The contenders: Prolific midfielder Scott Thompson cruised to victory in Adelaide's club champion award and was the only Crows player to be included in the preliminary 40-man All Australian team. He missed out on selection in the final 22, but finished second in the AFL in disposals (673) and is a proven vote-getter, having polled 15 Brownlow votes last year to finish equal-13th. Not many teammates will steal votes from Thompson, but it's likely Adelaide's dismal season, in which the club won only seven games, will cost him a serious shot at the prestigious award.
Ineligible: Sam Jacobs, Chris Knights, Ivan Maric, Richard Tambling, Kurt Tippett
Lock: Thompson's 51-possession game against Gold Coast in round 22 is sure to attract maximum votes from the umpires. He could pick up another three votes for his starring role (38 possessions) against the Brisbane Lions two weeks prior, and is also likely to feature in the best players in the club's win over St Kilda in round six.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Scott Thompson ($1.01)
BRISBANE LIONS
The contenders: With just four wins it is doubtful any Lion will seriously challenge, but watch for 2002 winner Simon Black to again poll votes. Black has the most votes (164) of any current player and his form was as good as at any stage throughout his career. Towering ruckman Matthew Leuenberger and Lions' best and fairest Tom Rockliff, should also be amongst the votes in multiple matches.
Ineligible: Jed Adcock, Jack Redden
Lock: Black won the Marcus Ashcroft Medal as best on ground in the Lions' round 21 win over Gold Coast but could be hard pressed by Leuenberger for the three votes. Captain Jonathan Brown's return from injury against North Melbourne in round nine led his team to their first win of the season. His four second-half goals turned the match and should see him take all three votes.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Simon Black ($1.10)
CARLTON
The contenders: Chris Judd is the bookies' red-hot favourite to take home his third Brownlow Medal after another standout season. Umpires aren't averse to throwing a vote or two his way and the eye-catching manner in which he's inspired his team to victory at times this season will definitely see him poll well. One of the few factors counting against the Blues' skipper is the excellent form of teammate Marc Murphy this year. The 24-year-old played every game this season and he's bound to take a few votes away from Judd here and there.
Ineligible: Mitch Robinson, Bret Thornton
Lock: Put Judd down for three votes against Essendon in the 74-point round-18 win. Eddie Betts kicked eight goals that night, but anyone who saw Judd's wizardry (he had 33 possessions, 12 tackles and a goal) knows he was the reason the Blues prevailed at the MCG. Three votes are also all but in the bank for Judd after his eye-catching 31-possession, 10-tackle, two-goal performance against Richmond in round 15. The Blues smashed the Tigers by 103 points and Judd was front and centre all day. Murphy will likely poll quite a few sets of two votes, but all three should be coming his way for his 34-possession effort against Adelaide in round five.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Chris Judd ($1.22)
COLLINGWOOD
The contenders: Dane Swan and Scott Pendlebury will poll well, while Dale Thomas - ineligible due to his two-match suspension for rough conduct against Garrick Ibbotson in round 23 - will also be among the votes. Swan, who was favourite for last year's count only to place third, averaged 31 possessions a game for the second consecutive year but missed one match while Pendlebury has averaged 29. Thomas has been flashy and had a purple patch in the middle of the season, while Leon Davis was consistent late and Travis Cloke was All Australian centre half-forward but probably won't poll well. The fact Collingwood won 20 games will also help the Magpies rack up the numbers.
Ineligible: Ben Johnson, Dale Thomas, Cameron Wood
Lock: Swan will draw three votes for his 40 touches against North Melbourne in round two and again for his 45 in the Pies' round 19 74-point win over Essendon although Pendlebury and Alex Fasolo were also prolific. Pendlebury won the Anzac Day medal in round five after shining when the Bombers were on top and should collect three there.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Scott Pendlebury ($1.40)
ESSENDON
The contenders: Despite missing six games through injury, captain Jobe Watson remains Essendon's best Brownlow chance. After a brilliant start to the year, it would not be a surprise if the ball-winner led the count by the middle of the season but successive hamstring strains halted his momentum in the second half of the year. First-year defender and NAB AFL Rising Star winner Dyson Heppell could attract the attention of umpires with his flash and dare, as could David Zaharakis, who played every game and had an excellent second-half of the season as a goalkicking midfielder. Michael Hurley could poll well after being central to most of Essendon's wins.
