AFL Brownlow Medal Cheat Sheet: Round by round breakdown of the seven players who could-finish runner up to Nick Daicos

Not even the most ambitious of pundits can tip against Nick Daicos this Monday night.

But, if you’re looking for when the Collingwood superstar will poll — as well as the next seven ‘favourites’ — you’re in the right place.

This is your round-by-round guide to the 2026 Brownlow Medal count.

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The favourites we’re analysing, along with their Pointsbet odds of winning the Brownlow (as of 12pm, Monday September 21), are:

$1.02 Nick Daicos (Collingwood)$51 Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)$51 Bailey Smith (Geelong)$101 Jordan Dawson$101 Patrick Cripps$151 Isaac Heeney$151 Will Ashcroft$251 Lachie Neale

LIVE COVERAGE: All the news, views and winners from the Brownlow count

BROWNLOW TRACKER: Every vote from every game as they’re revealed

ULTIMATE GUIDE: Everything you need to know about the 2026 count

ANALYSIS: Nick Daicos’ staggering 50-vote reality... and how he could still lose

WHAT TIME DOES IT START? All the relevant times you need to know

Nick Daicos (win vs St Kilda): 41 disposals, 11 score involvements, 844 metres gained, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs Brisbane): 19 disposals — 89.5% efficiency, three goals, one goal assist

Bailey Smith (loss vs Gold Coast): 23 disposals, seven inside 50s, 667 metres gained, one goal assist

Jordan Dawson (BYE): Did not play

Patrick Cripps (loss vs Sydney): 19 disposals

Will Ashcroft (loss vs Western Bulldogs): 30 disposals, seven clearances

Isaac Heeney (win vs Carlton): 20 disposals, eight tackles, two goals

Lachie Neale (loss vs Western Bulldogs): 39 disposals — 15 contested, eight clearances, eight marks

Nick Daicos (loss vs Adelaide): 33 disposals, 10 inside 50s, 790 metres gained, two goals

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs GWS): 33 disposals — 14 contested, 11 inside 50s, 11 score involvements, 677 metres gained, three goals, two goal assists

Bailey Smith (win vs Fremantle): 31 disposals, 673 metres gained, two goal assists, one goal

Jordan Dawson (win vs Collingwood): 21 disposals, one goal assist

Patrick Cripps (win vs Richmond): 32 disposals — 19 contested, 10 score involvements, nine clearances, one goal assist

Will Ashcroft (loss vs Sydney): 21 disposals

Isaac Heeney (win vs Brisbane): 16 disposals, two goals, one goal assist

Lachie Neale (loss vs Sydney): 28 disposals — 12 contested, nine clearances

Nick Daicos (BYE): Did not play

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs Adelaide): 30 disposals — 14 contested, seven clearances, two goal assists, one goal

Bailey Smith (BYE): Did not play

Jordan Dawson (loss vs Western Bulldogs): 25 disposals, eight clearances, seven tackles, one goal

Patrick Cripps (BYE): Did not play

Will Ashcroft (BYE): Did not play

Isaac Heeney (injured): Did not play

Lachie Neale (BYE): Did not play

Nick Daicos (win vs GWS): 36 disposals — 12 contested, 12 inside 50s, 770 metres gained, two goals, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (BYE): Did not play

Bailey Smith (win vs Adelaide): 40 disposals — 16 contested, 10 tackles, 795 metres gained, seven inside 50s, one goal assist. League’s highest-rated player for Round 3

Jordan Dawson (injured): Did not play

Patrick Cripps (loss vs Melbourne): 21 disposals — 15 contested, nine clearances, eight tackles, one goal

Will Ashcroft (win vs St Kilda): 31 disposals, 10 clearances, seven tackles

Isaac Heeney (BYE): Did not play

Lachie Neale (win vs St Kilda): 19 disposals, seven clearances

Nick Daicos (injured): Did not play

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs Essendon): 35 disposals, eight marks, seven clearances, one goal, one goal assist

Bailey Smith (loss vs Hawthorn): 33 disposals — 14 contested, eight inside 50s, seven intercepts, 663 metres gained

Jordan Dawson (loss vs Fremantle): 23 disposals — 12 contested, seven intercepts, two goals

