Star midfielders Marcus Bontempelli, Jack Macrae and Josh Dunkley are expected to feature prominently in the 2019 Charles Brownlow Medal count on Monday night.
All had exceptional seasons, with Bontempelli and Macrae earning All Australian honours, and Dunkley alongside them in the initial All Australian squad of 40.
According to both the AFL.com.au and Herald Sun Brownlow Predictors, all three are set to finish in the top 15, with Bontempelli as the highest-placed Bulldog.
AFL.com.au has Bontempelli finishing ninth with 22 votes, and Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield as the winner with 28 votes.
Josh Dunkley is predicted to finish 10th, with 19 votes, and Macrae equal 11th with 18 votes.
The Herald Sun has tipped joint winners, with Dangerfield and Fremantle’s Nathan Fyfe both polling 34 votes.
Bontempelli sits fourth in that count with 28 votes, ahead of Macrae in ninth with 24 votes and Dunkley in equal 14th with 18 votes.
How the umpires split the star trio in certain matches will be interesting to see.
Both counts have Dunkley as best on ground on five occasions – in wins against Brisbane (round eight), Carlton (round 13), Melbourne (round 17), Essendon (round 21) and GWS Giants (round 22).
Bontempelli is favourite to poll threes against Richmond (round seven), Port Adelaide (round 15) and Adelaide (round 23) according to both.
The Herald Sun also has him as best afield against Sydney (round one), Gold Coast (round three) and Geelong (round 16).
Macrae is in the box seat to poll threes against Fremantle (round 19) and Brisbane (round 20), while the Herald Sun also has him as best on ground in round two against Hawthorn.
2018 leading vote winner: Jack Macrae (14 votes)
Previous winners: Allan Hopkins (1930), Norman Ware (1941), Peter Box (1956), John Schultz (1960), Gary Dempsey (1975), Kelvin Templeton (1980), Brad Hardie (1985), Tony Liberatore (1990), Scott Wynd (1992), Adam Cooney (2008)
AFL Brownlow Predictor
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | Total |
Bontempelli | 2 |
| 2 | 1 |
|
| 3 |
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
| 3 | 2 |
|
| 2 | 1 |
| 2 | 3 | 22 |
Dunkley |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 3 |
| 2 |
|
| 3 |
| 2 |
| 3 |
|
|
| 3 | 3 |
| 19 |
Macrae | 1 | 2 |
|
|
|
| 1 | 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 |
|
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 18 |
Herald Sun Brownlow Predictor
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | Total |
Bontempelli | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 |
|
| 3 | 2 |
|
|
|
|
|
| 3 | 3 |
|
| 2 | 2 |
| 1 | 3 | 28 |
Macrae | 2 | 3 | 1 |
|
|
|
| 1 |
|
|
|
| 2 | 2 | 2 |
|
|
| 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 24 |
Dunkley |
|
|
|
|
|
| 1 | 3 |
|
|
|
| 3 |
| 1 |
| 3 | 1 |
|
| 3 | 3 |
| 18 |
