Collingwood midfielder Dane Swan has won the 2011 Brownlow Medal, polling a record 34 votes. Swan, 27, who will play in Saturday's Grand Final against Geelong, won the count by four votes from ineligible Hawthorn onballer Sam Mitchell.

 St Kilda midfielder Nick Dal Santo finished third on 28 votes. Swan's Magpies teammate Scott Pendlebury finished equal fourth on 24 votes with Western Bulldogs captain Matthew Boyd.

Pre-count favourite, dual Brownlow winner and Carlton captain Chris Judd, won 23 votes, while Sydney Swans co-captain Adam Goodes, another dual medallist expected to be among the leaders, managed 19.

Swan stormed home with five best on ground performances after Collingwood's round 13 bye, and polled votes in nine out of 11 matches after his mid-season recuperative trip to Arizona. His triumph was later described by coach Mick Malthouse as a deserved highlight in what had been a "great story" of a career, which started when Swan was drafted by the Pies with selection No.58 in the 2001 NAB AFL Draft.