Full voting breakdown: The crazy run that won Milanovic the Johnny Warren Medal

Nicolas Milanovic is the 2024-25 Johnny Warren Medallist, thanks to a late flurry of votes that saw the Aberdeen-bound forward storm to victory in a dramatic end to the season.

The Western Sydney Wanderers star was five votes off the pace with just five rounds to play but rose from seventh on the leaderboard to first by the end of the regular season to join the illustrious list of Johnny Warren Medallists.

Here’s how he did it.

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JOHNNY WARREN MEDAL: Nicolas Milanovic wins Johnny Warren Medal after breakout campaign with the Wanderers

Solid start for Milanovic as Adelaide star leads the way

By the end of Round 12, Milanovic was equal-sixth on the Johny Warren Medal leaderboard with 10 votes to his name.

The 23-year-old scored six of his 12 goals for the season across the first 12 rounds, including a hat-trick against Newcastle Jets in Round 4.

Milanovic shared sixth place on the Johnny Warren Medal with Marin Jakolis, Brian Kaltak and Reno Piscopo; Adelaide United creator Zach Clough led all comers with 16 votes by the end of Round 12.

Clough holding on as Jets youngster makes his move

After 21 rounds, Zach Clough continued to lead the way in the Johnny Warren Medal count while Milanovic dropped from equal-sixth to equal-eighth in the votes.

Milanovic picked up just five votes from nine rounds as the goals dried up for the young Wanderer. He found the back of the net, however, in Round 19 and Round 20 to take his season tally to eight – but he couldn’t keep pace with the leaders in the medal count.

Newcastle Jets youngster Clayton Taylor was the big mover between Round 21 and 21, receiving 11 votes in nine rounds to climb to second, level with Hiroki Sakai who collected just three points in the same timeframe.

Sakai hits the lead to set up grandstand finish

With just five rounds to play in the regular season, Auckland captain Hiroki Sakai usurped Zach Clough at the top of the Johnny Warren Medal leaderboard.

Sakai’s 23 votes for the season included seven votes in the four rounds leading up to Round 24; Clough, who had gained only five points since Round 12, held onto second spot while Jets midfielder Clayton Taylor remained on 18 points, creating a log-jam of five players – including Milanovic – tied for third with five rounds to play.

Miraculous Milanovic run wins Wanderers star the Johnny Warren Medal

From 18 votes in Round 24 to 28 by the end of the regular season, Milanovic collected 10 votes from his last five games to surge to the top of the leaderboard and win the Johnny Warren Medal.

Sakai, who led the race on 23 votes at the end of Round 24, received just one more vote before the end of the season to finish third behind Angus Thurgate, who joined Milanovic in ending the term on a high with seven votes earned through the last five rounds.