Ineligible: Kyle Hardingham, Heath Hocking, Brent Stanton
Lock: Watson's 35-possession and two-goal effort in the Bombers' round one thumping of the Western Bulldogs should earn him three votes, as should his performance in Essendon's round seven win over West Coast, when he collected a game-high 31 disposals and kicked two goals. Angus Monfries would be very unlucky not to poll the maximum votes in round 17, when he picked up 35 disposals and kicked one goal in a best-on-ground showing at AAMI Stadium, as would Brent Stanton in round 21, when he had 39 disposals and kicked two goals against the Western Bulldogs.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Jobe Watson ($1.11)
FREMANTLE
The contenders: Captain Matthew Pavlich should make a strong start, but second-year star Nat Fyfe is the only Fremantle player expected to make an impact on Monday night, with Aaron Sandilands and David Mundy missing long periods of the season through injury. Fyfe moved into the midfield this season, where he led his team for contested ball and ranked second for clearances, earning recognition with a spot in the 40-man All Australian squad. The 20-year-old is also capable of lighting up a game with big contested marks and skillful goals.
Ineligible: Clayton Hinkley, Nick Lower, Luke McPharlin, Adam McPhee, Dylan Roberton
Lock: Fyfe played his most influential game against the Sydney Swans at the SCG in round 17, and should collect the three votes. In slippery conditions he stood a class above every other player on the ground, racking up 31 possessions (22 contested), eight clearances and three contested marks. He highlighted his class with a brilliant goal from long-range tucked against the boundary.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Nat Fyfe ($1.89)
GEELONG
The contenders: As has been the norm in recent seasons, the Cats will poll plenty of votes because they won so many games. James Kelly, who was selected on the bench in the All Australian team, will most likely lead the way. He played in all of Geelong's 22 home and away matches and averaged 24 disposals per game. Creative forward Steve Johnson and young midfielder Allen Christensen are two others who are sure to have attracted some attention from the umpires.
Ineligible: Joel Corey, Josh Hunt, Cameron Mooney, Brad Ottens, Matthew Scarlett, Joel Selwood, Mathew Stokes
Lock: Steve Johnson will surely get the three votes for his outstanding performance in the Cats' 186-point win over Melbourne in round 19. Not only did he boot seven goals on that afternoon at Skilled Stadium, he also registered 11 score assists, nine of which led to goals, meaning he had a direct hand in 16 of Geelong's 37 majors. His final stat-count was 34 possessions, five clearances and six inside-50s.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Joel Selwood ($1.32)
GOLD COAST
The contenders: Suns captain Gary Ablett may not win it all but expect the 2009 winner to give plenty of cheek. Ablett had a slow start and may be trailing by too many after the first seven rounds, but watch for him to consistently collect votes after that. He was incredible - even in losing performances - and will storm home in the second half of the season.
Ineligible: Nathan Bock, Campbell Brown, Karmichael Hunt
Lock: Jared Brennan's 30-disposal performance against his former Brisbane Lions teammates in round seven was a brilliant individual effort and will certainly get him all three votes. Ablett had 41 touches and four goals in a round eight loss against Adelaide and would be stiff to miss the three there. Despite losing in round 24 against Hawthorn, Ablett was head and shoulders above everyone on the field and his 43 disposals will earn him another three votes.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Gary Ablett ($1.01)
HAWTHORN
The contenders: With 13 30-plus possession hauls from his 20 matches, Sam Mitchell may poll more votes than the medal favourites. But he's ineligible after accepting a reprimand for rough conduct on Cat Steve Johnson in round five. Skipper Luke Hodge is likely to be the Hawks' best-placed eligible contender. Grant Birchall and Josh Gibson could also poll well, particularly if the umpires spurn tradition by rewarding defenders.
