Who led my Brownlow count after the second footy festival?

This is my Brownlow count following Rounds 14 to 16.

Round 14

Essendon beat Hawthorn
3. Andrew McGrath
2. Zach Merrett
1. Joe Daniher
McGrath was everywhere with a whopping ten clearances, sparking a second-half comeback. Daniher’s return was successful, booting three goals.

Richmond beat West Coast
3. Bachar Houli
2. Dustin Martin
1. Andrew Gaff
Trent Cotchin may have claims for anything up to three votes in a strong contested midfield display. I’ve opted for the flashier Houli and Martin on this occasion. Gaff was prolific on the losing side.

Geelong beat Western Bulldogs
3. Patrick Dangerfield
2. Lachie Hunter
1. Tom Stewart
Dangerfield is storming home along with fellow big guns Dustin Martin and Marcus Bontempelli. Bontempelli misses out this time though, as Geelong came from behind thanks to Dangerfield, Stewart and Cam Guthrie.

(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Port Adelaide beat Sydney
3. Robbie Gray
2. Charlie Dixon
1. Ollie Wines
Gray was back in the midfield and back to his sensational best. Dixon is also a chance for three votes with four goals. Wines and Travis Boak are the contenders for one vote, but Wines’ game was a little more contested.

GWS beat Fremantle
3. Lachie Whitfield
2. Jeremy Cameron
1. Tim Taranto
Whitfield will always cause damage if he runs around without an opponent. Cameron’s performance quietened calls for his exit, but Jake Ricciardi matched him with four goals of his own. He’s a chance for the one vote alongside Taranto.

Melbourne beat St Kilda
3. Steven May
2. Jack Steele
1. Christian Petracca
May was epic and saved the game for Melbourne. Steele almost stole it, but Petracca and Clayton Oliver were helping hands on the winning side. Petracca’s four goals just outweigh Oliver’s dominant last quarter.

Collingwood beat Carlton
3. Jack Crisp
2. Taylor Adams
1. Josh Daicos
Crisp’s marauding runs were essential to the Pies’ win, while Adams was solid as always. Daicos kicked another last-quarter beauty, as the father-son genetics strike again. Brodie Grundy is a good chance for votes as well.

Gold Coast beat North Melbourne
3. Ben Ainsworth
2. Noah Anderson
1. Hugh Greenwood
Ainsworth took advantage of North Melbourne’s insipid defence, while Anderson staked his claim for the Rising Star award. Greenwood and Touk Miller contend for one vote.

Round 15

Adelaide beat Hawthorn
3. Reilly O’Brien
2. Matt Crouch
1. Rory Laird
O’Brien took mark after mark to get Adelaide over the line. The Crouch brothers and Laird were important in the midfield too.

West Coast beat Essendon
3. Liam Ryan
2. Anthony McDonald-Tipungwuti
1. Dylan Shiel
Ryan was scintillating in the absence of Josh Kennedy. McDonald-Tipungwuti also kicked four at the other end, while Shiel was the pick of the midfielders despite the loss. Andrew Gaff or Shannon Hurn were the Eagles’ next best.

Richmond beat Fremantle
3. Nat Fyfe
2. Jack Graham
1. Jayden Short
While Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin were quiet, Fyfe stood out as best on ground. Graham was solid and kicked a goal. Short and Kamdyn McIntosh provided good run and dash.

(Photo by Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Sydney beat Melbourne
3. Luke Parker
2. Jake Lloyd
1. Clayton Oliver
Parker’s two goals helped get Sydney over the line in an upset. Lloyd and Oliver continue to rack up the footy. Max Gawn is also a chance for votes against an undermanned Sydney ruck line-up.

GWS beat Carlton
3. Nick Haynes
2. Sam Walsh
1. Toby Greene
Carlton might’ve won if they hadn’t continuously kicked it straight to Haynes. Walsh was valiant as Patrick Cripps struggles with a niggle, while Greene was the cherry on top for the Giants.

Brisbane beat Collingwood
3. Jarryd Lyons
2. Jarrod Berry
1. Lachie Neale
Lyons, Berry, Neale. Add in Dayne Zorko and Hugh McCluggage and these guys will be the 3-2-1 in most games on Brownlow night. Neale wasn’t hugely influential but racked up the footy.

Round 16

Port Adelaide beat North Melbourne
3. Travis Boak
2. Ollie Wines
1. Karl Amon
Boak and Wines slaughtered the Roos’ midfield, alongside Amon’s and Robbie Gray’s creativity and skill. Boak may be Neale’s biggest contender for the main prize.

St Kilda beat Hawthorn
3. Rowan Marshall
2. Chad Wingard
1. Jack Steele
Marshall was huge with two goals from his move to the forward line. Meanwhile, Steele intercepted to set up the sealing goal. Wingard received top coaches votes in a dashing display.

Geelong beat Essendon
3. Tom Hawkins
2. Sam Menegola
1. Patrick Dangerfield
Hawkins and Menegola will contend for top votes here. Hawkins kicked four goals and simply bullied the Bombers’ defence, while Menegola also booted two and outran his opponents on the wing. Dangerfield was all class as well.

Western Bulldogs beat West Coast
3. Marcus Bontempelli
2. Josh Dunkley
1. Caleb Daniel
Bontempelli’s winning goal that crossed the line by a small margin should get him three votes. Dunkley was also outstanding with 12 contested possessions and nine tackles. Daniel, Jack Macrae and Dom Sheed compete for a vote.

(Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images)

Fremantle beat Melbourne
3. Adam Cerra
2. Michael Walters
1. David Mundy
Cerra’s last-quarter banana goal was out of this world. He and Walters proved the difference in trying conditions, as Mundy and Nat Fyfe were matched by Jack Viney and Christian Petracca in the midfield.

Adelaide beat GWS
3. Rory Laird
2. Brad Crouch
1. Matt Crouch
Another win for the Crows! That means another three votes for Laird, whose move to the midfield has been inspired. Brad and Matt Crouch should take the minor votes ahead of Reilly O’Brien.

Carlton beat Sydney
3. Sam Walsh
2. Sam Petrevski-Seton
1. Patrick Cripps
It was another strong performance by Walsh, this time on the winning side. Petrevski-Seton was composed off half back and should compete with the courageous Cripps and Sydney’s Jake Lloyd for votes.

Brisbane beat Gold Coast
3. Dayne Zorko
2. Lachie Neale
1. Hugh McCluggage
Neale is once again in contention for three votes, but I’ve gone for Zorko here thanks to two goals. McCluggage and Charlie Cameron were among the Lions’ best.

Leaderboard
Lachie Neale 24
Travis Boak 19
Taylor Adams 14
Christian Petracca 14
Jack Steele 14
Dustin Martin 13
Zach Merrett 13
Marcus Bontempelli 13
Cam Guthrie 13
Jack Macrae 12
Patrick Dangerfield 12