GOLD Coast superstar Gary Ablett is on track to win his third Brownlow Medal.
AFL.com.au's projections have the Suns captain polling votes in five of his club's seven games so far this season.
Reporters vote on a 3-2-1 basis after each game and already Ablett is a clear standout to add to his two 'Charlies' he won at Geelong in 2009 and Gold Coast last year.
It's no surprise, with the Gold Coast captain both top of the Official AFL Player Ratings and outright leader in the AFLCA voting.
Ablett's 2014 tally of 165.1 player ratings points leads second-placed Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury on 142.9 points.
Click here for the Official AFL Player Ratings
The dual Brownlow Medallist is now clear betting favourite with TAB Sportsbet at $2.50, after a quiet stint from Geelong captain Joel Selwood has seen him drift from equal favourtism to $8.
"The four goals, including three in the crucial last quarter, should see him get two, maybe even the three votes against North Melbourne [last Sunday]," TAB’s Adam Hamilton said.
For their part, AFL.com.au's reporters gave Ablett one vote for his game against the Kangaroos.
St Kilda star Nick Riewoldt is trailing Ablett by three votes after a stellar start to the year in which the born-again 31-year-old has polled in four of the 12th-placed Saints' games.
AFLCA votes: 'Old man' scores perfect 10
Gelong's Selwood and Steve Johnson have emerged as Ablett's other rivals, tied on eight votes after seven rounds, while Hawk Sam Mitchell has also capitalised on early season form to poll well.
All three are ranked inside the top 15 of the player ratings.
However a severe hamstring injury that will see Mitchell miss eight weeks has derailed his chances of winning his first Brownlow.
Fremantle ruckman Aaron Sandilands has also rocketed into medal calculations after a tremendous start to his year.
Sandilands has polled three votes twice this season, but Lachie Neale received maximum votes for his Ross Glendinning Medal-winning performance in the Western Derby last Sunday.
However, West Coast coach Adam Simpson and Dockers counterpart Ross Lyon agreed Sandilands was best afield with both awarding him the maximum votes in the AFLCA award.
Sandilands' success flies in the face of AFL legend Leigh Matthews' comments that the Freo giant is "the most overrated player in footy".
Pendlebury is another lurking at Ablett's heels after an impressive start to 2014.
The Magpies skipper is also in outright third position in the AFLCA's award, while teammates Dane Swan and Dayne Beams loom as Pendlebury's greatest competitors to winning votes.
Others to feature in medal calculations at this point so far include Adelaide's Patrick Dangerfield, Port Adelaide midfield duo Brad Ebert and Jared Polec and North Melbourne's Ben Cunnington.
ROUND SEVEN LEADERBOARD:
1. G Ablett (GC) – 12
2. N Riewoldt (STK) – 9
3. S Johnson (Geel) – 8
3. J Selwood (Geel) – 8
3. S Mitchell (Haw) – 8
3. A Sandilands (Frem) – 8
