Cripps wins second Brownlow Medal with record vote tally

Patrick Cripps won the 2024 Brownlow Medal on Monday night, with the Carlton captain’s tally of 45 votes setting a new record under the 3-2-1 system.

It is his second Brownlow victory, having also taken out the award in 2022.

The West Australian becomes the third Carlton player — after Greg Williams and Chris Judd — to win the Brownlow twice, although he is the first to win both while playing for the Blues.

Leading into the festivities at Melbourne’s Crown Palladium, most AFL betting sites had Cripps pegged as a $2.50 joint favourite with Collingwood’s Nick Daicos.

Although both players set new high-marks during the count, it was Cripps who had the award wrapped by round 21.

He finished seven votes ahead of runner-up Daicos, whose tally of 38 votes also eclipsed the previous best of 36 set by Dustin Martin in 2017 and matched by Ollie Wines in 2021.

The star Magpie also became the first player in Brownlow Medal history to poll in 10 consecutive matches, while he failed to earn votes in only two games between rounds four and 24.

Port Adelaide’s Zak Butters surprised many to run third on 29 votes, with most online bookmakers paying upwards of $81 for the Power star to win it.

But perhaps the biggest shock of the night was the lack of traction for Western Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli, who finished well back in the pack on 19 votes.

This year’s All-Australian captain and AFL Players Association MVP was overlooked in a number of games where he was expected to poll three votes, while teammate Adam Treloar earned 26 in total to finish in the top seven.

Sydney topped the team tally on 103 votes, with Isaac Heeney (28), Errol Gulden (25) and Chad Warner (23) all featuring prominently.

At the other end of the spectrum, Richmond’s league-worst total of 19 votes marks their lowest return since the 3-2-1 system was adopted in 1931.

All eyes now turn to the 2024 AFL Grand Final this Saturday at the MCG, where the Swans will lock horns with the Brisbane Lions.

Top bookie Neds has Sydney pegged as slight favourites at $1.75, with Brisbane paying $2.10 to go one better than last year.

Brownlow Medal 2024 results

• Patrick Cripps (Carlton) – 45
• Nick Daicos (Collingwood) – 38
• Zak Butters (Port Adelaide) – 29
• Isaac Heeney (Sydney)*, Caleb Serong (Fremantle) – 28
• Adam Treloar (Western Bulldogs) – 26
• Errol Gulden (Sydney), Matt Rowell (Gold Coast) – 25
• Jai Newcombe (Hawthorn) – 24
• Chad Warner (Sydney) – 23

* Ineligible due to suspension

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