Patrick Cripps (loss vs North Melbourne): 21 disposals — 14 contested, seven clearances

Will Ashcroft (win vs Collingwood): 36 disposals — 15 contested, 11 score involvements, one goal

Isaac Heeney (win vs West Coast): 26 disposals, 12 score involvements, eight marks, four goals

Lachie Neale (win vs Collingwood): 29 disposals, eight marks, two goal assists

Nick Daicos (loss vs Fremantle): 31 disposals, seven inside 50s, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (loss vs Hawthorn): 26 disposals — seven intercepts, seven inside 50s, one goal assist

Bailey Smith (win vs West Coast): 34 disposals, 15 inside 50s, 13 score involvements, seven clearances, two goal assists, one goal

Jordan Dawson (win vs Carlton): 26 disposals, one goal

Patrick Cripps (loss vs Adelaide): 29 disposals — 16 contested, 10 score involvements, nine tackles, seven clearances, one goal assist

Will Ashcroft (win vs North Melbourne): 19 disposals

Isaac Heeney (win vs Gold Coast): 33 disposals — 18 contested, 12 score involvements, 11 tackles, 10 clearances, seven inside 50s, two goals, two goal assists. League’s highest-rated player for Round 5

Lachie Neale (win vs North Melbourne): 30 disposals — 20 contested, 10 clearances, seven inside 50s

Nick Daicos (win vs Carlton): 39 disposals — 16 contested, nine score involvements, eight clearances, eight inside 50s, two goal assists, one goal

Marcus Bontempelli (loss vs Geelong): 14 disposals, one goal assist

Bailey Smith (win vs Western Bulldogs): 33 disposals — 16 contested, 11 clearances — eight centre, eight intercepts, eight marks, seven inside 50s, 676 metres gained, one goal, one goal assist

Jordan Dawson (absent): Did not play.

Patrick Cripps (loss vs Collingwood): 25 disposals

Will Ashcroft (loss vs Melbourne): 26 disposals, nine score involvements, eight marks, one goal

Isaac Heeney (win vs GWS): 28 disposals — 16 contested, seven clearances

Lachie Neale (loss vs Melbourne): 31 disposals — 16 contested, 10 clearances — seven centre, nine score involvements

Nick Daicos (win vs Essendon): 42 disposals — 14 contested, 14 score involvements, eight clearances, eight inside 50s, eight marks, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (loss vs Sydney): 29 disposals — 12 contested, seven inside 50s, three goal assists, two goals

Bailey Smith (loss vs Port Adelaide): 30 disposals, one goal assist

Jordan Dawson (loss vs Brisbane): 28 disposals — 89.3% efficiency, nine rebound 50s, eight marks, two goals, one goal assist

Patrick Cripps (loss vs Fremantle): 31 disposals — 24 contested, 11 clearances, seven tackles, one goal

Will Ashcroft (win vs Adelaide): 36 disposals, 13 score involvements, eight inside 50s, eight marks, two goal assists, one goal

Isaac Heeney (injured): Did not play

Lachie Neale (win vs Adelaide): 42 disposals — 12 contested, 13 marks, 11 score involvements, two goal assists

Nick Daicos (draw vs Hawthorn): 34 disposals, eight inside 50s, one goal

Marcus Bontempelli (loss vs Fremantle): 33 disposals, nine score involvements, two goals, two goal assists

Bailey Smith (win vs North Melbourne): 26 disposals, one goal assist

Jordan Dawson (absent): Did not play

Patrick Cripps (loss vs St Kilda): 14 disposals, one goal

Will Ashcroft (win vs Essendon): 28 disposals, nine marks, one goal assist

Isaac Heeney (win vs Melbourne): 33 disposals — 16 contested, two goal assists

Lachie Neale (win vs Essendon): 27 disposals, seven inside 50s, one goal, one goal assist

Nick Daicos (loss vs Geelong): 29 disposals

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs Port Adelaide): 30 disposals — 90% efficiency, 10 tackles, eight inside 50s, seven clearances, one goal. League’s highest-rated player for Round 9

Bailey Smith (win vs Collingwood): 40 disposals — 14 contested, 14 score involvements, three goal assists

Jordan Dawson (win vs Richmond): 29 disposals, 12 marks, seven inside 50s, one goal, one goal assist

