We’re at the halfway point of the 2019 AFL season, which means there’s no better time to have a look at who’s taking home Charlie this season.
The AFL’s most prestigious individual award has been quite hard to pick this season, with fans and experts divided as to who this year’s favourite is.
Can Patrick Cripps make history by joining a very short list of players to win the Brownlow despite playing in a wooden spoon side?
Has Lachie Neale done enough for his new club to bring the medal back to Brisbane? Can one of Geelong or Collingwood’s elite midfielders stand out enough from their own teammates to claim the award?
Can a ruckman like Brodie Grundy or Max Gawn swoop from outside the midfield to steal the medal?
We got Roar AFL expert Marnie Cohen on the Game of Codes podcast to run the microscope over all the big contenders and pick their favourites, smokeys and everything in between.
Listen to the discussion:
Visit our Game of Codes hub to catch the full episode and be sure to subscribe and review on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts or wherever else you’re listening.
Macca
Roar Rookie
Played his junior football at my old club - ripping kid. He was crook one day with just over a month to go in the year so the coach played him at full forward instead of on the ball and he kicked 10. Went on to win the league goal kicking.
Bangkokpussey
Roar Rookie
The more Carlton wins the more Cripps will be tagged. We will see how he goes then. Most of the top mids get the best tagger/spoiler. Martin, Danger, Fyfe every week. To date Cripps has not had that and on the odd occasion he has his, numbers were well down.
Don Freo
Roar Rookie
Fyfe is turning in a blistering year. It is quite possibly his best season yet. There have been games where he has just willed the side over the line. The last 2, for instance, Sunny got all the press for last minute kicks (one which missed). It was Fyfey who lifted Freo to that winning position. Apart from the 2 games he missed (the one in which he was concussed and the one after that), he'd be on top of every award already.
Scott
Guest
I reckon Kelly is getting a bit of media hype being a new player. Dangerfield and Ablett have still both played blinders but not got the attention due to their high standards. That may have effected the coaches votes as well. The umps can’t hear any commentary, although it seems like they’re looking at the big screen more these days. I reckon Neale is prob leading right now and Cripps prob deserves to be but may not get enough 3’s. I haven’t listened to the podcast, so I apologise if he was mentioned, but has everyone forgotten about a guy called Nat Fyfe?
PriddisJunior
Roar Rookie
Then we'll only hear about how they're not the best player in the comp.
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Thanks Col. Been licking the wounds of the beating we copped at your hands. Even though I saw it coming from a 1000 miles away it still hurt like no other! Turned me off footy for the whole weekend if I'm honest! lol. As for Cripps, unfortunately for you I think he's going to suffer from the fact his team has two (still nearly sick saying that) wins so far this season. Ultimately while he's had big games as you've mentioned his team has generally lost. And a couple of times by close margins, so often the umpires will be looking for the point of difference in those games. His best bet would be for you guys to win more than you lose at the back end of the season, and even though the weekend was a good performance, I'm not convinced you win more than 5 or 6 games for the season. But it's not out of the realms of possiblity of him being up there. Cunnington would be a very good smokey bet. Not many are going to be stealing votes of him at Nth.
Parkside Darren
Roar Rookie
Correct Will
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Not convinced Brodie Grundy will be up there.
Slane
Guest
With an unfortunate name.
Col from Brissie
Roar Guru
Good to see you back Dingo. Not saying Cripps is a shoe in but he will certainly be up there. There are probably 3 games at the moment where he will not get a vote - GWS, Essendon and North although he did have 25 disposals and kicked 2 goals. IMO he is a lock for 3 votes in both our wins and a big chance in the games where we have been in position to win for the majority of the game. Collingwood 35 disposals 1 goal, Gold Coast 30 & 2, Richmond & Port both 32 disposals, Sydney 28 & 1, Hawthorn & St Kilda both 28. I think he will get the 3 for the Collingwood game, big chance in the Gold Coast game and probably 2 for Richmond and 1 in the other 4 games. So a big chance to be sitting around 16 - 18 votes at the half way mark of the season. If the Blues win a few more games and stay in contention in most of the others then he will be a big chance to add at least another 12 votes which will put him up around the 28 - 30 vote mark. I don’t watch enough of the other games to give a definite opinion on other players but going by media reports and coaches votes then either of Grundy, Gawn, Neale, Kelly, Boak, Cunnington and Dangerfield will be up there.
Brendon the 1st
Roar Rookie
Boak would be up there, has scored CA votes in most games.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
That's our lad. A mighty footballer.
Kaniel Outis
Guest
Like Cunnington.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Be nice if someone out of the blue won it.
Will Cuckson
Roar Rookie
Because Carlton won't win the spoon.
Wayne
Roar Guru
Neale for me. Cripps will lose a couple of votes based on being on the losing side. It won't be like Ablett where losing by 10 goals still is worth 3 votes
DingoGray
Roar Guru
Tim Kelly for me would be leading with Brodie Grundy, Lochie Neale next. I think Cripps is having a very good season, but don't see him above the other three at the moment.
Parkside Darren
Roar Rookie
Cripps won’t make history.