AFL club captains give their predictions on 2021 premier, Brownlow Medallist, Coleman Medallist and Rising Star

Star Gold Coast young gun Matt Rowell remains eligible for the AFL’s Rising Star award in 2021 – and 13 club captains agree he’s most likely to win it.

AFL captains have had their say on the big awards and winners for 2021. Picture: AAP Images

AFL captains have tipped Western Bulldogs star Marcus Bontempelli to win this year’s Brownlow Medal, while Richmond and the Brisbane Lions are considered the teams to beat.

In the league’s annual poll of the competition’s club captains, six predicted Bontempelli would take home the AFL’s highest individual honour in 2021.

Bontempelli polled the most votes from rival captains ahead of Carlton’s Patrick Cripps (three) and Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe (three).

Last year, four club captains correctly nominated Brisbane star Lachie Neale to win the Brownlow Medal.

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AFL captains have tipped Marcus Bontempelli to win this year’s Brownlow Medal. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/Getty Images)

The captains predicted premier Richmond would again be the team most likely to reach the Grand Final, picked by seven skippers ahead of the Lions (five), Port Adelaide (three) and Geelong (two). Four captains picked the eventual premier last year.

Richmond, the Brisbane Lions, Geelong and Port Adelaide were well backed to make the top eight, as were West Coast and St Kilda.

But Carlton, Essendon, Fremantle, Hawthorn and Melbourne were given little chance by the club captains.

Geelong spearhead Tom Hawkins was considered the runaway favourite to win the Coleman Medal again, polling votes from eight captains.

Hawkins polled twice as many as the next best, Port Adelaide forward Charlie Dixon.

The 32-year-old topped the league’s year-end goal kicking for the first time in 2020, booting 42 goals for the season.

Tom Hawkins is tipped to win the Coleman Medal again. Pic: Michael Klein

The captains predicted Gold Coast young gun Matt Rowell to charge towards the Rising Star award this year after a shoulder injury cruelled his debut season.

Rowell was tipped to win the award for the league’s best young talent by 13 club captains, well ahead of Swans draftee Logan McDonald (three) and No. 1 pick Jamarra Ugle-Hagan (one).

AFL CLUB CAPTAINS FULL POLLING

Which seven other clubs do you think can make this year's top eight?
(18 times seven selections).
17 – Brisbane Lions, Geelong Cats, Port Adelaide, Richmond
15 – West Coast Eagles, St Kilda
9 – Western Bulldogs
8 – Collingwood
4 – GWS GIANTS
2 – Gold Coast SUNS
1 – Carlton, Essendon, Fremantle, Hawthorn, Melbourne
Which other club is most likely to reach the Grand Final?
(Four captains picked eventual premier Richmond in 2020).
7 – Richmond
5 – Brisbane Lions
3 – Port Adelaide
2 – Geelong Cats
1 – West Coast Eagles
Which player from another club do you think will win the 2021 Brownlow Medal?
(Four captains correctly nominated Lachie Neale in 2020).
6 – Marcus Bontempelli
3 – Patrick Cripps
3 – Nat Fyfe
2 – Lachie Neale
1 – Dustin Martin
1 – Ollie Wines
1 – Jaeger O‘Meara
1 – Jack Macrae
Which player from another club do you think will win the 2021 Coleman Medal?
(No captain nominated eventual Coleman Medallist Tom Hawkins in 2020).
8 – Tom Hawkins
4 – Charlie Dixon
2 – Jeremy Cameron
2 – Joe Daniher
1 – Tom Papley
1 – Lance Franklin
Which player from another club do you think will win the 2021 NAB AFL Rising Star?
(One captain nominated eventual Ron Evans Medallist Caleb Serong in 2020).
13 – Matt Rowell
3 – Logan McDonald
1 – Tom Powell
1 – Jamarra Ugle-Hagan