Brownlow Medal 2022 live updates: Lachie Neale, Clayton Oliver, Andrew Brayshaw among stars competing for top honour

A Welcome to Country opens the evening, before James Reyne performs a stripped back version of The Boys Light Up. And do they ever.

Then Gillon McLachlan will deliver his opening remarks, and we’re straight into the round one votes.

The room is filling up and we are about 10 minutes away from the first vote being counted.

Lachie Neale and Andrew Brayshaw are friendly now, but they will likely be neck and neck at the top of the leaderboard in a few hours’ time.

Britt and Joel Selwood and Natalie and Sam Docherty have come with a special plus-ones tonight — Britt and Natalie both have babies on the way.

The real stars of the show are the Armourguard crew who, with much fuss and festival, deliver the botes to Gil McLachlan.

Dani Laidley returns to the Brownlow, here with Donna Leckie.

Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca are both considered serious chances tonight.

With a grand final to prepare, Sydney’s superstars have gathered at the SCG for the count tonight.

Pictured here are Hayden McLean, Isaac Heeney, Tom Papley, Annie Milner, Luke Parker, Kate Lawrence, Callum Mills, Tiffany Browne, Chad Warner and Alice Hughes.

How many votes between these two tonight?

Nick Daicos with Ararette Jones and Josh Daicos with Annalise Dalins.

Melbourne’s Max Gawn and Jessica Gawn

Melbourne’s Angus Brayshaw and Danielle Frawley

Richmond’s Daniel Rioli and Paris Lawrence

Geelong’s Jeremy Cameron and Indiana Putra

As we build up to the start of the count (which will begin at about 7:30pm AEST), all eyes are on the red carpet as players and their partners begin to arrive.

And despite the smiles, no doubt there are some nerves for some of the favourites tonight, including:

Gold Coast’s Touk Miller and Maddie Leek

Carlton’s Patrick Cripps and Monique Fontana

Brisbane’s Lachie Neale

Good evening, and welcome to footy’s night of nights! The AFL’s best and brightest have all headed to Melbourne to be together for the first time since 2019, as the year’s best and fairest player is honoured.

A tight count is expected with plenty of names in the mix, including Lachie Neale, Clayton Oliver, Andrew Brayshaw, Touk Miller, Christian Petracca and Patrick Cripps all expected to be up among the leaders come the end of the night.

So stick around as we go through all the winners and vote-getters, round-by-round, until our winner (or winners?!?) is crowned.