Given the season the Crows have enjoyed, it is no surprise they have a few genuine chances for this year’s Brownlow. In the first half of the season, Scott Thompson would have been rated Adelaide’s best chance, but outstanding form since the bye has seen Patrick Dangerfield leapfrog him, and the bookies agree.
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Patrick Dangerfield
Dangerfield has enjoyed a breakout season, upping his status as a kid with huge potential to a star who can win games off his own boot. While he was a good player for the Crows in 2011, there’s no doubt Dangerfield took his game to another level this year. Dangerfield's love for the hard ball ensured he was a driving force behind Adelaide's impressive year, averaging the best contested-possession numbers at the club. As well as winning a huge amount of the ball through the middle of the ground, Dangerfield hit the scoreboard, too, booting 22 goals that would surely have caught the attention of the umpires.
Scott Thompson
The 29-year-old midfielder was on top of his game in 2012. He averaged nearly 30 disposals and was dominant in many games, particularly early in the season. He is also a proven vote-getter with a best of 18 votes in 2007.
BRISBANE LIONS
Last year, the Lions polled just 38 votes in total, and no player received more than nine. With 10 wins this year, that number will likely increase, and Tom Rockliff should be a major beneficiary.
Tom Rockliff
Rockliff put together another exciting campaign in 2012. The midfielder showed he was not only a prolific ball-winner, but also capable of going forward and kicking goals as a clever marking option.
When the Lions won, the 21-year-old country Victorian usually had his fingerprints all over it. His best performance came in the round 13 win over the Western Bulldogs at Etihad Stadium when he racked up 40 touches and kicked two goals.
Rockliff also has strong claims for maximum votes in round one against Melbourne, round four (Gold Coast) and round eight (GWS).
CARLTON
The Blues' inability to make the finals in a season that started amid such optimism and high hopes for a top-four berth does not help the cause either. Carlton players will attract votes during the club's brilliant start to the season when it opened with five wins in its first six games and when the team launched a late bid to snare a finals spot. But there will not be many votes when they slumped to six losses in seven outings from round seven.
Marc Murphy
The star on-baller missed six matches in the middle of the season, but had some outstanding games before and after he injured his shoulder against Adelaide in round eight.
Murphy was a key factor in the Blues' brilliant start to the season, with more than 30 possessions in each of the club's first three wins. He also hit the scoreboard with two goals against the Brisbane Lions (round two) and Collingwood (round three).
He was also a top performer with a 36-disposal display against Richmond in round 18 and in the 96-point demolition of Essendon in round 21 with 37 touches and two goals. Murphy polled 19 Brownlow votes last year and is a good chance to be his club's leading vote-getter again.
COLLINGWOOD
Another strong season will see the Pies poll plenty of votes. Last year's winner Dane Swan will feature heavily again, as will midfield mates Dayne Beams, Scott Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom. Such has been the Magpies' season, picking a top vote-getter is tough.
Dayne Beams
Beams has not been a big vote-getter in his short career to date, but the young Queenslander would have rocketed on to umpires' radars this season with his shift into an expanded midfield role.
He missed round one but averaged more than 31 disposals a game thereafter. Was a force in attack, trailing just Travis Cloke for goals. With his eye-catching tattoos, Beams is hard to miss, and given the Pies' other two prolific midfielders - Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury - have missed multiple games, his chances of polling the most votes for the club are high.
Dane Swan
The 2011 winner and renowned vote-getter has had another solid season with several 40-plus disposal games, but has missed four games - two because of a hamstring injury and two courtesy of a club suspension. Will poll well again.
ESSENDON
The Bombers have not had a strong contender since midfielder Mark Mercuri finished second to Hawthorn's Shane Crawford in 1999. But this year, Jobe Watson stands a strong chance after a sensational season. The last Bomber to take out the Brownlow was the club's current coach, James Hird, in 1996. Three years earlier, teammate Gavin Wanganeen won in Essendon's premiership season. The other three Bombers to win the Brownlow are Dick Reynolds (1934, 1937, 1938), Bill Hutchison (1952, 1953) and Graham Moss (1976).
Jobe Watson
The Bombers captain started the year in career-best form and carried that through until the end of the season, despite Essendon's slide down the ladder.
Expect Watson to come out of the blocks early in the vote count. In Essendon's first nine games (of which it won eight), Watson could be in contention for six three-vote performances. And between rounds 10-14, he should also poll votes in every game. Essendon's two defeats in that stretch were by less than a goal.
