Cripps, Daicos the AFL Brownlow Medal favourites
AFL BROWNLOW MEDAL GUIDE AHEAD OF MONDAY NIGHT’S COUNT
THE FAVOURITES
* Patrick Cripps (Carlton): The Blues captain ticks all the boxes – proven poller (he won two years ago), midfielder, ball magnet, match winner. He’s enjoyed another stellar season and is renowned for putting Carlton on his back when a game is in the balance. Stats: Cripps is a beast of an onballer, averaging more than 15 contested possessions and eight clearances per game this season.
* Nick Daicos (Collingwood): The Magpies star was motoring to the Brownlow last year when a knee injury sidelined him for the last three games and he dropped from leading the count to third. While there are some knocks on his disposal efficiency, he’s still enjoyed another outstanding season. Stats: 14 games with 30-plus disposals, including three above 40.
* Lachie Neale (Brisbane): Another excellent season from the Lions co-captain, who will join an exclusive club if he has back-to-back Brownlow wins. That would make him the first player since Ian Stewart in 1971 to win the medal three times – a feat achieved just four times. Stats: Neale’s numbers this season stack up in comparison to last year, plus he made the All-Australian team this time and he’s kicked more goals.
* Marcus Bontempell (Western Bulldogs): Runner-up last year and in 2021, three other top-10 finishes. The Bulldogs captain is a regular Brownlow contender and he’s enjoyed more strong form this season. “The Bont” was honoured with All-Australian captaincy. Stats: Bontempelli was more of a threat up forward, equalling his season-best haul with 31 goals.
ALSO:
Isaac Heeney (Sydney): It’s been 27 years since an ineligible player polled the most votes, with Western Bulldogs star Chris Grant finishing one vote ahead of St Kilda great Robert Harvey. Heeney was ruled out after the tribunal upheld his one-game ban for striking St Kilda’s Jimmy Webster, but that wasn’t until round 17. The utility made his second All-Australian team this season and will finish among the leaders.
THE ROUGHIES
* Caleb Serong (Fremantle)
* Zach Merrett (Essendon)
BETTING
(Sportsbet, as of Sunday afternoon)
$2.50 Cripps
$2.75 Daicos
$8.00 Neale
$13.00 Bontempelli
$34.00 Merrett
$41.00 Serong
BROWNLOW MEDAL FAST FACTS
* First awarded in 1924
* Most medals – 3 (Haydn Bunton Sr, Fitzroy; Dick Reynolds, Essendon; Bob Skilton, South Melbourne; Ian Stewart, St Kilda/Richmond)
* Most votes in a season – 36 (Dustin Martin, Richmond, 2017; Ollie Wines, Port Adelaide, 2021)
* Youngest winner – 19 years, 91 days: Dick Reynolds (Essendon, 1934)
* Oldest winner – 31 years, 238 days: Barry Round (South Melbourne, 1981)
PAST 10 WINNERS
2023: Lachie Neale, Brisbane, 31 votes
2022: Patrick Cripps, Carlton, 29
2021: Ollie Wines, Port Adelaide, 36
2020: Lachie Neale, Brisbane, 31
2019: Nat Fyfe, Fremantle, 33
2018: Tom Mitchell, Hawthorn, 28
2017: Dustin Martin, Richmond, 36
2016: Patrick Dangerfield, Geelong, 35
2015: Nat Fyfe, Fremantle, 31
2014: Matt Priddis, West Coast, 26
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