It was a count for the ages, with Lachie Neale going painfully close to joining some of the all-time greats with a second Brownlow. Falling just one vote short of eventual winner, Patrick Cripps.
In arguably his best season to date, Neale polled 3 votes on seven different occasions and was leading the votes in the last round, before Cripps went one better with a best on ground effort against Collingwood.
Hugh McCluggage was recognised for another strong season with a career-best 14 votes, including three best on ground performances.
Interestingly, Zac Bailey only managed two votes for his Round 6 performance in QClash, where he kicked six goals and won the Marcus Ashcroft Medal.
Jarryd Lyons took the three votes from that round, taking his tally to seven votes for the year.
Cam Rayner unsurprisingly was given ‘best on’ honours for his four-goal performance against St Kilda in Round 22 while Jarrod Berry, Rhys Mathieson and Dan McStay all received two votes each on the night.
Keidean Coleman polled his first career Brownlow vote for his performance against Richmond in Round 20, while Linc McCarthy snuck in for a single vote for his five-goal effort against North Melbourne in Round 3.
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— Brisbane Lions (@brisbanelions) September 18, 2022
Where the votes fell:
Round 1 v Port Adelaide
Lachie Neale - 2 votes
31 disposals, 7 marks, 7 clearances, 5 i50s
Round 2 v Essendon
Lachie Neale - 3 votes
41 disposals, 12 clearances, 9 score involvements, 2 goals
Hugh McCluggage - 2 votes
19 disposals, 3 goals, 6 marks
Round 3 v North
Jarryd Lyons - 3 votes
28 disposals, 2 goals, 12 score involvements
Dayne Zorko - 2 votes
28 disposals, 10 marks, 13 score involvements
Linc McCarthy - 1 vote
5 goals, 15 disposals, 8 marks
Round 4 v Geelong
Dan McStay - 1 vote
3 goals, 14 disposals, 11 marks
Round 5 v Collingwood
Lachie Neale - 3 votes
33 disposals, 5 tackles, one goal
Round 6 v Gold Coast
Jarryd Lyons - 3 votes
30 disposals, 10 tackles, 13 clearances
Zac Bailey - 2 votes
6 goals, 17 disposals, 8 score involvements
Round 7 v Sydney
Lachie Neale - 3 votes
37 disposals, 9 tackles, one goal
Dayne Zorko - 1 vote
22 disposals, 2 goals, 6 i50s
Round 8 v West Coast
Hugh McCluggage - 3 votes
4 goals, 26 disposals, 10 tackles
Lachie Neale - 2 votes
29 disposals, 6 tackles, 10 clearances
Charlie Cameron - 1 vote
4 goals, 10 disposals, 7 score involvements
Round 9 v Adelaide
Lachie Neale - 3 votes
36 disposals, 7 intercepts, one goal
Dayne Zorko - 2 votes
26 disposals, 2 goals, 5 clearances
Hugh McCluggage - 1 vote
22 disposals, 5 tackles
Round 10 v Hawthorn
No votes
Round 11 v GWS
Lachie Neale - 3 votes
39 disposals, 2 goals, 9 clearances
Jarrod Berry - 1 vote
33 disposals, 10 score involvements, 10 marks
Round 12 v Fremantle
Zac Bailey - 1 vote
4 goals, 22 disposals
Round 13 v St Kilda
Hugh McCluggage - 3 votes
33 disposals, 7 clearances, one goal
Lachie Neale - 2 votes
37 disposals, 7 clearances, 8 score involvements
Jarryd Lyons - 1 vote
29 disposals, 5 clearances
Round 14 – BYE
Round 15 v Melbourne
No votes
Round 16 v Western Bulldogs
Lachie Neale - 3 votes
33 disposals, 7 tackles, one goal
Charlie Cameron - 2 votes
4 goals, 12 disposals, 9 score involvements
Jarrod Berry - 1 vote
2 goals, 23 disposals
Round 17 v Essendon
No votes
Round 18 v GWS
Hugh McCluggage - 3 votes
4 goals, 29 disposals, 8 marks
Rhys Mathieson - 2 votes
23 disposals, 17 contested possessions, 10 clearances
Cam Rayner - 1 vote
3 goals, 19 disposals
Round 19 v Gold Coast
Hugh McCluggage - 1 vote
25 disposals, 1 one goal
Round 20 v Richmond
Keidean Coleman - 1 vote
30 disposals, 9 intercepts, 5 marks
Round 21 v Carlton
Lachie Neale - 3 votes
32 disposals, 9 clearances, one goal
Zac Bailey - 2 votes
4 goals, 19 disposals, 6 marks
Dan McStay - 1 vote
4 goals, 7 marks
Round 22 v St Kilda
Cam Rayner - 3 votes
4 goals, 18 disposals
Hugh McCluggage - 1 vote
24 disposals, one goal
Round 23 v Melbourne
Lachie Neale - 1 vote
29 disposals, 6 tackles
Final Lions Leaderboard
Lachie Neale – 28 votes
Hugh McCluggage – 14 votes
Jarryd Lyons – 7 votes
Zac Bailey – 5 votes
Dayne Zorko – 5 votes
Cam Rayner – 4 votes
Charlie Cameron – 3 votes
Jarrod Berry – 2 votes
Rhys Mathieson – 2 votes
Dan McStay – 2 votes
Keidean Coleman – 1 vote
Linc McCarthy – 1 vote