Brownlow Medal: Runner-up Matt Priddis now needs Grand Final win to move into AFL’s elite

MATT Priddis’s shot at building one of the great AFL resumes could hinge on the Grand Final after he fell just three votes short of back-to-back Brownlow Medals.

Brownlow Matt Priddis & wife Ashleigh Picture:Wayne Ludbey

MATT Priddis’s shot at building one of the great AFL resumes could hinge on Saturday’s Grand Final after the West Coast workhorse fell just three votes short of back-to-back Brownlow Medals.

Runner-up Priddis outpolled his 2014 winning tally of 26 votes to finish on 28 but he couldn’t catch cross-town rival Nat Fyfe, who became Fremantle’s first Brownlow winner.

Star on-baller Priddis, 30, soared into outright favouritism midway through the count as he strived to become just the AFL’s seventh player to win the game’s top individual award in consecutive seasons.

Only 10 players have won two or more Brownlows, while Priddis polled in 11 game — one fewer than Fyfe.

He collected 37 and 35 disposals in two games in the final month, but teammates Josh Kennedy (seven goals) and ruckman Nic Naitanui swooped top votes to deny Priddis a shot at drawing level.

Priddis was one of six Eagles to attend a low-key function at Perth Crown, alongside captain Shannon Hurn, Kennedy, Andrew Gaff, Luke Shuey and Naitanui.

After Fyfe’s acceptance speech they made a swift exit and will train at 10am on Tuesday, their final session in front of the public.

Priddis told the Herald Sun on Monday his stunning 2015 — which earned him maiden all-Australian selection — now made him feel comfortable among the game’s elite.

“I’ve probably felt a little bit uncomfortable at times,” he said before West Coast officially began its Grand Final preparations with training in front of 10,000 fans at Subiaco Oval.

“But I feel like I’ve improved enough and I kind of belong along some of the guys now.”

“I’ll enjoy the boys’ company (at the event) and get home for an early night’s sleep.”

Priddis produced identical or improved numbers in all key areas compared with 2014.

This season he averaged 30 disposals, 15 contested, 7.7 clearances and tracked at 70 per cent efficiency — an improvement of five per cent.

Last year he averaged one fewer clearance and two fewer uncontested disposals, while his SuperCoach average grew by one point to 113 this season.

Priddis — overlooked in four national drafts before being rookie-listed — is a chance to add a premiership and Norm Smith medal to his collection against Hawthorn on Saturday and is favourite to claim his first club best-and-fairest next week.