Imagine Marcus Bontempelli having a day out, even by his lofty standards, and kicking a bag of seven goals to go along with 30 possessions, more than any other player on the ground. 

If it came as part of a big Bulldogs win, you would expect the Bont to go close to receiving the full 10 coaches votes. 

And you would almost guarantee that he would receive three Brownlow Medal votes. 

Rewind 33 years, though, and things weren't quite the same.  On this day in 1986, 24-year-old Bulldog Brian Royal did exactly that. 

As a rover switching occasionally onto the forward line, 'Choco' collected 30 touches in his 81st game, and kicked seven majors, a career high.  

Sound like a best-on-ground performance?  Well the umpires of the day, Well the umpires of the day, John Russo and Mike Sneddon, didn't quite see it that way.  Royal's seven-goal, 30-touch performance wasn't enough to warrant a single vote from them.

So just who did get their votes?  Former Bomber big Max Crow earned a vote for kicking four goals from a forward pocket, which went with his work as a back-up ruckman to Andrew Purser.

Two votes went to Dancin' Doug Hawkins, who displayed his typical mastery of the Western Oval outer wing, gathering 29 possessions and kicking a goal.

And the three votes went to skipper Rick Kennedy.  That's right — the full back got three Brownlow votes.  In today's midfielder-dominated world, full backs could only dream of collecting maximum votes from the umpires.

The umpires' votes were a reflection of the time.  In Monday's Age after the game, Patrick Smithers' votes were very much in accord with those of the men in white. 

He gave Hawkins his best-on-ground vote, followed by Crow and Kennedy.  He did, though, manage to sneak Royal in as the fourth-best player on the ground. 

Very much a team-first player, Brian Royal would no doubt have not complained at all about how the umpires saw his performance come Brownlow Medal night. 

But it's hard to look back 33 years on and think the Bulldogs' number 33 was just a little unlucky not to get the three Brownlow votes.