Brownlow Medal week is upon us, with fans scrambling to get the form guide and predicted who will take 'Charlie' home in 2021.
With the AFL's night of nights nearing, we have looked over the numbers to identify which players are locks to earn three votes each round.
After another interrupted season, The Zero Hanger AFL MVP has seen players awarded for excellent individual games and consistency throughout the season.
While this year has produced many games with a perfect performance of 20 points, there were over 56% of games where our expert voters couldn't agree on their best-on-ground.
With the upcoming Brownlow Medal count on Sunday the 19th of September, we look back at the 87 games which produced unanimous best-on-ground decisions to find out who are locks for votes in each round of the 2021 home and away season.
2021 BROWNLOW MEDAL:
- Everything you need to know about the 2021 Brownlow Medal
- Predictions for winner, podium and top five
- Who will be leading at Round 5/10?
- Who will poll the most votes for each team?
- Who is set for a strong finish?
- The SuperCoach Brownlow
Round 1
Richmond vs Carlton - Dustin Martin
Dustin Martin started the season with a bang, dominating the Blues with Richmond looking to start 2021 in the same emphatic fashion as it ended 2020. He finished with 31 touches, two goals, and 12 score involvements.
Collingwood vs Western Bulldogs - Bailey Smith
Bailey Smith was electric in the Bulldog's first game of the season, playing like he has this finals series. Dominating around the ground and in front of goal, he gathered 36 touches and two goals for the match.
Essendon vs Hawthorn - Tom Mitchell
Tom Mitchell was at his ball-winning best as the Hawks mounted a huge comeback against the Bombers. He gathered 39 disposals and had nine score involvements for the night.
Round 2
Port Adelaide vs Essendon - Zac Butters
Zac Butters smashed the Bombers in the middle making their elite midfielders look second-rate. He gathered 36 touches, six clearances, and six tackles.
Hawthorn vs Richmond - Dustin Martin
For the second week in a row, Dustin Martin took the game over and helped his side to a great start to the season. He had 28 touches, nine inside 50s, and 11 score involvements.
Fremantle vs GWS - Andrew Brayshaw
Andrew Brayshaw put together one of the best games of his young career as the Dockers upset GWS. He finished with 32 disposals and hit the scoreboard kicking two goals.
Round 3
North Melbourne vs Western Bulldogs - Josh Bruce
Josh Bruce dominated the Kangaroos kicking twice the number of goals as the entire opposition team. In a great weekend for big forwards, Bruce booted 10 majors.
Adelaide vs Gold Coast - Taylor Walker
Taylor Walker was the other dominant forward of the round making an impact all around the ground. Kicking six goals, he also gathered plenty of the ball taking nine marks and having 24 touches.
Essendon vs St Kilda - Darcy Parish
Darcy Parish helped his side blowout, St Kilda, in one of the biggest upsets of the season to date. With a move from the forward line to the middle, it paid dividends for the Bombers as Parish had 34 disposals and 10 clearances for the match.
Geelong vs Hawthorn - Cameron Guthrie
The Cats survive a late-game surge from the Hawks, mostly due to Cameron Guthrie's individual heroics. He finished with 43 touches, 11 marks, and seven score involvements for the match.
Round 4
Sydney vs Essendon - Luke Parker
Luke Parker smashed the Bombers in the middle as the Swans continued on with their impressive start to the season. Parker generated plenty of offense for his side as he had 32 disposals, eight inside 50s, and eight score involvements.
Western Bulldogs vs Brisbane - Tim English
Tim English put together a complete performance by having a positive impact around the ground and up forward. He had 17 touches, kicked three goals, and was competitive in the ruck with eight hitouts (as the team's number two ruck).
Melbourne vs Geelong - Christian Petracca
In a game that involved plenty of midfield star power, Christian Petracca stood out amongst the pack. He had 36 touches, kicked two goals, and had nine clearances from stoppages.
Fremantle vs Hawthorn - Nat Fyfe
Nat Fyfe was back to his electric best, with inaccuracy in front of goal preventing him from producing one of the best games of his career. He gathered 30 touches and kicked six behinds.
Round 5
Port Adelaide vs Carlton - Darcy Byrne-Jones
Darcy Byrne-Jones was a thorn in the Blue's side all match as he prevented many of their opportunities to score. He ended with 24 touches, nine marks, and six intercepts.