Patrick Cripps (loss vs Brisbane): 32 disposals — 18 contested, nine clearances, one goal assist

Will Ashcroft (win vs Carlton): 23 disposals, two goal assists

Isaac Heeney (win vs North Melbourne): 24 disposals — 15 contested, seven clearances — six centre, three goals

Lachie Neale (win vs Carlton): 33 disposals — 16 contested, nine clearances, eight marks, one goal

Nick Daicos (loss vs Sydney): 28 disposals, two goals, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (loss vs Carlton): 24 disposals, one goal

Bailey Smith (win vs Brisbane): 34 disposals — 12 contested, 12 score involvements, 11 tackles, nine inside 50s, 730 metres gained, seven clearances, two goals

Jordan Dawson (win vs North Melbourne): 24 disposals, nine score involvements, two goal assists, one goal

Patrick Cripps (win vs Western Bulldogs): 29 disposals — 17 contested, eight clearances, two goals

Will Ashcroft (loss vs Geelong): 24 disposals

Isaac Heeney (win vs Collingwood): 32 disposals — 20 contested, 11 clearances, nine score involvements, one goal

Lachie Neale (loss vs Geelong): 28 disposals

Nick Daicos (win vs West Coast): 34 disposals, 14 score involvements, seven clearances, three goals, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs Melbourne): 29 disposals — 17 contested, 10 score involvements, two goals, one goal assist

Bailey Smith (win vs Sydney): 32 disposals — 12 contested, seven clearances, one goal

Jordan Dawson (loss vs Hawthorn): 28 disposals — 12 contested, nine tackles, seven inside 50s, 661 metres gained, one goal

Patrick Cripps (win vs Port Adelaide): 32 disposals — 17 contested, 10 score involvements, eight clearances, one goal

Will Ashcroft (loss vs GWS): 21 disposals

Isaac Heeney (loss vs Geelong): 23 disposals — 13 contested, eight clearances, eight tackles, one goal, one goal assist

Lachie Neale (loss vs GWS): 32 disposals — 16 contested, 10 clearances, one goal, one goal assist

Nick Daicos (loss vs Western Bulldogs): 37 disposals — 12 contested, one goal, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs Collingwood): 22 disposals — 15 contested, nine clearances — seven centre, one goal

Bailey Smith (loss vs Carlton): 35 disposals, nine inside 50s, 723 metres gained, seven tackles, two goal assists

Jordan Dawson (BYE): Did not play

Patrick Cripps (win vs Geelong): 30 disposals — 15 contested, eight clearances, one goal

Will Ashcroft (loss vs Fremantle): 22 disposals — 12 contested, two goals

Isaac Heeney (win vs Richmond): 32 disposals, 13 score involvements, nine inside 50s, seven tackles, five goals, two goal assists

Lachie Neale (loss vs Fremantle): 23 disposals, eight clearances, one goal assist

Nick Daicos (loss vs Melbourne): 35 disposals — 12 contested, nine score involvements, seven inside 50s, two goals, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs Hawthorn): 24 disposals, seven tackles, two goals, one goal assist

Bailey Smith (loss vs Adelaide): 34 disposals — 17 contested

Jordan Dawson (win vs Geelong): 22 disposals, nine tackles, three goals

Patrick Cripps (win vs Essendon): 23 disposals

Will Ashcroft (win vs Gold Coast): 22 disposals, two goal assists

Isaac Heeney (win vs St Kilda): 30 disposals, 10 score involvements, eight clearances, two goals, two goal assists

Lachie Neale (win vs Gold Coast): 37 disposals — 19 contested, 10 clearances, 10 score involvements

Nick Daicos (BYE): Did not play

Marcus Bontempelli (loss vs Adelaide): 29 disposals — 12 contested, seven clearances, seven inside 50s

Bailey Smith (win vs Gold Coast): 27 disposals, 10 inside 50s, 762 metres gained, one goal assist

Jordan Dawson (win vs Western Bulldogs): 32 disposals — 17 contested, 12 score involvements, eight tackles, seven clearances, three goals, three goal assists. League’s highest-rated player for Round 14

Patrick Cripps (BYE): Did not play

Will Ashcroft (win vs Richmond): 38 disposals, 14 score involvements, 10 marks, eight clearances, two goals

