NORTH Melbourne ruckman Todd Goldstein may be in line for a surprise win in the 2015 Brownlow Medal.
Goldstein is on 21 votes in AFL.com.au's Brownlow predictor, one vote ahead of Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell.
Both trail Fremantle midfielder Nat Fyfe (30), but a fine or suspension for his high hit on Kangaroo Ben Jacobs on Sunday will make him ineligible for the award.
Goldstein has been named as best-afield four times by AFL website reporters, including twice in succession in rounds 15 and 16, as he bids to become the first pure ruckman to win the Brownlow since Scott Wynd in 1992.
Working in the North big man's favour is that he has clearly been the Kangaroos' best player according to projections, with Drew Petrie the next best Roo on 11 votes to round 21.
Mitchell came into contention in the mid-part of the season as he polled in four straight matches from rounds seven to 10.
His hopes were further bolstered by maximum votes in rounds 13, 15 and 19.
Swan Dan Hannebery is not far behind on 18 votes, while last year's winner Matt Priddis, Swans midfielder Josh Kennedy and Saint David Armitage are all on 17 votes.
This website wrote in July that the Match Review Panel might be the only thing standing in the way of Fyfe winning his first 'Charlie' in a canter.
He has been stuck on 30 votes since round 17.
The red-hot Brownlow favourite has already been fined twice by the MRP this season, meaning any guilty finding for the incident with Jacobs will result in an automatic suspension and ineligibility for the Brownlow.
He was fined $1000 for tripping Bulldog Koby Stevens in round seven, and fined $1500 for a second low-level offence after he was found guilty of rough conduct for hitting Hawthorn's Taylor Duryea in the face with his forearm in round 15.