Adelaide vs Fremantle - David Mundy
David Mundy turned back the clock as he took control of the game. Finishing with 28 touches, he also had eight tackles, six clearances, and kicked one goal.
Hawthorn vs Melbourne - Max Gawn
Max Gawn couldn't be stopped against the Hawks who had no answer for the league's premier ruckman. He finished with 24 hitouts, 10 marks, 26 touches, and kicked 1.2.
Round 6
GWS vs Western Bulldogs - Jack Macrae
Jack Macrae was a ball magnet throughout the match as the Giants couldn't stop the midfielder. He finished with 40 touches, six tackles, and six clearances.
Geelong vs West Coast - Mitch Duncan
Mitch Duncan took the game over by gathering plenty of possessions and hitting the scoreboard. He had 26 touches, 13 marks, and booted four majors.
Gold Coast vs Sydney - Touk Miller
Touk Miller helped the Suns shock the Swans by pressuring them with his hustle and ball use. He finished with 36 touches, nine clearances, and nine tackles.
Carlton vs Brisbane - Hugh McCluggage
Hugh McCluggage went toe-to-toe with Sam Walsh and came out on top by the end of the game. He finished with 33 touches, ten score involvements, and six clearances. Unfortunately, he wasn't able to hit the scoreboard kicking two behinds.
Melbourne vs Richmond - Christian Salem
Christian Salem helped the Demons beat the reigning premiers as they put the league on notice with their sixth consecutive win of the season. He finished with 39 disposals, nine intercepts, and six inside 50s.
Collingwood vs Essendon - Darcy Parish
Darcy Parish was incredible against the Magpies being the clear best on ground in the ANZAC day game. He had 42 touches, kicked two goals, and had nine clearances.
Round 7
St Kilda vs Hawthorn - Zak Jones
Zak Jones went head-to-head against Tom Mitchell but won the day due to his ability to generate scoreboard pressure. He had 37 touches, seven clearances, six tackles, and booted two goals.
Brisbane vs Port Adelaide - Hugh McCluggage
As the Lions destroyed Port Adelaide, Hugh McCluggage took over the game in the middle of the ground. His inaccuracy again cost him from putting together an all-time performace. He had 30 touches, six clearances, and kicked 1.3.
Essendon vs Carlton - Sam Walsh
Sam Walsh led the way for the Blues as they overcame a deficit to beat the Bombers. Walsh had 33 disposals, seven clearances, and kicked an important goal.
West Coast vs Fremantle - Tim Kelly
In the first derby of the year, Tim Kelly led the Eagles to a 59-point victor over the Dockers. Kelly had 42 disposals, nine tackles, and 13 clearances.
Round 8
Hawthorn vs West Coast - Andrew Gaff
Andrew Gaff was the important link on the wing that resulted in 28 scoring shots for the match. He had 38 disposals, ten score involvements, and 12 marks.
Western Bulldogs vs Carlton - Marcus Bontempelli
With the Bulldogs looking out of the game for most of the match, Marcus Bontempelli stood up and took over the game. As the Bulldogs started winning the midfield battle, the margin kept shrinking with the Dogs able to pull away at the end of the game. Bontempelli had 32 disposals, ten clearances, 12 score involvements, and eight tackles.
Round 9
St Kilda vs Geelong - Cameron Guthrie
With Dangerfield out of the lineup, Cameron Guthrie has taken over as the number one midfielder for the Cats. He ended with 36 touches, seven tackles, and kicked a goal.
Sydney vs Collingwood - Callum Mills
Callum Mills has a complete game that involved both impacting the game offensively and defensively. He finished with 28 disposals, seven tackles, and seven score involvements.
Richmond vs GWS - Dustin Martin
When the game got close, Dustin Martin got going as he proved to be the difference-maker between the two sides. He finished with 28 touches while also being the leading goalkicker with 4.2 for the game.
Port Adelaide vs Western Bulldogs - Marcus Bontempelli
In a clash against two top four teams, the Bulldogs and Marcus Bontempelli ended the day on top with a great all-around game. The Bont finished with 26 disposals, two goals, and seven inside 50s.
Melbourne vs Carlton - Clayton Oliver
Clayton Oliver was everywhere against the Blues as he gathered plenty of while pressuring the Blues whenever they had the ball themselves. Oliver had 28 touches, kicked 1.2, seven clearances, and 10 tackles.
Round 10
Carlton vs Hawthorn - Sam Walsh
Sam Walsh's endurance was on show against the Hawks, as they had no one to keep up with the young star. Finding plenty of the ball around the ground, he had 30 touches, eight intercepts, and seven score involvements.
