Suspended players should be eligible to compete for AFL’s Brownlow Medal, say the majority of the game’s senior coaches.

A total of 56 per cent of AFL coaches believe players suspended under the new Match Review Panel (MRP) guidelines, which introduced a three strike system for minor offences, should still be able to win the game’s fairest and best award.

The survey was conducted by AFL.com.au in conjunction with the AFL Coaches’ Association.

Only twice in the award’s history have ineligible players polled the most votes for the award – Corey McKernan in 1996 and Chris Grant in 1997.

But coaches were far less forgiving of this season’s umpires with 75 per cent saying they were either worse or hadn’t improved from the past season.