It’s beyond doubt that Gary Ablett’s first-placing in Monday night’s Brownlow Medal count was well and truly deserved.

It’s also beyond doubt that the Charles Brownlow Trophy is a midfielder’s medal, particularly if you consider the count’s club by club standings.

Of the 18 players who recorded the most Brownlow votes at their respective clubs this season, all but two regularly played through the midfield.

The notable exceptions were GWS’ full-forward Jeremy Cameron and Carlton’s mainstay in defence, Andrew Walker.

Cameron, who polled just six votes from three matches (comprising two in each), was named full-forward in this year’s All-Australian team. Walker, who earned 11 votes in five matches (including the maximum three on three occasions) didn’t make the 40-man squad.

Walker secured threes against Geelong, Adelaide and GWS in the third, fifth and tenth rounds respectively, and a single vote in each of the 11th and 21st rounds against Essendon and Richmond.

Carlton’s Assistant Coach Gavin Brown concurred with the popular view that the Brownlow Medal was the lot of the on-baller.

“There’s no doubt about that,” Brown said. “There are plenty of examples of players who’ve had fantastic years who didn’t poll that well.”

Asked then if a separate medal for the game’s best defender should be struck, Brown replied: “how do you get a KPI”?.

“It’s all very subjective, so you’d have to come up with a criteria. I mean, goalkicking’s easy because you get a stat on it, but with defenders it’s not cut and dried - and the reason that midfielders poll is because they’re always at the stoppages right in front of the umpires.”

At Carlton, Walker took line honours in the Brownlow Medal from Marc Murphy on 10 votes, with Kade Simpson rounding out the top three placegetters on nine.

He has a strong advocate in Brown, who declared he was “absolutely surprised” Walker wasn’t named in the All-Australian squad at the very least.

“He (Walker) clearly had an outstanding year in terms of his run and carry, metres gained and possession rate, and he defended really well too. We know that because we watched him intimately at club land,” Brown said.

Leading vote getters, 2013 Brownlow Medal, club by club

Adelaide – Patrick Dangerfield (22 votes)

Brisbane – Tom Rockliff (21)

Carlton – Andrew Walker (11)

Collingwood – Dane Swan (26)

Essendon – Jobe Watson (17)

Fremantle – Nathan Fyfe (18)

Geelong – Joel Selwood (27)

Gold Coast – Gary Ablett (28)

Greater Western Sydney – Jeremy Cameron (6)

Hawthorn – Sam Mitchell (16)

Melbourne – Nathan Jones (6)

North Melbourne – Andrew Swallow (14)

Port Adelaide – Travis Boak (13)

Richmond – Dustin Martin (16)

St Kilda – Leigh Montagna (16)

Sydney – Dan Hannebery (21)

West Coast – Matt Priddis (13)

Western Bulldogs – Ryan Griffen/Tom Liberatore (14)