Geelong vs Gold Coast - Joel Selwood
Joel Selwood turned back the clock putting together one of his best games of the season. He led all players with 39 touches and had seven tackles, 10 clearances with six of those being from centre bounces.
Western Bulldogs vs St Kilda - Marcus Bontempelli
Marcus Bontempelli keeps on rolling, with yet another clear BOG performance. This time he had 26 touches, 797 metres gained, and kicked a whopping 4.3.
Essendon vs North Melbourne - Darcy Parish
Darcy Parish dominated the midfield battle as the Bombers were too good for the bottom of the ladder Kangaroos. He had 36 touches, 12 marks, 11 clearances, and 12 score involvements.
Round 11
Gold Coast vs Hawthorn - Touk Miller
In a year when Touk Miller moved into being a genuine A-grader, excellent performances like this often led to Suns victories. He kicked one goal while also gathering 37 touches, seven tackles, and 10 score involvements.
Richmond vs Adelaide - Jack Riewoldt
With multiple players missing, Jack Riewoldt showed that he is still one of the league's most dangerous forwards when he is up and about. He finished with 20 disposals, 14 marks, and a game-high 5.2.
Round 12
Melbourne vs Brisbane - Christian Petracca
With Brisbane in great form, Melbourne was able to break through Lion's midfielders in large part due to Christian Petracca. By adding goal kicking to his game, Petracca has moved into the best handful of players in the competition. He had 26 touches, nine clearances, and kicked two goals.
Essendon vs Richmond - Darcy Parish
While the Bombers ended up losing the Dreamtime match, Darcy Parish couldn't be blamed after putting together yet another impressive performance. He had 44 touches, 11 clearances, ten score involvements, and nine inside 50s.
Fremantle vs Western Bulldogs - Marcus Bontempell
The Bont was once again at his best, with the midfield/forward role helping his Bulldogs win on a regular basis. Against the Dockers, he had 27 touches, seven clearances, 12 score involvements, and kicked 2.2.
Round 13
Fremantle vs Gold Coast - Sean Darcy
Sean Darcy took advantage of the Sun's missing key members of their ruck stocks to give the Dockers a large advantage in the middle of the ground. Darcy had 40 hitouts, 17 disposals, seven clearances, six tackles, and kicked 1.1.
North Melbourne vs GWS - Joshua Kelly
The game looked all but lost for the Giants, as the bottom of the ladder Kangaroo's took a large lead. Josh Kelly had other ideas though as he helped his side claw their way back and manage to come away with a draw. Kelly himself had 39 touches, 12 score involvements, eight inside 50s, and booted 2.1.
Round 14
Geelong vs Western Bulldogs - Tom Stewart
While Gary Rohan got all the attention for his goal after the siren, it was Tom Stewart who kept the Cats in the match throughout the game. He was instrumental down back keeping the scoring low despite many opportunities for the Dogs. He had 15 intercepts, 27 touches, 13 marks, and 6 score involvements.
Gold Coast vs Port Adelaide - Ollie Wines
Ollie Wines tore apart the Sun's midfielders with an elite display of high possession footy. He managed to have 43 disposals, eight marks, six inside 50s, and six tackles.
North Melbourne vs Brisbane - Lachie Neale
The 2020 Brownlow medalist has had an injury-plagued season but showed against the Kangaroo's that he is still one of the competition's top midfielders. He finished the game with 30 disposals, 10 tackles, 10 clearances, and kicked one major.
Round 15
Richmond vs St Kilda - Luke Dunstan
Luke Dunstan led the Saints in a performance that kept the reigning premiers to only two goals for the entire match. While St Kilda told Dunstan he won't be resigned in the offseason, games like this show why he will be snapped up by an opposition club in no time. He finished with 32 touches, 11 clearances, nine inside 50s, and kicked one goal.
Carlton vs Adelaide - Sam Walsh
Sam Walsh has solidified his spot as a genuine Brownlow contender with another best-on-ground performance for the Blues. He finished with 38 disposals, seven marks, nine score involvements, and nine inside 50s.
Round 16
Gold Coast vs Richmond - Touk Miller
Touk Miller was at it again with another blistering performance that lead to a Sun's victory. Against some excellent competition, Miller finished with 36 touches, nine clearances, seven tackles, and six score involvements.
