Fallout from the 2009 Bronlow Medal Award count

ALL of the Brownlow Medal fallout from voting in the AFL's gala event.

ALL of the Brownlow Medal fallout from voting in the AFL's gala event.

Champion tip 

Champion Data prides itself on the relevance of its statistical rankings —  two years ago it predicted Jimmy Bartel as awinner and last year it had Adam Cooney in the top three.

This year CD again came up trumps, with Gary Ablett winning with 30 votes (prediction 33 votes).  CD also tipped Lenny Hayes to come fourth.


Chrome-dome era

Kevin Bartlett tried for many years and failed.

But Ablett and Chris Judd (22) were vying last night to become the first bald Brownlow Medal winners, with apologies to St Kilda’s Ross Smith, who was merely receding in 1967.

The chrome-dome set included Geelong’s Paul Chapman (12) and Carlton’s Marc Murphy (15). Their success may herald a new trend, with redheaded Bulldogs out of favour.

Collingwood’s Dane Swan’s heavy tattoo-look appeared to be a no-no.


What were they thinking?

Any voting system has it pros and cons.

But tell that to Sydney’s Darren Jolly.  He had a career-high 195 SuperCoach ranking points in Round 2 against Hawthorn when he had 43 hitouts and kicked three goals.

Jolly only got one vote, with Craig Bolton getting three votes for his 25 disposals.


So do reports count?

St Kilda’s Nick Dal Santo was reported for allegedly striking and wrestling West Coast tagger Tyson Stenglein in Round 4.

While he was later cleared, it didn’t stop Dal Santo receiving three votes. And that was in a game when teammate Brendon Goddard had 28 touches and kicked four goals.


Even stranger

The umpire ‘‘manlove’’ for Dal Santo continued in Round 5.

He had just 19 touches against Port in a game where Kane Cornes held him to just five disposals to halftime. But he still polled two votes.


Surely not

Carlton’s Brendan Fevola went voteless when he kicked eight against the Hawks in Round 8.

The Coleman medallist also missed the three in Round 15 when he kicked nine against Richmond.


But they got these right

Sydney Swan Adam Goodes’ effort in Round 19 against

Richmond was the highest-scoring game of the season according to Champion Data. Goodes scored 224 points and polled three votes, as did Ablett (206 points v Port Adelaide, Round 13) and (197 points, Round 4 v Adelaide).


Halfway to heaven

The bookies were on the money with the halfway leader,with Ablett ($1.60) off to a flyer with 19 votes after Round 11.


Presti’s night

He’s only polled three votes for his career, so Collingwood’s Simon Prestigiacomo was not invited.

But the umps gave him a rare vote for just two kicks and four handballs against Carlton in Round 17.

He kept Fev to one goal that night. Lenny the bolter Lenny Hayes looked a huge danger to Ablett when he raced to 16 votes after Round 12.

But Hayes, a $31 chance, had plenty of StKilda teammates polling well, including Justin Koschitzke.

Hayes’ chances nosedived in Round 14 against the Cats when his super last term, where he had 14 disposals (33 for game), went unrewarded.

But big Michael Gardiner did kick four goals including the matchwinner that day.


Rich pickings

Brisbane Lion Daniel Rich was a clear winner of the Rising Star award from Adelaide’s Andy Otten and Essendon’s Tayte Pears.

But Rich had to wait until Round 15 to poll last night.


Cloke joke

AFL supremo Andrew Demetriou was quick to make a lighthearted reference to picking up the Round 2 envelope last year.

But his clanger count remained high, with ‘‘J. Cloke’’ polling two votes for the Pies in Round 14 and Aaron Davey lining up forRichmond in Round 4.


All-Aussie shock

Perhaps the biggest surprise of the night was All-Australian defender Corey Enright, who went voteless.


The dinosaur age

No fewer than nine ruckmen saluted from 1972 to 1992. But last night the most votes by a ruckman went to Aaron Sandilands with 10.

Adam’s no longer apples Last year’s winner Adam Cooney polled just three votes in Round 11.


No plunge

The closest thing to a plunge at this year’s Medal count was the dress worn by Geoffrey Edelsten’s partner Brynne Gordon. It seems the days of the leak are long gone, with Crow Bernie Vince one of the few shorteners, in from 1000-1 to $34 in recent weeks.

He only polled 13 votes.


Forward thinking

Nick Riewoldt knows the score when it comes to forwards and the Brownlow.

The Saint skipper was joint favourite with Warren Tredrea back in 2004 and both come up more than 12 votes shy of Chris Judd that year.  Riewoldt had 15 votes last night, but Jonathan Brown fared betterwith 19.


Sam’s big call

Hawks captainSamMitchell was pinged on a video report for striking Crows youngster David Mackay and given a reprimand in Round 10. 

He was $15 seventh favourite for the Brownlow when he decided not to contest the charge and had polled seven of his 13 votes by then.


Richo still tops

Last year Tiger Matthew Richardson was Mr Popular and the umpires again showed they love him, dealing him threes in Round 1 and 3.

His six games was enough to top Richmond’s voting.


In good company

Chris Judd has an amazing record of 132 votes in 178 games, with only triple medallists Haydn Bunton and Bob Skilton having higher strike rates on a votes per game basis.

Swan’s lucky Tattslotto number comes up

Mick Malthouse wasn’t exactly raving about Dane Swan’s 48-disposal effort against Port Adelaide in Round 10.

‘‘I don’t take much notice of stats,’’ Malthouse said. ‘‘What does that (48) get him? Does he win Tattslotto? ‘‘I thought he (Swan) was OK. I didn’t think it was one of Dane’s greatest games by any stretch of the imagination.’’

And Port coach MarkWilliams said he had allowed Swan to roam free because he didn’t rate his kicking.

‘‘You can’t shut everyone down and Dane’s kicking is not as good as the others,’’ Williams said.

Swan had just three clangers in his 48 touches, including six clearances and a goal. It did not prove to be Swan’s night, but on this occasion the umpires reckoned the Pie was a lot better than OK, handing him the three.