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THE parents of Geelong’s Joel Selwood endured a nerve-wracking Brownlow Medal night last year and look to be in for another one on Monday.
Selwood - the former Kennington-Sandhurst junior and Bendigo Pioneer - will go into Monday night’s Brownlow Medal count as the favourite.
A year ago Selwood was on the verge of becoming Bendigo’s first Brownlow Medal winner since Greg Williams in 1994 before he was pipped at the line by former team-mate Gary Ablett of the Gold Coast.
Selwood had to settle for second with 27 votes when Ablett polled three votes in the final round to win his second Brownlow Medal, finishing one ahead on 28.
Ablett had been a red-hot favourite to win the Brownlow Medal again this year, before his season-ending shoulder injury in round 16 threw the count wide open.
With Ablett missing the Suns’ last seven games, it’s Geelong skipper Selwood who enters the count carrying the favourite tag.
“We’re hopeful for Joel,” Selwood’s father, Bryce, said on Sunday.
“I think it’s a very open count when you look at players like Dyson Heppell, Robbie Gray, Josh Kennedy, Matt Priddis... there’s plenty of players who could win it.
“But we’ll keep our fingers crossed for him and we’ll wait and see.”
Ablett says he’d also like to see Selwood win the Brownlow Medal.
“I’d really love to see Joel get up and win one. He’s a ripper footy player and a ripper guy,” Ablett said.
As well as being favourite with most betting agencies, the afl.com.au Brownlow Medal predictor has Selwood winning by one vote.
While it’s only a guessing game, the Brownlow Medal predictor has Selwood polling 23 votes to win by one from Ablett (22), with Sydney forward Lance Franklin (20) in third place.
The predictor has Selwood, 26, polling in nine games, including best-on-grounds against Adelaide (round one), West Coast (four), Fremantle (nine), Essendon (15), Melbourne (17) and the GWS Giants (18) when he racked up 39 possessions.
In The Age Footballer of the Year, which awards votes to the best five players, Selwood polled in 11 games.
Selwood - who averaged 25.6 disposals - finished sixth in The Age Footballer of the Year, which was won by Collingwood captain Scott Pendlebury, but he has won both the 3AW and Herald Sun Player of the Year awards.
“Joel probably played more better games last year, due to the fact that most games this year he played with injuries,” said Bryce, who will watch the Brownlow Medal count with wife Maree and Maree’s mother, Margaret Crapper.
“He started the year brilliantly, even though he still had hamstring problems from the pre-season.
“Then he had some quad strains and everything else throughout the year... corked calves and corked thighs.
“But he still had a very good year and he leads by example.
“Geelong as a team has been up and down this year, but I think he may stand out as a four-quarter performer through most of the year.”
Meanwhile, Selwood has already had the honour this year of not only his fourth All-Australian selection when he was picked ruck-rover, but he was also named captain for the second year in a row.
“We’re very proud of that. That’s good recognition of the example he sets in the way he leads his team,” Bryce said.
“There’s a lot of other excellent captains in the AFL, but to have had that honour for the second year in a row is a brilliant effort.”
SELWOOD'S 2014 SEASON:
Rd 1: v ADELAIDE.
Disposals: 34. Marks: 3.
Goals: 2. Age votes: 7.
Brownlow predictor: 3.
Rd 2: v BRISBANE LIONS.
Disposals: 25. Marks: 2.
Goals: 1. Age votes: 7.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 3: v COLLINGWOOD.
Disposals: 30. Marks: 2.
Goals: 0. Age votes: 8.
Brownlow predictor: 2.
Rd 4: v WEST COAST.
Disposals: 27. Marks: 9.
Goals: 3. Age votes: 8.
Brownlow predictor: 3.
Rd 5: v HAWTHORN.
Disposals: 20. Marks: 1.
Goals: 0. Age votes: 0.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 6: v PORT ADELAIDE.
Disposals: 17. Marks: 3.
Goals: 0. Age votes: 0.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 7: v RICHMOND.
Disposals: 19. Marks: 0.
Goals: 1. Age votes: 0.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 9: v FREMANTLE.
Disposals: 35. Marks: 8.
Goals: 0. Age votes: 7.
Brownlow predictor: 3.
Rd 10: v NORTH MELBOURNE.
Disposals: 26. Marks: 6.
Goals: 1. Age votes: 0.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 11: v SYDNEY.
Disposals: 30. Marks: 2.
Goals: 0. Age votes: 0.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 12: v CARLTON.
Disposals: 18. Marks: 2.
Goals: 1. Age votes: 0.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 13: v ST KILDA.
Disposals: 11. Marks: 4.
Goals: 3. Age votes: 0.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 14: v GOLD COAST.
Disposals: 28. Marks: 4.
Goals: 0. Age votes: 7.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 15: v ESSENDON.
Disposals: 26. Marks: 7.
Goals: 2. Age votes: 8.
Brownlow predictor: 3.
Rd 16: v WestERN BULLDOGS.
Disposals: 13. Marks: 2.
Goals: 0. Age votes: 0.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 17: v MELBOURNE.
Disposals: 31. Marks: 5.
Goals: 0. Age votes: 8.
Brownlow predictor: 3.
Rd 18: v GWS GIANTS.
Disposals: 39. Marks: 8.
Goals: 1. Age votes: 8.
Brownlow predictor: 3.
Rd 19: v NORTH MELBOURNE.
Disposals: 29. Marks: 12.
Goals: 1. Age votes: 7.
Brownlow predictor: 2.
Rd 20: v FREMANTLE.
Disposals: 27. Marks: 6.
Goals: 1. Age votes: 0.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 21: v CARLTON.
Disposals: 21. Marks: 5.
Goals: 1. Age votes: 0.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 22: v HAWTHORN.
Disposals: 24. Marks: 3.
Goals: 1. Age votes: 0.
Brownlow predictor: 0.
Rd 23: v BRISBANE.
Disposals: 29. Marks: 6.
Goals: 2. Age votes: 7.
Brownlow predictor: 1.
SELWOOD'S BROWNLOW ODDS:
TAB.COM.AU:
$2.50 favourite.
SPORTSBET.COM.AU:
$2.65 favourite.
BET365.COM.AU:
$2.60 favourite.
LADBROKES.COM.AU:
$2.60 favourite.
TOM WATERHOUSE:
$2.20 favourite.
FREEBET.COM.AU:
$2.75 favourite.
CENTREBET:
$2.75 favourite.