Melbourne vs GWS - Joshua Kelly
Josh Kelly led the way as the Giants kept their finals hopes alive by beating the top of the ladder Melbourne. Kelly had 29 disposals, seven tackles, eight score involvements, and eight inside 50s.
Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide - Ollie Wines
In Shaun Burgoyne's 400th game, Wines wasn't pulling any punches dominating in the middle by having 14 more disposals than the next highest player on the ground. He ended with 43 touches, seven tackles, 14 clearances, and eight inside 50s.
Fremantle vs Carlton - Sam Walsh
Sam Walsh was at his high pressure best gathering the ball and laying tackles whenever the opposition got near it. He finished with 25 touches, eight marks, eight tackles, and a match-sealing goal.
Sydney vs West Coast - Callum Mills
As the Swans smashed the Eagles, Callum Mills was in the thick of the action once again. By the end, he had 35 touches, seven clearances, nine score involvements, and seven inside 50s.
Collingwood vs St Kilda - Jack Steele
Jack Steele was incredible across the ground, nearly producing more tackles than kicks. His pressure helped create errors for the Magpies leading to a much-needed St Kilda win. He finished with 36 disposals, 14 tackles, and eight clearances for the game.
Round 17
Port Adelaide vs Melbourne - Christian Petracca
In a highly anticipated top-of-the-table clash, the Demons were able to hold onto the top spot on the ladder with a victory led by their superstar Christian Petracca. By the end of the game, Petracca had 33 touches, six tackles, seven clearances, and kicked 3.1.
Essendon vs Adelaide - Zach Merrett
Zach Merrett was an important piece in the midfield unit that kept the Crows to only 21 points for the game. Merrett himself had 35 touches, five clearances, and eight score involvements.
Carlton vs Geelong - Tom Stewart
Tom Stewart led the way down back once again, holding the Blues and their Coleman medal winner Harry McKay to only five goals for the match. He had a game-high 10 intercepts, to go along with 21 touches for the match.
Brisbane vs St Kilda - Jack Steele
Jack Steele and the Saints start to get back to their form of 2020 with an impressive victory over the in-form Brisbane Lions. Steele finished with 32 touches, seven tackles, six clearances, and booted 2.1.
GWS vs Gold Coast - Touk Miller
Another win, another best on ground for the Sun's best player Touk Miller. As the Suns defeat the Giants by a single point, Miller's efforts proved to be the difference between the two clubs. He finished with 35 touches, 14 tackles, 11 clearances, and kicked two goals for the game.
West Coast vs North Melbourne - Jaidyn Stephenson
Jaidyn Stephenson was electric in the middle as the Kangaroo's upset finals hopefuls the Eagles in Perth. Stephenson had a game-high 38 disposals, ten marks, nine score involvements, and kicked one goal.
Round 18
Fremantle vs Geelong - Sam Menegola
Sam Menegola was a standout against the Dockers as they dominated their opponents over in Perth. He finished with 30 disposals, nine marks, seven clearances, and six inside 50s.
Melbourne vs Hawthorn - Tom Mitchell
The Hawks were impressive against the ladder leaders, as they held onto the game and came out with a draw. Mitchell was amongst the best finishing with 39 touches, six clearances, six tackles, and one goal.
Collingwood vs Carlton - Sam Walsh
The Blues fell behind early but were able to overcome their rivals with a heroic Sam Walsh performance. He finished with 39 disposals, nine marks, six score involvements, and five tackles.
Adelaide vs West Coast - Jamie Cripps
After a few disappointing performances, the Eagles were back finals hunt with a big win over the Crows. Jamie Cripps was the Eagle's best with 25 touches, five goals, 13 score involvements, and five inside 50s.
GWS vs Sydney - Luke Parker
Luke Parker led the Swans to victory in the battle of the bridge showdown. He finished with 31 disposals, nine clearances, 11 score involvements, and a goal.
Round 19
West Coast vs St Kilda - Dom Sheed
Dom Sheed made his presence felt by obtaining plenty of possessions and kicking goals when his side needed them. By the end of the game, he had 32 touches, seven clearances, ten score involvements, and kicked two goals.
Western Bulldogs vs Melbourne - Marcus Bontempelli
In what turned out to be the Grand Final preview, the Bulldogs got on top of the Demons in a close matchup. The Bont proved to be the difference finished with 31 disposals, nine clearances, ten inside 50s, and two goals.