Ineligible: Lance Franklin, Jordan Lewis, Mitchell, Cyril Rioli.
Lock: Franklin dominated the Sydney Swans with six goals and 28 touches at the SCG in round nine. The Hawks won by 46 points, and the star forward was clearly best on ground. Mitchell had a purple patch between rounds 12 and 14, amassing three straight 38-touch games. His performance in the round 13 win over Gold Coast is almost certain to earn three votes.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Sam Mitchell ($1.14)
MELBOURNE
The contenders: Brent Moloney was considered one of the early-season favourites for the Brownlow before he and the Demons faded. Nathan Jones was another consistent player but it's hard to see anyone topping Moloney as Melbourne's highest vote-getter.
Ineligible: Aaron Davey, Lynden Dunn, Brent Moloney, Colin Sylvia, Luke Tapscott, Jack Trengove.
Lock: Moloney shook off a tough week away from the field to star in Melbourne's 90-point win over Gold Coast in round four. His only challenger for the three votes will be teammate Colin Sylvia. He's also just about certain to get the maximum votes for his 31-possession, 10-clearance game against Adelaide in round seven.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Brett Moloney ($1.13)
NORTH MELBOURNE
The contenders: Daniel Wells had his most consistent season in 2011 and looms as North's leading vote-getter. Had five games of 28 possessions or more but, as one of the most graceful and damaging players in the competition, does not have to rack up huge possession counts to poll. Andrew Swallow again did his best work under the umpires' noses and as one of the competition's elite clearance players (he finished equal fourth in the competition, averaging 6.7 a game) should poll well. And Drew Petrie put together a 2011 highlight reel of 'speccies' and goals unlikely to be ignored.
Ineligible: Michael Firrito, Levi Greenwood, Jack Ziebell.
Lock: Swallow appears a sure thing to get three votes for his dominant game (39 possessions and two goals) against Adelaide in round 11, as does Ziebell (41 and one) against the Western Bulldogs in round 17 and Brent Harvey (31 and two) against Richmond in round 24.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Andrew Swallow ($1.55)
PORT ADELAIDE
The contenders: If the voting in Port Adelaide's best and fairest award is anything to go by, where joint-winners Travis Boak and Jackson Trengove polled just 13 of a possible 88 votes, there won't be any Power players near the top of the leaderboard on Monday night. Boak finished top-10 in the Brownlow Medal last season, and is likely to lead the way for Port Adelaide again in 2011. Flashy midfielder/forward Robbie Gray could also grab the attention of the umpires in several games, but it’s hard to see a team that managed only three wins for the year producing a genuine contender.
Ineligible: Cam O'Shea
Lock: Versatile tall Justin Westhoff, who was awarded the Showdown Medal for best a-field, should expect three votes in Port Adelaide's round four win over Adelaide, while Jay Schulz (seven goals) and Robbie Gray (six goals) could attract votes in losing teams against the Brisbane Lions and Essendon in rounds 15 and 23, respectively.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Travis Boak ($2.68)
RICHMOND
The contenders: Tough and talented midfielder Trent Cotchin won Richmond's best and fairest earlier in September, and he is likely to be the Tigers leading vote-getter. Cotchin enjoyed his best season since joining the Tigers in the 2007 national draft. He played in all of Richmond's home and away matches, averaged 24 disposals per game, and booted 18 goals. Dashing defender Brett Deledio, who was runner-up in the best and fairest, is also sure to poll a few votes.
Ineligible: Daniel Jackson, Jake King, Luke McGuane, Alex Rance, Tyrone Vickery
Lock: Jack Riewoldt should get two or three votes for his six-goal performance against Carlton in round one, which almost snatched an upset win for the Tigers. Dustin Martin will surely get three votes for his 33 possessions and four goals against North Melbourne in round five, while Trent Cotchin is certain to claim some of the votes awarded after Richmond's victory over Essendon in the Dreamtime at the 'G match. On that night, Cotchin gathered 29 disposals, (15 of which were contested) had eight clearances and booted the ball inside 50 eight times.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Dustin Martin ($1.92)
ST KILDA
The contenders: Nick Dal Santo was St Kilda's most consistent player and with 88 career votes, is often noticed by the umpires. Sam Fisher was St Kilda's best player in a disappointing opening to the season and may also poll well.
