The night might have belonged to eventual winner Jobe Watson, but the 2012 Brownlow Medal count also proved a significant one for Brisbane Lions champion Simon Black.
Black polled a total of six votes throughout the evening, taking his career tally to 179 - one more than Lions Legend Kevin Murray’s long-held Club record.
Black’s latest accomplishment comes as no surprise considering he won the 2002 Brownlow Medal, twice finished Runner-Up (2007 and 2008), and has polled an average of almost 13 votes over his past 14 seasons.
And with at least one more season left in the 33 year-old's legs, Black could extend his Club record even further.
Murray, who was a popular winner of the 1969 Brownlow Medal, had previously held the Club record of 178 votes for a period of 44 years - since he surpassed Haydn Bunton’s 122 votes back in 1968.
Black’s record may end up lasting just as long, considering he’s still 69 votes clear of Captain Jonathan Brown (110 votes), who is the next highest vote-getter among the current Lions group.
Take a look at the Club's top vote-getters throughout history
Meanwhile, Tom Rockliff and Daniel Rich topped the Lions’ 2012 voting tally with eight apiece.
Rich, who had accumulated just two votes in his first 17 matches, finished strongly with two best-on-ground displays in the final three weeks of the season - against Adelaide (Round 21) and the Western Bulldogs (Round 23).
As for Rockliff, it proved the second consecutive year that he has collected the most votes of any Lions player - after polling nine in 2011.
View the Lions' photos from the 2012 Brownlow Medal
Rookie of the Year Dayne Zorko also caught the eye of the umpires with six votes - including a two-vote performance in the team’s heavy loss to Grand Finalists Hawthorn back in Round 12 - while Jack Redden also picked up a personal best six votes.
On a night when the late Jim Stynes’ wonderful life was celebrated - it was fitting to see fellow Irishmen Pearce Hanley (four votes) and Niall McKeever (one vote) secure the first votes of their AFL careers.
McKeever’s vote was particularly significant, as it came in the emotional Round 1 match against Melbourne - which was played just one week after Stynes’ passing.
Remarkably, ruckman Ben Hudson was awarded the first Brownlow votes of his 161-game career when he collected two against the Gold Coast Suns in Round 17.
Claye Beams, who attended the evening with Hanley, also secured the first vote of his young career, while Matt Maguire received his first in Lions colours.
Check out the AFL's official Brownlow Tracker for full details on the Lions' votes
2012 BROWNLOW VOTES (LIONS)
8 - Tom Rockliff
8 - Daniel Rich
6 - Simon Black
6 - Jack Redden
6 - Dayne Zorko
5 - Daniel Merrett
4 - Pearce Hanley
4 - Jonathan Brown
3 - Josh Drummond
2 - Ben Hudson
1 - Niall McKeever
1 - Matt Maguire
1 - Claye Beams
