BRISBANE star Lachie Neale joined Touk Miller in the lead for the AFL Coaches Association champion player of the year award as the top four are separated by just two votes.
Neale led the Lions to an important 33-point win over Carlton on Sunday, earning nine votes for his 32 disposals, nine clearances and goal.
The 29-year-old has averaged 30.9 disposals, 7.4 clearances and 4.4 tackles a game in 2022, all career-high averages.
Neale's performance against Carlton lifted the gun midfielder onto 88 votes, joining Gold Coast's Miller on that tally with two home and away rounds remaining.
Neale has previously won the AFLCA award in 2020, a year where he also took out the AFLPA Most Valuable Player Award, Merrett-Murray Medal, All-Australian honours and the Brownlow Medal.
Round 21 AFLCA Votes:
Brisbane v Carlton
9 Lachie Neale (BL)
8 Zac Bailey (BL)
7 Oscar McInerney (BL)
2 Rhys Mathieson (BL)
2 Harris Andrews (BL)
1 Jacob Weitering (CARL)
1 Daniel McStay (BL)
LEADERBOARD
88 Lachie Neale (BL)
88 Touk Miller (GCFC)
86 Clayton Oliver (MELB)
86 Christian Petracca (MELB)
75 Patrick Cripps (CARL)
75 Connor Rozee (PORT)
72 Andrew Brayshaw (FRE)
67 Jeremy Cameron (GEEL)
57 Shai Bolton (RICH)
56 Callum Mills (SYD)
55 Chad Warner (SYD)
54 Sam Walsh (CARL)
53 Hugh McCluggage (BL)