Ineligible: David Armitage, Steven Baker, Zac Dawson, Justin Koschitzke, Stephen Milne, Leigh Montagna, Brett Peake, Nick Riewoldt.
Lock: Stephen Milne is not a noted vote gatherer with just 27 votes over his first 10 years but his eight-goal effort against Adelaide in round 18 should guarantee him a best on ground. Dal Santo's 39 possessions against Gold Coast the following week should also result in three votes.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Nick Dal Santo ($1.23)
SYDNEY SWANS
The contenders: If there is anyone who can prevent Chris Judd winning a third Brownlow Medal, it could be Swans co-captain Adam Goodes. Goodes is coming off another outstanding season and is widely considered the second favourite to win this year's Brownlow, which would also be his third. Goodes had a quiet patch in the middle of the season, but should pick up a swag of votes in the run home. Jude Bolton had a terrific first half of the year and will likely pick up some votes, but a knee injury slowed his progress.
Ineligible: Shane Mumford, Ryan O'Keefe
Lock: Goodes can lock in a certain three votes from the round 18 clash with the Western Bulldogs at the SCG. The 31-year-old tallied a career-high 34 disposals, including 20 contested possessions. Throw in 10 marks, six tackles and two goals and Goodes can bank on three votes. He can also expect to feature in the votes in the round 20 loss to Essendon, even though he missed a set shot after the siren that would have won the game. Goodes still kept the Swans in the game with some moments of pure magic, tallying 29 possessions and three goals.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Adam Goodes ($1.08)
WEST COAST
The contenders: Dean Cox hasn't polled well in the past, entering the season with 38 votes from 202 games, but he should get his due recognition on Monday night. The All Australian ruckman has enjoyed an outstanding season, controlling matches through his dominance in the middle, and he no longer has Chris Judd and Ben Cousins stealing votes off him as he did when previously at his peak. Internal competition will come from stoppage star Matt Priddis, who averaged 27 disposals and six clearances in an ultra-consistent season.
Ineligible: Quinten Lynch, Nic Naitanui, Scott Selwood, Will Schofield
Lock: Josh Kennedy has three votes in the bag for his 10-goal haul against the Western Bulldogs in round nine. The key forward churned through a series of opponents as he dominated in the air and kicked with brutal accuracy. Midfielder Luke Shuey is also certain to feature in the votes for his five goals and 27 disposals against the Bulldogs.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Matt Priddis ($2.14)
WESTERN BULLDOGS
The contenders: Hard to go past Matthew Boyd as the Bulldogs' biggest vote getter with the captain having a remarkable season where he averaged nearly 32 possessions and played every game. Ryan Griffen is the other Dog who could collect although he isn't a noted vote-getter and the team did only win nine games. Still, he averaged 24 touches and upped his tackle count from 78 to 102. Robert Murphy was important to the side, especially late in the season, but isn't expected to poll well.
Ineligible: Daniel Cross, Ryan Hargrave
Lock: Boyd had some massive games, surpassing 40 touches twice - first against Fremantle in round five and later in round 19 against West Coast. The Dogs lost both of those games but Boyd couldn't have done any more, as he couldn't in round 12 against St Kilda when he had 39 with 20 contested. He will certainly poll three in round 22 for the 39 touches he had in the Bulldogs' 60-point thumping of Port Adelaide at AAMI Stadium.
Club leading vote-winner (Betfair odds): Matthew Boyd ($1.09)
Join our LIVE coverage of the 2011 Brownlow Medal from 7pm AEST on Monday, September 26. In an AFL.com.au first, we'll be joined by fashion experts Emily Power and Adrian Fernand as they decide what's hot and what's not on the Blue Carpet from 7.30pm AEST. Then it's back to the count to see if Chris Judd or Adam Goodes can make it Brownlow No.3.
