[babytiger2001]

Here we go, as the medal count is about to begin, a recap of everything (including the arrivals of some players and their WAG's).

[babytiger2001]

After five rounds, Geelong's little wizard Gary Ablett Jr. -- a $2.30 favorite with TAB SportsBet entering the medal count -- has emerged as the early leader.

Ablett (Geelong) 12
Dal Santo (St. Kilda) 11
Murphy (Carlton) 7
Mitchell (Hawthorn) 7 - x
Gibbs (Carlton) 6
Kerr (West Coast) 6 - x
Richardson (Richmond) 6

[babytiger2001]

After seven rounds:

Ablett (Geelong) 12
Dal Santo (St. Kilda) 11
J Brown (Brisbane) 8
Chapman (Geelong) 7
Mitchell (Hawthorn) 7 - x
Murphy (Carlton) 7

(x - ineligible, due to suspension during the season)

Mind you, this is where Ablett missed three games through a hamstring injury, before returning in Round 9.

[babytiger2001]

After nine rounds...

Ablett (Geelong) 15
Dal Santo (St. Kilda) 12
Hayes (St. Kilda) 10
Sewell (Hawthorn) 9
J. Brown (Brisbane) 8
Gibbs (Carlton) 8
Murphy (Carlton) 8

[babytiger2001]

After 11 rounds...

Ablett (Geelong) 19
Hayes (St. Kilda) 16
Dal Santo (St. Kilda) 12
Judd (Carlton) 11
Mitchell (Hawthorn) 10 - x
Murphy (Carlton) 10
Goodes (Sydney) 8
Selwood (Geelong) 9


Point was just made that this is the most votes Gary Ablett Jr. has ever polled in a Brownlow voting session.

Lenny Hayes, however, is keeping things interesting with his current surge.

[babytiger2001]

After 14 rounds...

Ablett (Geelong) 22
Hayes (St. Kilda) 16
Judd (Carlton) 13
Black (Brisbane) 12
Brown (Brisbane) 12
Dal Santo (St. Kilda) 12
Boyd (Western Bulldogs) 11

Gary Ablett Jr's three votes polled in Round 13 pulled him six points up, and now it may be a matter of not whether or not he wins the medal, but by how much.

[babytiger2001]

After 18 rounds...

Ablett (Geelong) 23
Brown (Brisbane) 19
Hayes (St. Kilda) 19
Judd (Carlton) 16

Jonathan Brown not expected to poll any more votes, and Lenny Hayes will miss two games through injury, which will hurt his chances. Chris Judd still has an outside chance, but the Brownlow is Gary Ablett Jr.'s to win.

[babytiger2001]

After 19 rounds...

Ablett (Geelong) 29
Brown (Brisbane) 19
Hayes (St. Kilda) 19
Judd (Carlton) 17

Gary Ablett Jr., he cannot be caught with three rounds to tabulate, and will win the 2009 Brownlow Medal.

Ablett wins the Brownlow with 30 total votes.

[RichardL]

Any reason you can think of why Nick Riewoldt isn't up there. He always seems to be about the most influential player in the St Kilda team. Too obvious to vote for perhaps, or am I just completely misunderstanding what the voting is based on?

[babytiger2001]

Originally Posted by RichardL

Any reason you can think of why Nick Riewoldt isn't up there. He always seems to be about the most influential player in the St Kilda team. Too obvious to vote for perhaps, or am I just completely misunderstanding what the voting is based on?

It's been called "a midfielders' medal", rightly or wrongly, because as the umpires cast the votes after each game, they tend to admire midfielders more than others on the ground.

For St. Kilda, Riewoldt did poll his share of votes, but it's no surprise that Nick Dal Santo and Lenny Hayes also found themselves in the top five at various points of the night.