2019 Brownlow Medal Preview
Favourites
Patrick Cripps ($10) My top pick for the Brownlow 2019 is Patrick Cripps from Carlton has had an unbelievable year in a year where the Blues haven’t performed. Week in week out Cripps has stood up and taken the best tagger and won the battle. His 4 goals against Brisbane in a famous win for the Blues this year stands out as a lock for three votes. I also have Cripps polling three votes in round 4, 8, 12, 17 and 19. He started the season like a house and fire so I would expect him to be leading the Brownlow with Tim Kelly after round 5. The only issue for Cripps is when the Blues played good teams and when beaten by a big score the umpires might favour the other teams players to Cripps. On the AFL tracker they have Cripps polling 26 votes to Dangerfield 28, Cats finished on top of the ladder and have players like Kelly, Selwood and Ablett taking votes off Dangerfield. Cripps should be top 3.
Tim Kelly ($29) Second year player who requested to go home to Perth at the end of the 2018 season. Many thought that would derail his 2019 how wrong were they, he killed it had possibly one of the best starts to a season since Chris Judd in 2007 where Judd polled 15 votes by round 11. Kelly will poll 3 votes round one for his starring effort for the Pies. Not many knew who Kelly was last year but the umpires would of taken notice of this star this year and you can expect him to poll many votes and will be close on Patrick Cripps heals. Brownlow tracker has Kelly polling 24 but I think he will poll more than Danger this year as he kicks goals and Dangerfield’s only negative that he butchers his set shots. I have Kelly polling three votes four times. He has had an unbelievable year and winning a Brownlow could rise his stocks even more when he requests a move back to WA at the end of the year.
Nat Fyfe ($5.50) Along with Michael Walters is the only Fremantle player this year that can say he gave his all to this club. Was a two man team for most of the year from the team in the West. Nat Fyfe is a star of the competition. Kicks goals, takes big marks and moves around the ground so silky and smooth. I have him in my top three for this year's Brownlow. He won the Brownlow in 2015 so the umpires do look out for him and they award him votes. He has had a solid year. Got off to a rocky start when getting tagged a lot but after round 5 he went boom after he was knocked out in round 3 and missed round 4. In round 5 he was best on and the next month I have him polling three votes in most of those games. In my eyes if Nat is polling votes early in games he shouldn’t be polling in then he will go close to winning the Brownlow again. Only disadvantage is that his side hasn’t won many games and when they lost they were belted. AFL tracker has Nat polling 25 he will go close for his second Brownlow.
Patrick Dangerfield ($2.60) A prolific ball winner who wins his own footy and is first on the scene in any contest. He is described as a bull and has carried Geelong to some famous victories this year. Dangerfield is the short favourite to take out the Brownlow this year but I have Tim Kelly polling more votes to him because Kelly kicks goals. Dangerfield was well held at the start of the year and was tagged out of a few games that could lose him votes. He ended the season very well and his last three games I have him polling three votes. The Umpires love Dangerfield so he could win the Brownlow by 5 votes if he gets on a roll early but I think his goal kicking is the issue and Tim Kelly started the year better and throw in Gary Ablett picking up some votes here and there it will be tough for Dangerfield.
Dark horse
Brodie Grundy ($14) There hasn’t been a ruckman that can run and dominate his opponent since Dean Cox in the 2006 - 2011 period. Brodie can run all day and competes all day in the ruck they are rare to find and he has had unreal 2019. On the AFL tracker they have Grundy polling 23 votes I think that is a top 5 finish and maybe even a dark horse. Collingwood had a great year finishing in the top 4 and that was off the back of Grundy year. He gives his midfield first possession of the ball and can go forward and kick goals if it is needed. He is my dark horse for Brownlown 2019. Only disadvantage for Grundy is that the Pies have an awesome midfield so it could be difficult for him to pinch votes off Sidebottom, Pendles, Trelor and Adams.
