Brownlow LIVE: ‘Sorry wot?’ – Epic Cripps snub after huge $20K bet on star revealed

Brisbane star Lachie Neale is the hot favourite to join an elite list of VFL/AFL stars on Monday night and become the 16th player to win at least two Brownlow Medals.

Neale, who claimed the 2020 gong for the AFL’s best and fairest award, enters Monday night’s count as a $3 favourite.

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Should the Lions midfielder win, he’d be the first dual Brownlow Medallist since Nat Fyfe (2015 and 2019). He’d also be the first player to win two Brownlows in three years — or better — since St Kilda legend Robert Harvey, who won back-to-back ‘Charlies’ in 1997 and 1998.

Melbourne’s Clayton Oliver ($3.75), Carlton’s Patrick Cripps ($5.50) and Fremantle’s Andy Brayshaw ($8) are also among the strongest chances to win.

The count started in bizarre fashion. Cripps had 30 disposals and three goals against Richmond in Round 1 — but only received one vote, leaving fans stunned.

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However he bounced back with three-vote performances from his next two games to take an early lead with Brayshaw on seven votes. He then polled three votes in both Rounds 6 and 7 to take his tally to 13 votes — two clear of Neale on 11.

Afer Round 10, Cripps, Neale and Oliver led with 16 votes apiece, with Christian Petracca second on 15 votes. It seemed Dees teammates Oliver and Petracca would steal votes from each other all night.

Neale then took the outright lead at the halfway point of the night, polling three votes for his 39-disposal, two-goal performance against the Giants to jump to 19 votes.

But 22-year-old Brayshaw continued to rack up the votes, moving to equal-second with Cripps after Round 15, one vote behind Neale.

Earlier, one TAB punter slapped $20,000 on Oliver to win, seeing his TAB odds slashed to $3.50.

Gold Coast co-captain Touk Miller has been heavily backed in recent weeks, with his odds shortening significantly.

Miller, who claimed Gold Coast’s best and fairest count last month, has shortened from $15 in August to $9.50 just hours out from the Brownlow count, according to Sportsbet.

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The Suns star shared the AFL Coaches’ Association MVP award with Oliver earlier this month.

Of the 19 Fox Footy experts surveyed, 11 picked Neale to win the Brownlow. Although three pundits — Eddie Betts, Alastair Lynch and Leigh Montagna — predicted Neale would win in a tie.

The Brownlow Medal Count will commence at 7.35pm AEST on Sunday, 18 September.

The mark and goal of the year, as well as the Jim Stynes community award, will also be awarded during the night, before the announcement of the Brownlow Medallist at approximately 10.15pm.

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