'Just looked at the stats': Jimmy Bartel whacks Yiooken Trophy voters as crowd boos award call
Updated . First published at
Geelong champion Jimmy Bartel has criticised the voters for Friday night's Yiooken Trophy, awarded to the best player on the ground in the traditional Dreamtime at the 'G clash between Essendon and Richmond.
The Tigers won the game by three goals, sinking the Bombers to the bottom of the ladder, but the medal was awarded to Dons midfielder Darcy Parish.
Parish picked up 41 disposals, had nine clearances and took seven uncontested marks in the loss, filling up the stat sheet.
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However, upon being named the winner of the Yiooken Trophy on the field, Richmond fans booed relentlessly, signalling their displeasure at the decision.
The votes were given by a quartet of media members; Brian Taylor, Adam Simpson, Kelli Underwood and Shaun Burgoyne for a medal awarded every year since 2006.
Michael Long presents Darcy Parish of the Bombers with the Yiooken Award. AFL Photos via Getty Images
Oddly, none of the four voters actually had Parish as the best player on the ground, but he polled either one or two votes from the group.
The 29-year-old won the medal with seven votes, just ahead of Richmond pair Tim Taranto and Patrick Retschko, who both polled six.
Retschko, a 20-year-old midfielder, was voted best afield by Simpson and Burgoyne, while Taylor gave his three votes to Taranto. Underwood voted Richmond midfielder Jack Ross best on ground, though he did not receive any votes from anyone else.
Taranto picked up 30 disposals, while Retschko finished with 27 and nine score involvements.
Bartel accused voters of simply looking at the stats when determining who to vote for and said it could deter the AFL from making changes to the Brownlow Medal.
"This might be the counter to giving umpires the stats (for the Brownlow Medal)," he said on 3AW.
"I think (the voters) have genuinely just looked at the stats and seen the 40 and the only player having 40-plus touches.
"Parish was pretty good tonight, we're not going downplay the impact he had, but there were more impactful players tonight."
Darcy Parish in action. Getty
Bartel has previously expressed his concerns with changes made to the Brownlow Medal voting for 2026, with umpires now able to view stats before submitting votes.
Fellow 3AW commentator Bruce Eva agreed, calling it a puzzling decision.
"I think we said late in the call he had a fumbly sort of night, didn't we?" Eva added.
"It's not Darcy Parish's fault, it's just a strange decision from the four judges.
"The four media voters are all in separate commentary boxes, but it has to be said that is a strange decision."
Some of the club's all-time greats have taken the Yiooken Trophy home, including Dustin Martin, James Hird, Jobe Watson, Brett Deledio, Trent Cotchin and Zach Merrett.
Darcy Parish of the Bombers gives a speech after the loss. AFL Photos via Getty Images
It's actually the second time Parish has accepted the award in a losing effort, after winning it in 2021 in a 39-point loss.
"It's obviously a huge honour to play (in) this game," Parish said on Friday night after accepting the award in the face of the boos.
"All the credit to Richmond tonight, too good for us. I don't know what to say. We're out here to win and we didn't do the job tonight.
"We'll be back better next week, but I appreciate everyone coming out."
