Star midfielder Scott Thompson has broken Mark Ricciuto’s record for the most career Brownlow Medal votes polled by a Crows player.
Thompson, 32, polled 12 votes at the count at the Crown Palladium in Melbourne on Monday night to increase his career total to 150, which includes three votes for the Demons in 2004.
The two-time Crows Club Champion overtakes 2003 Brownlow Medal winner Ricciuto, who polled 146 votes during his decorated playing career. Thompson also started the night behind AFL Hall of Famer, Andrew McLeod who retired on 142 votes.
Of the current (2015) players, only two-time Brownlow Medallists Gary Ablett (214), Chris Judd (210) and Adam Goodes (163), 2011 winner Dane Swan (186), North Melbourne champion Brent Harvey (187) and Hawthorn star Sam Mitchell (204) have polled more career Brownlow Medal votes than Thompson. Thompson’s best Brownlow Medal finish was equal-fourth in his All Australian year of 2012.
The 285-game veteran, who missed the opening two matches of this season, received three votes from the umpires in his first AFL game for the year against former club Melbourne in Round Three. He had two more best-on-ground performances, against the Brisbane Lions in Round 13 and in Adelaide’s spirited win over Port Adelaide in Round 16 when he was awarded the Phillip Walsh Medal.
In a reflection of Thompson’s remarkable consistency, he’s now polled 10 or more Brownlow Medal votes in all but one of his past nine seasons – that was in 2013 when he received nine votes.
Departing Crow Patrick Dangerfield topped Adelaide’s 2015 Brownlow Medal leaderboard.
Dangerfield, 25, finished sixth overall with 22 votes – nine behind popular winner and pre-count favourite, Nat Fyfe. Fellow West Australian and 2014 Brownlow Medallist Matt Priddis was second on 28 votes. Hawthorn star Sam Mitchell (26) was third ahead of Sydney Swans pair Josh Kennedy (25) and Dan Hannebery (24).
A triple All Australian, Dangerfield polled votes in nine games including four best-on-ground performances against Port Adelaide in Round Five, Hawthorn in Round 12, Gold Coast in Round 17 and Essendon in Round 20.
Captain Taylor Walker was the next-best performed Crow finishing with 10 votes. All Australian forward Eddie Betts, who polled seven votes, capped off a big week by claiming the 2015 AFL Goal of the Year for his left-foot torpedo against Fremantle in Round Nine.
In an injury-interrupted season, wingman Brodie Smith only polled votes in two games, but they were two good ones – best-on-ground displays against Collingwood in Round Two and West Coast in Round 22.
All Australian nominee Rory Laird polled his first-ever Brownlow Medal votes, picking up two votes in Adelaide’s Round Six win over Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium. David Mackay, who collected a vote against Melbourne in Round Three, also caught the attention of the umpires for the first time.
Crows 2015 Brownlow Medal Leaderboard
22 – Patrick Dangerfield
12 – Scott Thompson
10 – Taylor Walker
7 – Eddie Betts
6 – Brodie Smith
4 – Sam Jacobs
4 – Rory Sloane
3 – Josh Jenkins
2 – Rory Laird
2 – Tom Lynch
1 – David Mackay