Watson maintained his form in the second half of the year, and should again be in line for votes on the Bombers' two trips to Adelaide.
He has great Brownlow Medal form. Last year, Watson was an early leader and finished with 15 votes and, in 2010, he polled 16 votes despite the Bombers' woes.
FREMANTLE
Freo's hopes of producing their first Brownlow medallist took a hit this season when captain Matthew Pavlich was deemed ineligible following a striking charge in round 21. The star forward was arguably best afield in half a dozen games and should poll well after returning to the forward line under Ross Lyon. Midfielder Nathan Fyfe, who led the club with 13 votes last year, was sidelined for 12 games with a shoulder injury, meaning he will not figure prominently.
Michael Barlow
In 2012, the 24-year-old midfield magnet played every game, averaging 23 disposals in the first half of the year. He had a season-high 37 possessions against Collingwood in round 14 and probably played his best game for the year against West Coast in round 19, finishing with 27 touches and polling votes in the Ross Glendinning Medal.
GEELONG
Given Geelong has won three premierships in the past five seasons, it is no surprise the Cats have performed well in recent counts. Star midfielder Jimmy Bartel won with 29 votes in 2007, while Gary Ablett ran second behind the Western Bulldogs' Adam Cooney in 2008. Ablett won the award a year later, polling 30 votes to finish eight clear of Carlton's Chris Judd. Ablett almost won again in 2010. He polled 26 votes, only to finish four behind Judd. Geelong's best performer in the 2011 count was Joel Selwood, who tied for 14th, 17 votes behind Dane Swan.
Joel Selwood
Geelong's ultra-consistent skipper boasts extraordinarily good form when it comes to the Brownlow Medal. In his five completed home and away seasons, he has polled 75 votes, including club-high tallies of 21 in 2010 and 19 in 2008. He picked up 17 votes last year, but was ineligible after copping a four-match suspension for striking Hawthorn's Brent Guerra.
Selwood also found himself in trouble with the Match Review Panel this season but received only 80 demerit points for pushing his brother Adam during the round 20 clash at Paterson Stadium, enabling him to stay in contention.
Selwood was at his consistent best in 2012, averaging 25.6 possessions and 5.7 tackles across 20 matches, despite copping plenty of close attention from taggers. With the Cats again recording more wins than losses, the 24-year-old could easily poll votes in 10 games.
Tom Hawkins
Had several standout performances, starting in the wet in round five against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba. Was brilliant against Hawthorn late in the season and monstered St Kilda's defence in round 21.
GOLD COAST
Despite the Suns winning only three games last season, Gary Ablett polled 23 votes to finish equal fifth, and it is easy to argue he has had a better season this year. He jumped out of the blocks with three 40-plus disposal games and barely slowed down. Only a handful of players have won the Brownlow in a team that finished outside the finals - the last was Hawthorn's Shane Crawford in 1999 - but Ablett is right in the frame.
Gary Ablett
The Gold Coast skipper has put himself well in the hunt to win a second Brownlow Medal after another blistering season.
He started the season with a bang, racking up 42, 40 and 45 touches in his first three performances against Adelaide, St Kilda and Essendon. After a quiet stretch - including missing two matches with a knee injury - he fired in the second half of the year. He was exceptional against Collingwood in round 10 (53 disposals), North Melbourne in round 12 (42 and four goals), the Brisbane Lions in round 17 when he won the Marcus Ashcroft Medal, and Hawthorn in round 21 (43 and two goals). Ablett was also instrumental in the Suns' wins over Richmond and GWS.
He breaks the lines, is always in the thick of the contest and is a proven vote-getter. He topped 40 disposals in seven matches and will not go unnoticed by the umpires.
GWS GIANTS
No one associated with GWS will have overly high aspirations leading into Brownlow Medal night. But there will be some notable moments, including whoever becomes the first Giant to achieve a Brownlow vote, something that will no doubt be met with an enormous cheer.
Callan Ward
Ward turned 22 in April, and played the opening 18 games straight before being struck down with osteitis pubis.
Before his injury, Ward was leading the Giants in disposals, tackles and clearances.
He will most likely struggle to attract votes, simply because GWS won so few games, but if there is any Giant worthy of plaudits for his performance with the newcomers, Ward is the man.
