Richmond’s Dustin Martin chases AFL Brownlow Medal votes’ record as Patrick Dangerfield awaits fate
THERE are two big questions at Monday night’s Brownlow Medal count — will Tiger Dustin Martin claim a votes’ record and will Cat Patrick Dangerfiled be left red-faced?
Brownlow
Don't miss out on the headlines from Brownlow. Followed categories will be added to My News.
THERE are two big questions at Monday night’s Brownlow Medal count.
FOOTY FASHION: FOLLOW THE HERALD SUN'S LIVE COVERAGE OF THE BROWNLOW RED CARPET
The first is whether last year’s medallist, Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield, a former Crow, earns the most votes but becomes just the fourth player to lose the medal after being ruled ineligible.
The second is whether brilliant Richmond midfielder Dustin Martin can set a record for most Brownlow votes in one season.
Martin — the Tigers’ key man in Saturday's AFL grand final against Adelaide — is the shortest-priced Brownlow favourite in history at $1.05 with UBet.
Hawthorn ball magnet Tom Mitchell is next in the line of betting at $12 followed by GWS star Josh Kelly at $26.
So it is a one-horse race.
Martin needs 36 votes to break the Brownlow record Dangerfield set last year (under the system when a player can earn a maximum three votes in a game) when his 35 saw him beat Sydney’s Luke Parker by nine.
But in what could put a dampener on tonight’s count, AFL statistical king Champion Data has Dangerfield narrowly edging Martin.
By its voting system — based on player performance, a player’s voting history and most votes going to the winning team — it has Dangerfield finishing 0.5 votes ahead of Martin.
Rounding the votes out, Dangerfield gets 34 and Martin 33.
Demon Clayton Oliver is way back in third place on 21.5 votes.
Dangerfield was ruled ineligible after a reckless tackle on Carlton ruckman Matthew Kreuzer in round 19, which controversially cost him a one-match ban for rough conduct.
He missed the following week’s match against Sydney.
Three players have polled the most votes but missed out on the Brownlow — North Melbourne ruckman/forward Corey McKernan in 1996 — when he tied with Essendon’s James Hird and Brisbane’s Michael Voss — Western Bulldogs key forward Chris Grant in 1997 and Essendon’s Jobe Watson in 2012.
McKernan and Grant copped one-match suspensions while Watson lost his medal to Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell and Richmond’s Trent Cotchin four years later as a consequence of the Bombers’ supplements scandal.
How many votes Dangerfield polls after his suspension in Round 19 is questionable.
The umpires might simply might mark him harder, knowing he cannot win the medal and save the AFL the embarrassment of having an ineligible player poll the most votes.
In contrast, bull-at-a-gate Martin went from strength-to-strength after Dangerfield’s suspension.
Champion Data has Martin potentially polling votes in 19 of Richmond’s 22 home-and-away season games.
In 15 of those games it gives him a good chance of polling two or more votes.
With the Tigers winning 15 matches to finish third — half-a-win behind minor premier Adelaide and Geelong — Martin's chances of dominating the voting increase.
Martin polled 25 votes to finish third last year when the Tigers won only eight games.
Martin polled votes in all eight victories.
The electrifying midfielder, who has averaged 30 disposals and 1.5 goals, is such a dominant on-field figure the umpires cannot ignore him.
Thirty-six is the magic number for Martin but don’t be surprised if he crashes through the 40-vote barrier.
Originally published as Richmond’s Dustin Martin chases AFL Brownlow Medal votes’ record as Patrick Dangerfield awaits fate
How a baby stole the show at the Brownlow
A very special ‘plus one’ guest at the dazzling Brownlow Medal night has turned heads.
Daicos’ chance to emulate Judd’s Brownlow feat 20 years on
The early years of Nick Daicos and Chris Judd’s careers have often been compared. Now, the Collingwood star has a chance to emulate Judd in his third season at tonight’s Brownlow Medal.