HAWTHORN'S Sam Mitchell and two-time Brownlow Medal winner Gary Ablett fell short of the 2016 award, but both now share a mighty honour.

The pair of AFL legends are now the all-time leading pollers in the Brownlow Medal count, weighted to the current 3-2-1 system.

Mitchell's haul of 16 on Monday night and Ablett's six-vote tally leaves both on 220 votes for their careers.

Ablett moved ahead of previous leader Gary Dempsey (218.5 votes) and second-placed Robert Harvey (215).

Dempsey's overall tally of 246 is weighted down to 218.5 owing to the double-counting of votes in the 1976 and 1977 seasons.

Mitchell started the night in fifth place but also jumped over Chris Judd (210) to sit on top of the pile.

The next-best currently contracted player is Joel Selwood, who is 16th on the list with 168 votes - 18 of them earned in the 2016 count at Crown Casino in Melbourne.

While both Ablett and Mitchell are multiple premiership winners, only the Gold Coast midfielder has won the coveted prize.

Of course, Mitchell could yet be retrospectively awarded 'Charlie' for his efforts in 2012.

Mitchell and Richmond captain Trent Cotchin may receive the award if Essendon's Jobe Watson is stripped of the honour.

Watson was given a season-long suspension for his involvement in the club's supplements scandal of that year.

Geelong's Patrick Dangerfield won the 2016 medal with an all-time high tally of 35 votes.