HAWTHORN
Sam Mitchell enters this year's Brownlow Medal with a chance of becoming Hawthorn's fifth winner, and first since Shane Crawford in 1999. Mitchell was ineligible in 2011, having been charged with bumping Steve Johnson in round five, and things got uncomfortable when he led the count after round 21. Thankfully, he was eventually overtaken by Dane Swan, but still finished with a club-record 30 votes. With 17 wins on the board in 2012, there should be a similarly high number going his way again. Mitchell missed just one game this season, collecting 29 or more disposals 12 times.
Sam Mitchell
Although Mitchell's big days were not quite as big as his games in 2011 (he had five 37-plus disposal games in 2011 and none this season) the 29-year-old was among his team's best nearly every time he took the field.
He led the Hawks in kicks (303), handballs (266), contested possessions (260), clearances (125) and tackles (116). Standout performances were against Collingwood (rounds one and 17), Geelong (round two and 19), West Coast (round four), North Melbourne (round 10), Carlton (round 14), the Western Bulldogs (round 16) and Port Adelaide (round 20).
Has won a swag of awards and a Brownlow Medal would be fitting.
MELBOURNE
The winner of the 2012 Brownlow will not be a Demon. However, the night is sure to be emotional for the club as its late president Jim Stynes - who died in March - is one of the award's most famous winners. Stynes won the medal in 1991, claiming one of seven medals won by six Melbourne players. The most recent Demon winner was Shane Woewodin in 2000, with Peter Moore (1984) and Brian Wilson (1982) also successful in the modern era.
Nathan Jones
Jones averaged more disposals this season than in his previous five, doubled his clearances (118) and laid 95 tackles. He also chimed in with 16 goals.
He led the Demons in disposals - his 251 handballs were 61 ahead of the next best (Jack Trengove) - and he was No. 1 at the club for free kicks, with 39.
Jones won Melbourne’s best and fairest ahead of co-captain Jack Grimes, but it won’t guarantee him Brownlow votes as the Demons won just four games.
NORTH MELBOURNE
The last North Melbourne player to win the Brownlow was Ross Glendinning in 1983. Adding a Kangaroo to the list of winners in 2012 is unlikely, but the club's outstanding form in the second half of the season should see plenty of votes head North's way.
Andrew Swallow
Swallow has been outstanding in his first year as North skipper, averaging 25.6 possessions a game.
One of the best inside midfielders in the AFL, Swallow is sure to have caught the umpires' attention at stoppages, having won the fifth most clearances in the competition. He has also increasingly shown an ability to spread from contests and hurt the opposition in open play.
Swallow showed last year he has what it takes to poll well, finishing with 16 votes to be the Roos' highest vote-getter, five ahead of Petrie.
PORT ADELAIDE
Due to the Power's ordinary season, they won't supply the Brownlow Medal winner this year. The club was severely hurt by injuries in 2012, with stars Hamish Hartlett and Travis Boak among a huge list of players who missed big chunks of football. Brad Ebert and Matthew Broadbent were certainly successes for the side and gave the Power a sound foundation to approach season 2013.
Brad Ebert
In what was a dark year for the Power, Ebert proved a rare success. He was traded home to Adelaide last October and was clearly the club's best player in 2012.
Continuing the Ebert legacy at Port Adelaide brings with it enormous pressure, but the 22-year-old handled himself superbly on and off the field. His intensity and pressure on the ball carrier was a highlight and he finished the season as one of the AFL's best tacklers.
RICHMOND
Trent Cotchin is one of the favourites for this year's medal, and it's little wonder. The Tigers won only eight games last year and Cotchin polled 15 votes. The Tigers won 10 games this season, and Cotchin had a far better year. In the coaches’ award, he won ahead of Brownlow fancies Dayne Beams, Gary Ablett and Patrick Dangerfield. Others to come under attention will be Brett Deledio, Shaun Grigg and Dustin Martin. If you want a precedent in Cotchin’s favour, Richmond ruckman Roy Wright won two Brownlows, in 1952 and 1954, despite playing in teams that finished outside the finals.
Trent Cotchin
The 22-year-old has been far and away Richmond's best player this season. He has already claimed the Tigers' best and fairest for the second successive year, he won the AFL Coaches' Association Champion Player of the Year award and made the All-Australian side for the first time.
