Carlton captain Patrick Cripps has claimed a second Brownlow Medal, posting a record number of votes on an extraordinary night in Melbourne.
Cripps equalled the previous best haul of 36, set by 2017 and 2021 winners Dustin Martin and Ollie Wines respectively, with five rounds to go, then was adjudged best afield in the Blues’ final two rounds of the home-and-away season – including their final-round loss to St Kilda – to finish with an astonishing 45.
Remarkably, Collingwood star Nick Daicos, the favourite heading into the count, also surpassed Martin and Wines with a final-round three votes against Melbourne, finishing with 38 – enough to win the prestigious medal in any other year, but only good enough for second-best by a sizeable seven votes.
Daicos only polling two votes in the third-last round was enough for Cripps to clinch the medal.
Even considering the extra round in the season due to Gather Round compared to all previous seasons bar 2023, the 29-year old’s tally – out of a maximum 69 votes – is an extraordinary accomplishment that confirms his standing at the very pinnacle of Australian Rules football.
Cripps and Daicos were streets ahead of the rest of the field, with Port Adelaide midfielder Zak Butters (29 votes), coming in third, ahead of Fremantle jet Caleb Serong and the ineligible Isaac Heeney (28).
GWS’ Tom Green, Western Bulldog Adam Treloar (26), Heeney’s Swans teammate Errol Gulden (25), Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell (25) and Hawthorn’s Jai Newcombe (24) rounded out the top 10.
>>HEAD HERE FOR THE 2024 BROWNLOW MEDAL LEADERBOARD
However, there was little love for two of the favourites heading in, with 2023 winner Lachie Neale and AFL Players Association MVP Marcus Bontempelli polling just 22 and 19 votes respectively to finish 13th and 14th.
In typically classy fashion, Cripps’ first act after accepting the Brownlow from Blues coach and 1996 winner Michael Voss was to praise runner-up Daicos.
“Crazy night – I’d just like to start off by mentioning Nick. He also broke the record tonight,” he said.
“Nick, I love watching you play, I enjoy going against you, mate, so well done on an amazing year.”
Cripps becomes the first Carlton player to win two Brownlows as a Blue, with the great Greg Williams’ first of two medals coming at Sydney in 1986.
“To the Carlton footy club, from the fans to the club, thank you. You gave me the opportunity to live my dream, I’ll be forever indebted for what you’ve done for me and my family,” Cripps said.
“Vossy – you’re a mentor, you’re a great mate, but you’re a leader, you’re taking this club forward, and we’re right behind you.”
While Cripps broke the major record, Daicos shattered one too, polling in ten consecutive matches mid-season – and in 18 of 23 matches, despite not receiving a vote in any of the Pies’ first three matches, in which they slumped to a 0-3 record.
That was one ahead of Cripps’ 17 polling matches, though the Blues great received the maximum three votes in 12 games, with Daicos only achieving the feat in seven.
Cripps’ Brownlow win comes after being named the All-Australian vice-captain earlier in September.
