Stats Breakdown: Brownlow
Check out some of the Brisbane Lions' statistics from the Brownlow Medal
The Brisbane Lions boast nine Brownlow Medallists – including six from Fitzroy, one from the Bears, and two since the 1997 merger.
The entire list of Club Brownlow Medallists, and the years they won, is provided below:
1931 Haydn Bunton (Fitzroy)
1932 Haydn Bunton (Fitzroy)
1933 Wilfred Smallhorn (Fitzroy)
1935 Haydn Bunton (Fitzroy)
1936 Denis Ryan (Fitzroy)
1950 Allan Ruthven (Fitzroy)
1969 Kevin Murray (Fitzroy)
1981 Bernie Quinlan (Fitzroy)
1996 Michael Voss (Bears)
2001 Jason Akermanis (Lions)
2002 Simon Black (Lions)
MOST BROWNLOWS
The Club’s first ever Brownlow Medallist, Haydn Bunton, won a total of three Medals (including consecutive triumphs in his first two VFL seasons) which is an equal record in the history of VFL/AFL.
Bunton is in rare company alongside Dick Reynolds (1934, 37-38), Bob Skilton (1959, 63, 68), and Ian Stewart (1965-66, 71) as one of only four players to have won three Brownlow Medals.
Gold Coast Captain Gary Ablett could become the fifth member of this exclusive group should he claim his third Brownlow Medal tonight. Current day players Chris Judd and Adam Goodes also have a pair of Brownlow Medals.
BULLDOG’S BROWNLOW
Brisbane Lions Legend Kevin ‘Bulldog’ Murray’s 1969 Brownlow Medal remains close to his heart…literally.
Anyone who has attended a Lions event would know that Murray always wears his cherished Brownlow Medal around his neck (underneath his shirt) and gladly drapes it around anyone who might request a photo.
Murray credits his Fitzroy teammates and the fans for helping him achieve the game’s highest individual hour, and firmly believes that it should therefore be shared.
MOST VOTES (ALL TIME)
2002 Brownlow Medallist Simon Black has polled more votes than any other player throughout the Club’s combined history.
Black received 184 votes from his 322 senior games, which also ranks him sixth on the VFL/AFL all-time list.
Murray ranks second at the Club (and equal eighth all-time) with 178 votes, closely followed by Garry Wilson (161 votes), Michael Voss (150), and Bunton (122).
Jonathan Brown is next with 112 votes, which is an impressive tally in the modern-age for a permanent forward.
MOST VOTES (CURRENT)
Jonathan Brown’s mid-season retirement leaves Tom Rockliff as the Club’s leading vote-getter at the Brownlow Medal.
Rockliff has polled a total of 38 votes, largely thanks to a breakthrough year in 2013 when he was awarded 21.
Daniel Rich (21), Daniel Merrett (19), Pearce Hanley (12), Matthew Leuenberger (11), and Dayne Zorko (nine) are next in line.
With Rich and Leuenberger sidelined for most of 2014, expect Hanley and Zorko to rocket up the rankings by this time tomorrow.
BREAKING THE DUCK
North Melbourne’s Ross Henshaw holds the record for most senior games without receiving a single Brownlow Vote – he played 167 games from 1971-83.
At the Brisbane Lions, Luke McGuane currently holds the mantle having played 108 games (105 of which were with Richmond) without having his name read out on Brownlow night.
James Polkinghorne is next with 94 – only two of which were played in 2014.
Stefan Martin is almost certain to break his streak of 74 AFL games without a vote in 2014, courtesy of a stunning second half of the season.
Other relatively experienced Lions players hoping to secure their first votes at tonight’s Brownlow Medal include: Trent West (64 senior games), Rohan Bewick (63), Ryan Harwood (56(, Josh Green (54), Ryan Lester (52), and Mitch Golby (51).
LIONS BEST BETS
Rockliff is widely tipped to poll more votes than any other Lions player this evening, but he remains ineligible to win the award after being suspended twice throughout the season.
That leaves Dayne Zorko as the Lions’ favourite among bookmakers to take home the Medal (around $251) while Pearce Hanley is paying $501.