Pundits’ locks for top-10 Brownlow finish

DAVID King and Kane Cornes have named the players they believe will be a lock in the top ten of the Brownlow Medal in 2024.

The SEN Breakfast pair have doubled on two players in their respective top picks.

Kingy’s picks

1 – Nick Daicos (Collingwood)

“He polled 28 votes last year. He had that at Round 18 and was five clear at that stage.

“Seven times he got the three votes for best on ground.

“He’s at 1 for me.”

2 – Zak Butters (Port Adelaide)

“He got seven three-voters last year, a massive number.

“When Butters and Connor Rozee play at their best in Power wins, Butters seems to get the advantage with the umpires.

“The doesn’t change. Once you’re the umpires’ man, that just holds. Champion Data will back that up.

“There are some guys that get overs. Lachie Neale gets overs. Every time he plays a reasonable game it’s a three-voter, not a one.”

“I think Butters is one of those dudes. He’s in for me.”

3 – Noah Anderson (Gold Coast)

“They won nine games last year and in those nine games he got the three (votes) in six of them, and two (votes) in one other.

“So seven of the nine wins he stacked the votes. I think he’s a phenomenon this guy.

“A new coach, greater expectations as he’ll challenge him more. Damien Hardwick will challenge this guy more than any other on that list to do more offensively for this team.

“Centre-forward I think you’ll see more of Noah Anderson and I think he’ll be in the top half dozen of the Brownlow.”

4 – Lachie Neale (Brisbane)

“The last five years he’s gone 26, 31, 8, 28 and 31 in Brownlow voting.

“He’s the only guy that gets votes up there.

“Just pencil this guy in. There were a couple of games last year when we were wondering how he actually got the three (votes), but he did.

“He’s got seven lots of three (votes) the last two years. They’re big numbers.

“You have to have Lachie Neale in your five.”

Cornes’ picks

1 – Errol Gulden (Sydney)

“If you take Daicos, I’ll take Gulden at 2.

“Finished fourth last year with 27 votes, 21 years of age.

“Sydney are going to win a stack of games, no one tags anymore so he’s going to rack them up.

“He kicked 22 goals and he’s got the drive to improve, so I think he’s going to be in the mix.”

2 – Luke Davies-Uniacke (North Melbourne)

“This is a risk because he needs to play 20-plus games and that hasn’t been easy for him to do.

“If North can win eight to nine games, and no one is taking votes off him yet. He explodes, he stands out and some of the football that he played last year…

“I think he’s going to be a vote magnet this year.

“Something a little bit different, and it’s a bit risky with his body and perhaps them not winning enough games, but I’ve got LDU.”

3 – Tom Green (GWS)

“Tom Green to finish in the Top 10 of the Brownlow Medal.

“He polled 16 votes last year and that was just the first year where people started talking about you.

“The umpires need two to three seasons of the hype train before they start voting with where the votes should go. Now that the umpires are aware of who Tom Green is, he’s going to get 35 touches every week and the fact the Giants will win a lot of games…

“That equals votes.”

4 – Jai Newcombe (Hawthorn)

“I’m going to go the new generation.

“He polled 18 votes last year and they won seven games.

“He’s a weapon. His 25 touches are as good as most people’s 40. He’s penetrating, I think he’s going to kick more goals. He’s gone eight then 12 (goals), and that probably needs to get to 18-20 this year.

“If the Hawks can win enough games, he’s going to be at the forefront of it… he’s a bit like Davies-Uniacke.

“With the head band and the long hair he stands out.”

-SEN