953	Denis Cordner	9
1954	Denis Cordner	12
1955	Denis Cordner	15
1956	John Beckwith and Ron Barassi	13
1957	John Beckwith	13
1958	John Beckwith	11
1959	Robert B Johnson	10
1960	John Beckwith	15
1961	Ron Barassi	10
1962	Hassa Mann	11
1963	Ron Barassi and Brian Dixon	10
1964	Hassa Mann	11
1965	Don Williams	9
1966	Hassa Mann	12
1967	Hassa Mann	12
1968	Greg Parke	11
1969	Denis Clark, Greg Parke and Tassie Johnson	6
1970	Barry Bourke and Greg Parke	9
1971	Stan Alves and Greg Wells	10
1972	Greg Wells	22	2nd
1973	Greg Wells	16
1974	Gary Hardeman	23	2nd
1975	Stan Alves	19	2nd
1976	Greg Wells	28
1977	Gary Hardeman	27
1978	Robert Flower	14
1979	Robert Flower	19
1980	Robert Flower	14
1981	Paul O'Brien, Steven Smith, Graham Gaunt, Robert Flower	3
1982	Brian Wilson	23	Winner
1983	Steven Icke	13
1984	Peter Moore	24	Winner
1985	Gerard Healy	8
1986	Alan Johnson	6
1987	Brian Wilson	12
1988	Brett Lovett and Steven O'Dwyer	10
1989	Stephen Newport and Jim Stynes	10
1990	Brett Lovett	15
1991	Jim Stynes	25	Winner
1992	Jim Stynes	8
1993	Jim Stynes	12
1994	David Schwarz	15
1995	Jim Stynes	15
1996	Jim Stynes	11
1997	Todd Viney	9
1998	Todd Viney	20
1999	Scott Chisholm and Jeff Farmer	6
2000	Shane Woewodin	24	Winner
2001	Peter Walsh	11
2002	Adem Yze	17
2003	Cameron Bruce and David Neitz	8
2004	Jeff White	15
2005	Travis Johnstone	11
2006	Travis Johnstone	11
2007	James McDonald	6
2008	Brock McLean and Paul Wheatley	5
2009	Aaron Davey	6
2010	Aaron Davey and Colin Sylvia	10
2011	Brent Moloney	19
2012	Nathan Jones	14
2013	Nathan Jones	6
2014	Nathan Jones	13
2015	Bernie Vince	14
2016	Max Gawn	16
2017	Clayton Oliver	12
2018	Angus Brayshaw	21	3rd
2019	Max Gawn	17
2020	Christian Petracca	20	3rd