2002 Brownlow Medallist Simon Black is a proven vote-winner at the awards ceremony and has enjoyed another outstanding season.
The champion midfielder averaged 25.4 disposals - his second greatest return over his stellar 12-year career - and finished among the AFL leaders in contested possessions, hard ball gets and score assists.
Black missed just one match for the season and was instrumental in a number of the Lions’ 13 regular season wins in 2009.
He could also grab votes in a handful of the team’s narrow losses throughout the season - most notably for his performances in the team’s six-point loss to Carlton at the Gabba (33 disposals), the three-goal loss to the Western Bulldogs at the Gabba (37 disposals) and the 19-point loss to St Kilda in Round 9 (27 disposals).
Black has polled more Brownlow Medal votes (142) than any other current player in the competition and ranks fourth among the Club’s all-time leading vote-getters. Just nine votes tonight would see him overtake Senior Coach Michael Voss in third position.
Lions Captain Jonathan Brown is also expected to feature prominently at tonight’s Brownlow Medal after booting a Club-record 85 goals this season from centre-half forward.
He finished Runner-Up behind Carlton’s Brendan Fevola in the Coleman Medal race and took more contested marks than any other player in the competition this season.
Brown received a career-high 17 votes back in 2007 when the Lions won just 10 matches and missed the Finals. His 2009 season has been equally impressive and with more team wins he could go that one step further to claiming the AFL’s highest individual honour.
While Black and Brown are both among the bookmakers’ favourites heading into the count, team-mates Luke Power, Daniel Rich, Mitch Clark and Justin Sherman are not without their chances of causing a surprise.
Ablett remains the player to beat although Collingwood’s Dane Swan is not far behind.
Like Black, past winners Chris Judd (Carlton) and Adam Goodes (Sydney) are proven performers on Brownlow Medal night and might find their way back onto the winners’ podium.
Meanwhile, minor premiers St Kilda have a selection of players who would be worthy winners including Nick Riewoldt, Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes, Leigh Montagna and Brendon Goddard.
Below are the latest Brownlow Medal odds courtesy of Betezy.com.au as well as some useful Brownlow Medal stats:
Betezy.com.au Brownlow Medal odds
Brownlow Medal Winner
$2.51 - Garry Ablett (Geel)
$5.02 - Dane Swan (Coll)
$8.03 - Adam Goodes (Syd)
$9.03 - Chris Judd (Carl)
$9.03 - Nick Dal Santo (StK)
$11.04 - Joel Selwood (Geel)
$12.04 - Leigh Montagna (StK)
$12.04 - Nick Riewoldt (StK)
$14.05 - Simon Black (BL)
Most Team Votes (Brisbane Lions)
$1.56 - Simon Black
$2.26 - Jonathan Brown
$26.09 - Daniel Rich
$26.09 - Players not quoted
$34.12 - Luke Power
$201.70 - Jared Brennan
Brownlow Medal Stats
Most Career Votes (Current Players Only)
142 - Simon Black (BL)
141 - Ben Cousins (WCE/Rich)
134 - Andrew McLeod (Adel)
134 - Matthew Richardson (Rich)
125 - Brent Harvey (NM)
110 - Chris Judd (WCE/Carl)
107 - Adam Goodes (Syd)
97 - Jason Akermanis (BL/WB)
94 - Matthew Lloyd (Ess)
93 - Daniel Kerr (WCE)
Most Club Votes (Lions)
178 - Kevin Murray (Fitz)
161 - Garry Wilson (Fitz)
150 - Michael Voss (BB/BL)
142 - Simon Black (BL)
122 - Haydn Bunton (Fitz)
100 - Wilfred Smallhorn (Fitz)
98* - Paul Roos (Fitz)
97 - Allan Ruthven (Fitz)
97* - John Murphy (Fitz)
93 - Nigel Lappin (BB/BL)
*Also received Brownlow Medal votes for other club/s (not counted in the above total)
