Brownlow glamour first: stars hit the red carpet at Crown
Footy's fashion night started before a vote was read. AFL stars and their dates walked the red carpet at Melbourne's Crown Palladium on September 21 ahead of the 2026 Brownlow Medal presentation, the league's best-and-fairest award for the home-and-away season. ABC
Best-and-fairest means what it says. The medal goes to the player judged the best across the season who also plays within the rules. The count itself follows the arrivals.
Cameras crowded the carpet from the first couple. AFL.com.au collected the arrivals in a gallery titled ‘GALLERY: All the pics from the 2026 Brownlow Medal red carpet’ AFL.com.au, while the Sydney Morning Herald ran live updates through the evening of September 21. SMH
The price tags matched the occasion. One outfit featured on the night carried a $1 million price tag, according to Nine’s coverage of the September 21 red carpet. Nine Details were light early. Glamour first, specifics later.
Some looks were locked in before the doors opened. Paris Bishop, the partner of AFL player Nick Daicos, was dressed by Effie Kats for the 2026 red carpet, as previewed by the Herald Sun on September 19. Herald Sun Designers, diamonds and high fashion were all part of the build-up.
There was a familiar pair on media duties, too. Rory Lobb and Lexi Lobb took over the Herald Sun’s red carpet coverage for Monday night, adding some husband-and-wife chaos to the fashion watch. Herald Sun via Facebook
What makes this stand out is the split screen. The red carpet is all suits, gowns and smiles. Inside, the night turns tense and quiet as votes are read club by club. For fans, this means two shows in one — the style parade outside Crown, then the slow reveal of the game’s most-watched individual honour.