Cotchin is quick and game, good by hand and foot, brilliant in traffic and strong overhead. He also has a physical trait that sets him apart, a running style that makes it look like he is stooping to pass beneath a low door.
Close observers would have been on to Cotchin all season, but the hype only started to build towards the end of the season, especially after the game against the Western Bulldogs in round 20. In that match, he had 35 disposals and kicked three classy goals, which, it is fair to say, no one else could have kicked. He is that type of player.
ST KILDA
Despite their lack of team success over their history, the Saints have been regular Brownlow winners - claiming 10 medals since the award’s inception in 1924. Only the Sydney Swans have more, with 14. The Brownlow is not usually the place for defenders to be recognised, but Sean Dempster deserves kudos for his work in the back half. But the real interest in the Saints' Brownlow night will be whether Jason Blake will finally poll his first vote after more than 200 games - the longest stint in AFL history without one. If he does score a vote, only the eventual winner of the Brownlow will receive a bigger cheer.
Lenny Hayes
Hayes' return from a knee reconstruction aged 32 has been phenomenal. The star midfielder took no time to return to the form that saw him finish third in the 2009 Brownlow Medal.
Hayes has held up the St Kilda midfield all year and, while the Saints have not won as many games as they have in past seasons, there may not be as many teammates robbing him of votes, as has been the case on occasion in the past.
His consistency could also help him as he had only two games where he gathered fewer than 20 possessions.
SYDNEY SWANS
The key to the Swans’ success in 2012 was an even contribution across the board, rather than standout individuals carrying them over the line. It means a range of players should poll votes and take votes from each other. Josh Kennedy and Kieren Jack loom as the players most likely, with both demonstrating consistency all year, plus displaying the type of attributes that usually draw attention from the umpires. Jarrad McVeigh, Daniel Hannebery, Jude Bolton, Ted Richards and Rhyce Shaw could also find themselves with votes at the end of the count. The club is no stranger to Brownlow Medals, having claimed a record 14 across its South Melbourne and Sydney history. The most recent was Adam Goodes in 2006. Having won so many games this season, it would not be a huge surprise to see one of its members challenge for a 15th medal, although it might be a stretch for a Swan to win it.
Josh Kennedy
The grandson of Hawk legend John Kennedy Sr, Kennedy has thrived since joining the Swans from Hawthorn in 2010. He bookended this season with two outstanding runs of form. His games against Port Adelaide (round three) and Hawthorn (round five) were the standouts as the Swans went unbeaten through the first five rounds, and he could easily poll in two more of those opening games. Kennedy was again best on ground when the Swans met the Hawks in round 22, as he finished the year strongly.
WEST COAST
Dean Cox and Matt Priddis have combined superbly this season at stoppages, and both are strong Brownlow Medal contenders as a result. Free of injuries for a second straight season, Cox has been expertly managed, kicking more goals than he ever has in a season, while maintaining his form in the ruck. Priddis is a proven vote-winner, polling 19 last season to finish equal seventh.
Matt Priddis
A leading clearance player, Priddis averaged 26.1 disposals in an ultra-consistent season. He had a massive 17 clearances against the Western Bulldogs in round one and 10 against Collingwood in round 22.
WESTERN BULLDOGS
After a disappointing season, the Bulldogs are not expected to produce the medal winner, but it is certainly not out of the realms of possibility that skipper Matthew Boyd could enjoy a top-three finish. The Bulldogs have a rich history in the Brownlow Medal, producing 10 winners, including ruck greats Norman Ware, John Schultz, Gary Dempsey and Scott Wynd, along with champion centreman Allan Hopkins, the first Dogs winner on a countback in 1930. Between the triumphs of Dempsey and Wynd, five Bulldogs won the medal in just 17 years. However, only one Dog has taken the Brownlow home in the past 20 years (Adam Cooney in 2008).
Matthew Boyd
The Bulldogs skipper is the raging favourite to again not only be his club's leading vote-getter but potentially figure in the running for the medal.
A proven favourite of the umpires with a combined tally of 44 votes over the past two seasons (finishing equal third last year), the 30-year-old was again one of the most prolific ball-winners in the competition, averaging more than 30 disposals a game for the third season in succession.
Ryan Griffen
Added a harder edge to his game while still enhancing his reputation as the Dogs' best runner. Produced several standout performances, none better than a club-record 47 touches in the round 21 loss to the Sydney Swans.
