Who was the first Indigenous Australian to win the Brownlow Medal?

Gavin Wanganeen was the first Indigenous Australian to win the Brownlow Medal.

Wanganeen won the 1993 Brownlow Medal while playing for Essendon. He polled 18 votes in the count, sharing the award with Carlton’s Greg Williams. At age 20, Wanganeen was also the youngest Brownlow Medal winner at that time.

Born in Mount Gambier, South Australia, Wanganeen was a Kokatha man. He began his VFL/AFL career with Essendon, later played for Port Adelaide, and returned to Essendon before retiring in 2006. He played 300 senior games and was inducted into the Australian Football Hall of Fame.

The Brownlow Medal is awarded to the fairest and best player in the VFL/AFL home-and-away season. Wanganeen’s achievement is distinct from later Indigenous winners such as Adam Goodes, Chris Judd’s teammate? No: Goodes won in 2003 and 2006, while Wanganeen remains the first Indigenous recipient.