Isaac Heeney (win vs Port Adelaide): 30 disposals, nine score involvements, one goal, one goal assist

Lachie Neale (win vs Richmond): 28 disposals — 85.7% efficiency, two goal assists, one goal

Nick Daicos (win vs Port Adelaide): 41 disposals — 14 contested, 10 score involvements, nine clearances, one goal, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs St Kilda): 34 disposals — 15 contested, 13 clearances, seven tackles

Bailey Smith (illness): Did not play

Jordan Dawson (win vs Melbourne): 18 disposals, two goals

Patrick Cripps (win vs GWS): 33 disposals — 16 contested, seven clearances, one goal assist

Will Ashcroft (BYE): Did not play

Isaac Heeney (BYE): Did not play

Lachie Neale (BYE): Did not play

Nick Daicos (win vs Richmond): 37 disposals, 14 score involvements, nine inside 50s, seven clearances, three goals, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (BYE): Did not play

Bailey Smith (BYE): Did not play

Jordan Dawson (loss vs Port Adelaide): 25 disposals, one goal assist

Patrick Cripps (loss vs West Coast): 31 disposals — 16 contested, nine clearances, nine score involvements, one goal

Will Ashcroft (win vs Sydney): 30 disposals, eight clearances, eight inside 50s, seven tackles

Isaac Heeney (loss vs Brisbane): 30 disposals — 14 contested, eight marks, seven clearances, one goal

Lachie Neale (win vs Sydney): 27 disposals — 12 contested, seven clearances, one goal assist

Nick Daicos (win vs Gold Coast): 31 disposals, 12 score involvements, eight clearances, two goal assists, one goal

Marcus Bontempelli (loss vs Sydney): 19 disposals, nine clearances, seven inside 50s, one goal assist

Bailey Smith (loss vs Brisbane): 31 disposals — 14 contested, nine tackles, nine score involvements, nine inside 50s, seven clearances, two goal assists

Jordan Dawson (win vs West Coast): 27 disposals, nine inside 50s, eight tackles, one goal, one goal assist

Patrick Cripps (win vs Richmond): 25 disposals — 14 contested, one goal

Will Ashcroft (win vs Geelong): 32 disposals — 13 contested, 651 metres gained

Isaac Heeney (win vs Western Bulldogs): 27 disposals — 13 contested, eight clearances, one goal

Lachie Neale (win vs Geelong): 28 disposals — 13 contested

Nick Daicos (win vs North Melbourne): 28 disposals, one goal, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs West Coast): 25 disposals — 15 contested, 12 clearances, two goals, one goal assist

Bailey Smith (loss vs GWS): 32 disposals, eight inside 50s, 766 metres gained, seven clearances, one goal

Jordan Dawson (win vs Gold Coast): 29 disposals, nine score involvements, two goals

Patrick Cripps (loss vs Hawthorn): 21 disposals — 17 contested, nine tackles, seven clearances

Will Ashcroft (win vs Essendon): 33 disposals — 12 contested, 13 score involvements, eight clearances — six centre, three goals, one goal assist. League’s highest-rated player for Round 18

Isaac Heeney (loss vs Fremantle): 25 disposals, one goal assist

Lachie Neale (win vs Essendon): 40 disposals — 15 contested, 13 marks, 12 score involvements, seven intercepts, two goal assists

Nick Daicos (win vs Carlton): 36 disposals, 10 score involvements

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs Gold Coast): 23 disposals — 14 contested, nine score involvements, seven inside 50s, three goals

Bailey Smith (win vs St Kilda): 35 disposals, nine inside 50s, 868 metres gained, seven rebound 50s, one goal

Jordan Dawson (win vs Sydney): 23 disposals, seven tackles

Patrick Cripps (loss vs Collingwood): 30 disposals — 12 contested, two goals

Will Ashcroft (win vs West Coast): 32 disposals — 12 contested, seven clearances, one goal assist

Isaac Heeney (loss vs Adelaide): 29 disposals — 16 contested

Lachie Neale (win vs West Coast): 32 disposals — 17 contested, 90.7% efficiency, one goal

Nick Daicos (win vs Adelaide): 39 disposals — 18 contested, 10 score involvements, seven clearances, one goal

