* Nick Daicos (Collingwood): Near-unbackable at $1.01 with many bookmakers to win the game's most coveted individual honour for the first time, following another dazzling individual campaign. Daicos was named player of the season by the AFL Players Association and AFL Coaches Association, and has few teammates likely to take many votes from him.
* Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs): A two-time runner-up, with another four top-10 finishes, the widely-respected Bulldogs captain shapes as a likely bridesmaid once again. Bontempelli was runner-up to Daicos in both the players' and coaches' awards.
* Bailey Smith (Geelong): Even better in his second season at Geelong, powering his team to a semi-final with outstanding work inside and outside the contest. Smith was the only player other than Daicos to average more than 32 disposals per game this year.
ROUGHIES:
* Patrick Cripps (Carlton): Already a two-time Brownlow winner, Cripps could cement himself among the all-time greats with an upset this year. But it appears beyond him even after a superb finish as the slow-starting Blues rattled home under Josh Fraser to reach the finals.
* Will Ashcroft (Brisbane): At just 22 years of age, Ashcroft is a two-time Norm Smith medallist and appears destined to be one of the competition's premier midfielders for some time. However, a first Brownlow Medal may have to wait.
* Jordan Dawson (Adelaide): The Crows skipper produced an outstanding individual season in extremely difficult circumstances, following the death of his elder brother Jaryd in April. Dawson was named vice-captain of the All-Australian team and won both the AFLPA best captain and most courageous player awards.
BROWNLOW MEDAL FAST FACTS
* First awarded in 1924
* Most medals - 3 (Haydn Bunton Sr, Fitzroy; Dick Reynolds, Essendon; Bob Skilton, South Melbourne; Ian Stewart, St Kilda/Richmond)
* Most votes in a season - 45 (Patrick Cripps, Carlton, 2024)
* Youngest winner - 19 years, 91 days: Dick Reynolds (Essendon, 1934)
* Oldest winner - 31 years, 238 days: Barry Round (South Melbourne, 1981)
PAST 10 WINNERS
2025: Matt Rowell, Gold Coast, 39 votes
2024: Patrick Cripps, Carlton, 45
2023: Lachie Neale, Brisbane Lions, 31
2022: Patrick Cripps, Carlton, 29
2021: Ollie Wines, Port Adelaide, 36
2020: Lachie Neale, Brisbane Lions, 31
2019: Nat Fyfe, Fremantle, 33
2018: Tom Mitchell, Hawthorn, 28
2017: Dustin Martin, Richmond, 36
2016: Patrick Dangerfield, Geelong, 35
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