Black, the 32-year-old Brisbane Lions midfielder, is having the best year of his career, according to Champion Data statistics. Notwithstanding the trend in recent seasons towards more disposals, Black has his highest season average in disposals, kicks, handballs and contested possessions.
Last Saturday, he was just about best on ground despite the fact that the Lions lost to North Melbourne at Etihad Stadium by 55 points.
North Melbourne pair Drew Petrie, with 13 marks, and Ryan Bastinac, with a career-high 29 disposals, are among the players who might have pinched votes from him.
Black had a game-high 37 disposals. (Bastinac and the Lions' Tom Rockliff had 29.) Black's tally of disposals compares well with his 2011 average of 27.5 a game.
He also had 15 kicks (average 12.9), 22 handballs (14.5) and 19 contested possessions (12.9).
Lions midfield coach Shane Woewodin (a teammate of Black's in junior football at East Fremantle) said Black's figures are the results of his superior stamina and professionalism.
He made a couple of execution errors by foot against North, but, gee, he had 37 possessions,” Woewodin said.
Black won the Brownlow in 2002 and finished second in 2007 and 2008.
Recent winners have mostly been midfielders from top-four teams.
The Lions are 15th on the ladder and unlikely to improve beyond 14th.
Cotchin to the fore
Richmond's Trent Cotchin is another player who might be considered for the Brownlow if not for the fact that his team is likely to finish well outside the top eight.
Cotchin has been clearly Richmond's best player this season, and he ranks highly when compared with the best midfielders.
The 21-year-old is in the top five for kicks and top 10 for contested possessions.
The top five in the contested possession count are Matthew Boyd (250), Chris Judd (246), Sydney's Josh Kennedy (244), Matt Priddis (239) and Andrew Swallow (236).
All those players are mature footballers with at least five or seasons of senior football behind them.
Cotchin is 10th on the list with 204 contested possessions.
He had 38 disposals (25 kicks and 13 handballs), 21 contested possessions and 13 clearances in the Tigers' 62-point loss to Geelong at Etihad Stadium on Sunday.
Hands off dilemma for Dogs
The Western Bulldogs' insipid 65-point loss to the Sydney Swans at the SCG on Saturday was largely the result of the fact that they struggled to get their hands on the ball.
The Bulldogs had only 288 disposals, the second lowest this season.
The Lions have the lowest disposal count this season: 273 in their 65-point loss to Sydney at the Gabba in round 11.
Melbourne, like the Bulldogs, had less than 300 disposals at the weekend.
The Demons had 298 in their 54-point loss to Hawthorn at the MCG on Sunday, bringing to 10 the number of scores less than 300 this season.