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs Richmond): 29 disposals, 10 score involvements, nine inside 50s, two goals, one goal assist

Bailey Smith (win vs Melbourne): 28 disposals, seven inside 50s, 681 metres gained

Jordan Dawson (loss vs Collingwood): 22 disposals, seven tackles, one goal

Patrick Cripps (win vs Gold Coast): 30 disposals — 21 contested, 15 clearances — seven centre, 10 score involvements, eight inside 50s, one goal

Will Ashcroft (win vs Port Adelaide): 30 disposals, 12 score involvements, 12 inside 50s, 684 metres gained, two goals, two goal assists

Isaac Heeney (win vs GWS): 25 disposals, 10 score involvements, one goal, one goal assist

Lachie Neale (win vs Port Adelaide): 24 disposals

Nick Daicos (loss vs Geelong): 35 disposals — 13 contested, nine clearances, seven inside 50s, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (loss vs Fremantle): 20 disposals

Bailey Smith (win vs Collingwood): 28 disposals — 14 contested, nine clearances, eight inside 50s, one goal assist

Jordan Dawson (win vs Essendon): 30 disposals, 10 score involvements, nine clearances — six centre, one goal assist

Patrick Cripps (win vs Brisbane): 18 disposals, eight clearances

Will Ashcroft (loss vs Carlton): 32 disposals — 12 contested, eight clearances, two goals, two goal assists

Isaac Heeney (win vs St Kilda): 22 disposals — 12 contested, 11 score involvements, seven clearances, two goals, two goal assists

Lachie Neale (loss vs Carlton): 26 disposals — 13 contested, nine score involvements, seven clearances, three goal assists

Nick Daicos (win vs West Coast): 39 disposals — 17 contested, 12 score involvements, 11 inside 50s, 10 clearances, 721 metres gained, two goal assists, one goal

Marcus Bontempelli (loss vs North Melbourne): 25 disposals, one goal

Bailey Smith (win vs Essendon): 38 disposals — 15 contested, eight clearances — six centre, eight inside 50s, 748 metres gained

Jordan Dawson (win vs Richmond): 35 disposals, two goal assists, one goal

Patrick Cripps (win vs St Kilda): 26 disposals — 12 contested

Will Ashcroft (win vs Hawthorn): 39 disposals — 15 contested, 13 score involvements, seven clearances, one goal assist

Isaac Heeney (win vs Port Adelaide): 24 disposals, 10 score involvements, seven clearances, three goal assists, one goal

Lachie Neale (win vs Hawthorn): 35 disposals — 17 contested, 10 score involvements, nine tackles, eight inside 50s, three goal assists

Nick Daicos (draw vs Hawthorn): 36 disposals, nine score involvements, eight inside 50s, one goal, one goal assist

Marcus Bontempelli (injured): Did not play

Bailey Smith (win vs North Melbourne): 34 disposals, seven inside 50s

Jordan Dawson (loss vs Fremantle): 27 disposals — 14 contested, 10 clearances — six centre, eight tackles, seven inside 50s, one goal assist

Patrick Cripps (draw vs Western Bulldogs): 32 disposals — 18 contested, 12 clearances

Will Ashcroft (win vs Gold Coast): 31 disposals, eight marks, one goal, one goal assist

Isaac Heeney (win vs Essendon): 29 disposals — 18 contested, 11 score involvements, nine marks, seven clearances, seven tackles, three goals, two goal assists

Lachie Neale (win vs Gold Coast): 17 disposals

Nick Daicos (loss vs Brisbane): 26 disposals — 12 contested, one goal

Marcus Bontempelli (win vs Melbourne): 27 disposals, 13 score involvements, 11 marks, two goals, one goal assist

Bailey Smith (win vs Richmond): 40 disposals, 11 score involvements, 863 metres gained, eight inside 50s, three goals, two goal assists

Jordan Dawson (win vs GWS): 32 disposals, one goal assist

Patrick Cripps (win vs Fremantle): 24 disposals, nine score involvements, eight clearances, one goal, one goal assist

Will Ashcroft (win vs Collingwood): 25 disposals, one goal

Isaac Heeney (stood down): Did not play

Lachie Neale (win vs Collingwood): 35 disposals — 22 contested, 16 clearances — nine centre, nine score involvements, three goal assists