Adam Goodes has won the 2003 Brownlow Medal in a three-way tie with Collingwood?s Nathan Buckley and Adelaide?s Mark Ricciuto. In one of the closest counts in memory, three votes separated 10 players at the start of the last round, and his immediate response was one of amazement.

"I just can't believe it," he said. "I just can't believe I'm standing up here with Nathan Buckley and Mark Ricciuto."

"I can?t describe this feeling now because it hasn?t sunk in," Goodes said. "I came here pretty relaxed. I?d come to the Brownlow other times and I was really nervous. I don?t know why, I never expected to win other times, I was just really nervous about the occasion, about being invited to the Brownlow, it?s a pretty big thing."

It was a consistent performance, with Goodes collecting votes in 11 games, mostly in ones and twos. His only best-on-ground efforts were in round five against Adelaide and round 14 when the Swans beat West Coast at the SCG. He thanked Swans coach Paul Roos for letting him "just go out and play footy like in your school days".

Goodes attended the count with his mother Lisa-May.

"It probably wasn?t a good thing having mum there because she made me very nervous. But at the same time to share this moment with her is sensational," Goodes said. "She?s been there for other great moments of my life ? winning a premiership in under 18s, being right on the boundary line ? just always being there for me has been great."

In the final round, Ricciuto polled one vote to take the lead, Buckley polled one to join him, and then Goodes was awarded two votes for Sydney?s win over Melbourne at the MCG, and he was thrilled to get up and share the award with two players he held in the highest regard.

"I was hoping for a two because the respect I have for my peers in the game, being just a student of the game at only 23, it wouldn?t have done justice to these two guys if I had won the award outright. The way I feel right now, to win the award with two other guys that I have great respect for, it makes me feel good about myself and what I?m doing."

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