Exclusive Brownlow tracker reveals the projected top 20 leaderboard ahead of final two rounds

Champion Data’s exclusive Brownlow tracker and bookmakers have one player a clear leader for the league’s biggest individual award. Do you agree with the projected top 20 leaderboard?

Brisbane Lions star Lachie Neale appears all but certain to become a dual Brownlow medallist in just over a month’s time, according to both Champion Data’s exclusive Brownlow tracker and bookmakers.

Already favourite to win the game’s highest individual honour for a second time next month, the suspension of Carlton skipper and second-placed favourite Patrick Cripps has Neale primed to salute again after first winning the medal in 2020.

It can be revealed Champion Data’s ladder tracker has Neale currently on 28.8 votes and it expects him to reach a projected 31.7 should be play the final two games of the home-and-away season.

Is Lachie Neale a shoe-in for this year’s Brownlow Medal?

It would make Neale just the 16th player in the game’s history to win two Brownlow medals.

The Lions will face St Kilda (Marvel Stadium) and Melbourne (Gabba) before entering September.

Watch every blockbuster AFL match this weekend Live & Ad-Break Free In-Play on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial now >

Champion Data’s projection would make him a runaway winner ahead of the next ranked Andrew Brayshaw, who the predictor currently as at 23.5 votes and a projected finish of 25.8.

The suspended Cripps was second on the list with a projected 23.9 votes and an expected finish of 26.4.

It would be a far cry from last year’s exciting count, in which Port Adelaide’s Ollie Wines pipped Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli in the final round.

Ollie Wines claimed last year’s Brownlow in a thriller. Picture: Michael Klein

Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver, Carlton’s Sam Walsh, Demon Christian Petracca, Gold Coast’s Touk Miller, Swan Callum Mills, Wines and Crow Rory Laird round out the top 10.

TAB spokesman Hamish Ferguson said Neale’s price had crunched further following Cripps’ ban.

“After another best on ground performance against the Blues on Sunday afternoon, Lachie Neale firmed from $3.75 into $2.75 on Monday with TAB and firmed even further into $2.50 on Tuesday night once news broke of Patrick Cripps’ two-match suspension,” he said.

“Cripps, who was $8 for the medal with TAB before he was rubbed out at the tribunal, sat behind favourite Lachie Neale, Fremantle’s Andrew Brayshaw ($4.25) and Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver ($5.50) in the Brownlow market.

“Neale continues to be the best backed player in the Brownlow market with TAB, with punters also keen to follow Melbourne duo Clayton Oliver and Christian Petracca, who are the next two most popular in the market.