AFL commissions eight Brownlow Medals to safeguard against multiple winners in tight race

THE AFL will have eight medals on hand at Monday week’s Brownlow Medal as it safeguards against multiple winners in the closest race in recent history.

Hawthorn v. Geelong at the MCG.

THE AFL will have eight medals on hand at Monday week’s Brownlow Medal as it safeguards against multiple winners in the closest race in recent history.

Seven players are at odds of $11 or less for the game’s biggest individual award, with experts predicting a logjam of stars polling between 20-24 votes.

The AFL always has multiple Brownlow Medals on hand in the event of a trio of winners after the 2003 Medal was shared between Mark Ricciuto, Adam Goodes and Nathan Buckley.

But with the betting tight and the AFL having to consider all contingencies including interstate winners eight medals have been commissioned from Cash’s Awards.

AFL legend Kevin Bartlett believes as many as five players could end up locked on the same number of votes.

Gary Ablett celebrates his 2013 Brownlow Medal. Picture: Michael Klein

Geelong’s Joel Selwood is the favourite at $2.50 ahead of Gold Coast’s Gary Ablett ($3.25), Port Adelaide’s Robbie Gray ($6) and a host of players on $11 — Josh Kennedy, Jordan Lewis, Dyson Heppell, Scott Pendlebury and Matt Priddis.

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan has confirmed the total of eight medals.

League spokesman Patrick Keane said yesterday all of the medals would eventually be handed out in coming years.

But while the league has in recent years had as many as three or four medals ready, they have topped up their supplies in recent weeks to prepare for all contingencies.

Cash’s Awards managing director Vin Formosa said five extra medals, made of 18 carat gold, had been rushed through ready for delivery late this week.

“I have got five sitting in my safe ready for delivery,’’ he said.

“They are a very nice sight but we have rushed them through given the strength of the interstate teams. If Sydney make the Grand Final they won’t travel and Port Adelaide or Fremantle players might be in the Grand Final. It was a real rush, we have only had two weeks to get it done. All of a sudden if you got double-winners from interstate, that’s a lot of medals.”

TAB Sportsbet spokesman Nick Quinn yesterday the TAB had opened a market on multiple winners, with a sole winner at $1.40 and multiple winners at $3.

“Most experts are anticipating it will be one of the closest and lowest polling nights in recent history,’’ he said.

Sydney star Josh Kennedy one of the fancied Brownlow Medal chances. Picture: Jason Edwards.

“Four players have had Brownlow favouritism since the first week of June with Gary Ablett, Scott Pendlebury, Josh Kennedy and Josh Selwood all at the top of market since then.

“Ablett was as short as $1.60 before suffering his season ending injury and instantly drifted to $8 as players around him didn’t capitalise in the coming weekend.

“The big mover is Port Adelaide star midfielder Robbie Gray who opened at $501 and has firmed from $101 into $6 in the past six weeks.”

Cash’s makes all of the AFL’s silverware in September, providing the premiership cup free of charge and the Norm Smith, Coleman and Brownlow Medals.

Big bets in the past fortnight include $5000 at Selwood at $3.50, $1000 each way on Kennedy at $13 and $50,000 on Joel Selwood to finish top five at $1.22.