Essendon’s Watson gave back the medal last week on the back of the club’s supplements controversy.

“Sam and Trent deserve to be Brownlow Medallists for their quality play in 2012,” AFL chairman Mike Fitzpatrick said on Tuesday.

“They’ll be presented with their medals next month at a date to be determined with their families present.

“It has been a really difficult process all the way through. You have to play things as they come and this is one of the more difficult ones we’ve had in terms of the implications at Essendon. It hasn’t been the easiest day.”

It will mark Mitchell and Cotchin’s first Brownlow Medal wins.

Watson won the 2012 Brownlow Medal with 30 votes, four more than Mitchell and Cotchin.

Both will claim the award.