Hawthorn vs Adelaide - Rory Laird
Rory Laird led the way for the Crows as they moved up the ladder by defeating the Hawks. He finished with 36 touches, ten clearances (eight centre), ten score involvements, and two goals.
Sydney vs Fremantle - Isaac Heeney
The high-impact player Isaac Heeney was at his best against the Dockers, who had no answer for the forward. He finished with a haul of five goals, while also having 22 touches and 11 marks.
GWS vs Essendon - Lachie Whitfield
Lachie Whitfield dominated in the centre of the ground in a win that ended up deciding the final two spots in the eight. Whitfield had a game-high 35 touches, 10 marks, and an 82% disposal efficiency.
Round 20
St Kilda vs Carlton - Sam Walsh
While his midfield play has what has made Walsh an elite player, he added another facet to his game by hitting the scoreboard against the Saints. He finished with 26 touches, while also booting three majors.
Gold Coast vs Melbourne - Clayton Oliver
Clayton Oliver put together another excellent game as the Demon's nearly beat the Suns by 100 points. He finished with 35 touches, ten clearances, nine score involvements, and a goal.
Hawthorn vs Brisbane - Jaeger O'Meara
As the Hawks defeated the Lions, O'Meara teased fans with a best on ground performance. When healthy, he is such a dynamic player that is a proven matchwinning for the Hawks. He finished with 35 touches, 11 tackles, eight clearances, and nine inside 50s.
Essendon vs Sydney - Callum Mills
Callum Mills was in the thick of the action again, as the Swans beat the Bombers in a shootout at the MCG. Mills finished with 33 touches, 12 marks, six tackles, and a goal.
Fremantle vs Richmond - Andrew Brayshaw
Andrew Brayshaw showed once again why Dockers fans are so optimistic about their team's future. Brayshaw had 39 touches, 12 tackles, eight clearances, and ten score involvements.
GWS vs Port Adelaide - Karl Amon
Karl Amon has put together a career year, with another strong performance against the Giants. He finished with 21 touches, five tackles, ten score involvements, and nine inside 50s.
Round 21
Adelaide vs Port Adelaide - Aliir Aliir
In one of the closest Showdowns in a long time, Port Adelaide was just able to sneak ahead due to Aliir Aliir's dominance down back. He finished with 21 touches, 11 marks, and an insane 16 intercepts.
St Kilda vs Sydney - Jack Steele
As the Saints try to keep their finals hopes alive, Jack Steele is almost singlehandedly keeping them within striking distance. In another great game, he had 34 touches, seven tackles, seven clearances, and one goal.
Hawthorn vs Collingwood - Tom Mitchell
Hawthorn overtook Collingwood on the ladder with an impressive win. Tom Mitchell was seemingly everywhere with another high disposal match. He finished with 44 touches, ten marks, eight clearances, and 12 score involvements.
Western Bulldogs vs Essendon - Peter Wright
Two metre Peter played the best game of his career as the Bombers upset the Bulldogs. Kicking seven goals, he booted close to half of his side's goals for the game.
Fremantle vs Brisbane - Dayne Zorko
Dayne Zorko was too good for the Dockers as the Lions outclassed their opponents. Zorko had 34 touches, ten tackles, seven clearances, and 11 inside 50s.
Round 22
GWS vs Richmond - Joshua Kelly
GWS practically solidified their spot in the finals with a big win over the Tigers. Kelly was the Giants best with 32 touches, 11 tackles, six score involvements, and five inside 50s.
Hawthorn vs Western Bulldogs - Daniel Howe
The Hawks caused a shakeup in the top four, with an upset victory over the Bulldogs. Daniel Howe played his best game of the season with an impressive display. He finished with 34 disposals, nine marks, eight score involvements, and 769 metres gained.
Fremantle vs West Coast - Caleb Serong
Caleb Serong led the Dockers to their first Derby win in over six years. By the end of the game, he had 31 touches, six clearances, five tackles, and kicked two goals.
Round 23
Fremantle vs St Kilda - Jack Steele
Jack Steele finished off his incredible second half of the season with one final best on ground effort. In a huge win over the Dockers, Steele had 36 disposals, six tackles, six clearances, and seven score involvements.
2021 BROWNLOW MEDAL:
- Everything you need to know about the 2021 Brownlow Medal
- Predictions for winner, podium and top five
- Who will be leading at Round 5/10?
- Who will poll the most votes for each team?
- Who is set for a strong finish?
- The SuperCoach Brownlow
