Tonight the AFL shifts its focus from the playing field to the red carpet for the presentation of the competition’s highest individual accolade, the Brownlow Medal. Join us from 5:15pm AEST as we follow all the action from Melbourne’s Crown Palladium.
In what promises to be one of the most open counts in years, it’s almost impossible to accurately predict which contender is most likely to walk away with the game’s most coveted prize.
Can Gary Ablett recapture the heights of 2009 and find himself on the podium for a second time?
Will Jobe Watson or Trent Cotchin be able to emulate Shane Crawford in 1999 and win the award while playing in a team who didn’t make finals?
Could the Adelaide duo of Scott Thompson and Patrick Dangerfield steal the show and take the medal back to South Australia?
Or will premiership favourites Hawthorn have their first winner since 1987 in late mover Sam Mitchell?
You can essentially throw a blanket over the entire field and it wouldn’t be a shock to find ourselves in similar territory to 2003, when Mark Ricciuto, Nathan Buckley and Adam Goodes all shared the spoils with equal votes.
The open field has been reflected by punters in the betting markets with Ablett a narrow favourite over Watson and Cotchin. Thompson, Dangerfield and Mitchell then follow, with Sydney’s contested king Josh Kennedy and Collingwood triple midfield threat of Dane Swan, Dayne Beams and Scott Pendlebury the most likely outsiders.
As is the case every year, there’s sure to be plenty of discussion generated regarding the umpires’ interpretation of player performance.
Who will be short-changed, who will be this year’s umpire’s pet, and which names will Andrew Demetriou incorrectly pronounce?
“I Omith, one vote…”
All this before we even get to one of the most important elements of Brownlow Medal night, the WAGs.
God bless those WAGs.
Whether your focus is on the count itself, shifting odds in the market or who is wearing what, we’ll have you covered at The Roar.
[roargal]
Pierce
Guest
2012 team: Backline S Dempster (StK) 2 votes # 137 Luke McPharlin (Fre) 0 votes Darren Glass (WCE) 0 votes Beau Waters (WCE) 4 votes # 88 Ted Richards (Syd) 1 vote #177 Grant Birchall (Haw) 1 vote #177 Mids Trent Cotchin (Rich) 26 votes #2 Jobe Watson (Ess) 30 votes #1 Dayne Beams (Coll) 19 votes #19 Nic Naitanui (WC) 10 votes #31 S Thompson (ADL) 25 votes #4 Gary Ablett (GC) 24 votes #6 forwards P Dangerfield (Adel) 23 votes #7 Lance Franklin (Haw) 12 votes #21 Cyril Rioli (Haw) 6 votes #60 Stephen Milne (StK) 3 votes #104 Tom Hawkins (Geel) 10 votes #31 Dean Cox (WC) 9 votes #40 I: Brett Deledio (Rich) 13 votes #19 Josh Kennedy (Syd) 19 votes #8 S Pendlebury (Coll) 15 votes # 11 Dane Swan (Coll) 25 votes #4 Why isn't the AA team being picked after the brownlow, half the Backline don't poll and the runner up can't make the team.....
Chaos
Guest
I think the two All Australian Ruckman may have finished top in the end... Not sure.
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Final Leaderboard Watson 30 Cotchin 26 Mitchell 26 Thompson 25 Swan 25 Ablett 24 Dangerfield 23 Beams 19 Hayes 19 Kennedy 19 Selwood 17 Pendlebury 15 Jack 15 *Pavlich 15 Stanton 14 *Jones 14 Fyfe 14
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Round 23 Votes Mitchell 3 Cotchin 3 Dangerfield 3 Swan 3 Selwood 3 Thompson 2 Pendlebury 1
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Round 22 Votes Cotchiin 3 Dangerfield 2 Kennedy 2 Ablett 1
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Congratulations to Jobe Watson, the 2012 Brownlow Medalist.
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Leaderboard After Round 21 Watson 30 Thompson 23 Mitchell 23 Ablett 23 Swan 22 Cotchin 20 Beams 19 Hayes 19 Dangerfield 18 Kennedy 17 Jack 15 *Pavlich 15 Stanton 14 Pendlebury 14 Selwood 14 *Jones 14
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Round 21 Votes Kennedy 3 Thompson 2 Beams 2 Cotchin 2 Jack 1
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Watson isn't expected to poll another vote. The only man who can catch him, Ablett, is expected to poll in the next two games. You'd think Watson has it in the bag from here.
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
In a shock to nobody Dane Swan is absolutely waxed. Surely he's broken through the double figure Crowny threshold? Meanwhile Jobe Watson looks like he just walked off the MCG, a picture of nerves and sweat.
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Betting Odds After Round 20 Jobe Watson [ESS] 1.20 Gary Ablett [GC] 4.00 Scott Thompson [ADE] 15.00 Trent Cotchin [RIC] 17.00 Sam Mitchell [HAW] 17.00 Dane Swan [COL] 21.00 Patrick Dangerfield [ADE] 26.00
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Leaderboard After Round 20 Watson 30 Mitchell 23 Ablett 23 Swan 22 Thompson 21 Hayes 19 Cotchin 18 Dangerfield 18 Beams 17 *Pavlich 15 Stanton 14 Pendlebury 14 Jack 14 Selwood 14 Kennedy 14 Deledio 12
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Round 20 Votes Mitchell 3 Cotchin 3 Dangerfield 3 Beams 3 Kennedy 2 Watson 1
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Leaderboad After Round 19 Watson 29 Ablett 23 Swan 22 Thompson 21 Mitchell 20 Hayes 19 Dangerfield 15 Cotchin 15 *Pavlich 15 Stanton 14 Pendlebury 14 Beams 14 Jack 14 Selwood 14 Kennedy 12 Deledio 12
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Round 19 Votes Watson 3 *Pavlich 3 Selwood 2 Swan 2 Jack 2 Dangerfield 2 Hayes 1 Ablett 1
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Betting Odds After Round 18 Gary Ablett 1.67 Jobe Watson 2.30 Scott Thompson (Adel) 7.00 Dane Swan 7.50 Sam Mitchell 10.00 Trent Cotchin 13.00 Patrick Dangerfield 15.00 Josh Kennedy (Syd) 15.00 Dayne Beams 26.00
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Leaderboard After 18 Rounds Watson 26 Ablett 22 Thompson 21 Swan 20 Mitchell 20 Hayes 18 Cotchin 15 Stanton 14 Pendlebury 14 Beams 14 Selwood 12 Kennedy 12
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Round 18 Votes Swan 3 Dangerfield 3 Hayes 2 Mitchell 2 Beams 1 Ablett 1
Tristan Rayner
Editor
Gold. Absolutely hilarious.
Scotty Barby
Roar Guru
Leaderboard After Round 17 Watson 26 Thompson 21 Ablett 21 Hayes 16 Mitchell 18 Swan 17 Stanton 14 Pendlebury 14 Cotchin 15 Beams 13 Selwood 12 Kennedy 12