‘He broke the record too’: Cripps’ Daicos tribute after coming second in Brownlow, breaking record with 45 votes
A
set smaller text size
A
Set the default text size
A
Set a larger text size
Carlton captain Patrick Cripps has claimed a second Brownlow Medal after polling a record number of votes on an extraordinary night in Melbourne.
Cripps equalled the previous best score of 36 made by 2017 and 2021 winners Dustin Martin and Ollie Wines respectively with five rounds remaining, then was named the best player in the Blues’ final two rounds of the home-and-away season – including the final round loss to St Kilda – and scored an astonishing 45.
Notably, Collingwood star Nick Daicos, who was the early favourite heading into the vote count, also surpassed Martin and Vine by three votes in the final round against Melbourne, finishing with 38 – enough to win the prestigious medal in any other year, but only good enough for second place by seven votes.
Daicos getting just two votes in the third-last round was enough for Cripps to win the medal.
Even after considering the extra round in the season due to the Gather Round compared to all previous seasons except 2023, the 29-year-old’s tally – out of a maximum of 69 votes – is an extraordinary achievement that confirms his status at the top of Australian rules football.
Cripps and Daicos were well ahead of the rest, while Port Adelaide midfielder Jack Butterson (29 votes) was third, followed by Fremantle Jet Caleb Serong and ineligible Isaac Heeney (28).
GWS’ Tom Green, Western Bulldog Adam Treloar (26), Heeney’s Swans team-mate Errol Gulden (25), Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell (25) and Hawthorn’s Jai Newcombe (24) completed the top 10.
>>Go here for the 2024 Brownlow Medal leaderboard
However, two favourites received little support, with 2023 winner Lachie Neale and AFL Players Association MVP Marcus Bontempelli receiving just 22 and 19 votes respectively to finish 13th and 14th.
After accepting the Brownlow award from Blues coach and 1996 winner Michael Voss, Cripps first praised runner-up Daicos in his typical style.
“Crazy night – I’d like to start by mentioning Nick. He broke a record tonight as well,” he said.
“Nick, I love watching you play, I enjoy playing against you, friend, congratulations on an amazing year.”
Cripps became the first Carlton player to win two Brownlows as a Blue, the first of the great Greg Williams’ two medals coming in 1986 with Sydney.
“On behalf of the Carlton Football Club, the fans, thank you to the club. You gave me the opportunity to live my dream, I will always be grateful for what you have done for me and my family,” Cripps said.
“Vossie – you’re a mentor, you’re a good mate, but you’re a leader, you’re taking this club forward, and we’re with you.”
While Cripps broke the major record, Daicos also broke a record, being voted in ten consecutive games in mid-season – and 18 out of 23 matches, despite not receiving a vote in any of the Pies’ first three games, in which they stumbled to an 0–3 record.
That was one more than Cripps’ 17 polling matches, although the Blues great received the maximum three votes in 12 games while Daicos managed the feat in just seven.
Cripps’ Brownlow win comes after he was named All-Australian vice-captain at the start of September.