If Chris Fagan and his coaching counterparts have been on anything like the same wavelength as the umpires this year then Lions' ball magnet Lachie Neale will be right in the mix in Monday night’s Brownlow Medal count.

This is all based on the 5-4-3-2-1 votes awarded by the coaches in each home-and-away match to decide the Coach’s Association Player of the Year Award.

Neale polled 82 votes to finish equal fifth behind the Western Bulldogs’ Marcus Bontempelli (107), Geelong’s Patrick Dangerfield (90), Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe (88) and Geelong’s Tim Kelly (86), and equal with Carlton’s Patrick Cripps and Collingwood’s Brodie Grundy. Zorko (62) finished 18^th and Cameron (58) 19^th.

The club has had three medal winners in Michael Voss (1996), Jason Akermanis (2001) and Simon Black (2002), plus another 15 top 10 finishes and 43 top 20 finishes.

Black (6 times) led the club count most often from Voss (5), Rockliff (5), Jonathan Brown (3), Dayne Beams (3), Geoff Raines (2), David Bain (2) and Akermanis (2. Details below.

This is on top of six medallists and eight medals from the Fitzroy era via Haydn Bunton (1931-32-35), Wilfred Smallhorn (1933), Dinny Ryan (1936), Allan Ruthven (1950), Kevin Murray (1969) and Bernie Quinlan (1981).

BRISBANE LIONS BROWNLOW GUIDE 2019

Round 1

Hugh McCluggage was judged best afield by both coaches in the 44-point Gabba win over West Coast and is tipped to pick up his first three-vote rating. Charlie Cameron, Lincoln McCarthy and Dayne Zorko are the mix for the minor votes.

Round 2

Lachie Neale is expected to get his Brownlow push away with three votes after his 43 possessions in the Lions’ 20-point win over North Melbourne at Marvel Stadium earned him the maximum 10 votes from the coaches. Daniel Rich will get two votes according to the coaches.

Round 3

Neale had another 43 possessions and a career-best 15 clearances in the 17-point Gabba win over Port Adelaide for another 10 coaches votes and should get back-to-back three votes in the Brownlow. Eric Hipwood’s six goals also sees him in contention.

Rounds 4-5

Don’t expect to many Lions votes in the 47-point MCG loss to Essendon in Round 4 or the 62-point Gabba loss to Collingwood in Round 5. Anthony McDonald-Tipingwuti was favoured by the coaches in Round 4, and Adam Treloar was the coach’s pick in Round 5.

Round 6

Neale received another 10 votes from the coaches in the 49-point win over Gold Coast at Metricon Stadium despite the fact that Mitch Robinson won the Marcus Ashcroft Medal.  Charlie Cameron will also be in the mix.

Round 7

The coaches couldn’t split Dayne Zorko and McCluggage in the 22-point Gabba win over Sydney.

Round 8

Zorko might expect two votes from the  16-point loss to the Western Bulldogs in Ballarat, when the Dogs’ Josh Dunkley was preferred by the coaches in what shapes as the first of five three-vote ratings for the previously unheralded midfielder.

Round 9

Neale was back up and running with 39 possessions in the heart-stopping Gabba win over Adelaide, when the Crows kicked the last four goals to get within one point at the finish. Despite the final margin Neale, Charlie Cameron and Zorko will get the votes according to the coaches.

Round 10

Fremantle’s Bradley Hill is tipped to pick up the three Brownlow votes in the Dockers’ one-point win in Perth, when Michael Walters kicked a behind after the siren for the home. Harris Andrews and McCluggage could pick up one vote for the Lions, according to the coaches.

Round 11

Andrews, superb in defence, was the standout in the 19-point Gabba win over Hawthorn, while Jarryd Lyons could also feature after he had 33 possessions. And, according to the coaches, Darcy Gardiner might even pop up for what would be his first Brownlow vote.

Round 12

Fast-forward past the 15-point loss to Carlton at Marvel on the day of the Hall of Fame function in Melbourne, when the Lions led by 18 points at halftime and loss by 15. Patrick Cripps was so good it wouldn’t be out of place if he got all six votes.

Round 14

Charlie Cameron kicked five goals in the 56-point Marvel Stadium win over St.Kilda to pick up maximum votes from the coaches. Zorko was judged next best.

Round 15

Neale, with 38 possessions, and Zorko, with 31 possessions and three goals, split the coaches votes in the 33-point Gabba win over Melbourne.

Round 16

According to the coaches, Neale will pick up another three votes in the brilliant 20-point win over GWS in Sydney. Lincoln McCarthy, with 22 possessions and three goals, is also likely to feature.

Round 17

Lyons, who arrived at the Gabba with a minimum of fuss, slipped into top gear when he had 36 possessions in the 48-point win over Port Adelaide at Adelaide Oval. Zorko, with 24 possessions and three goals, and Cameron, with four goals, will also be in the mix.

Round 18

Lyons will pick up back-to-back threes, according to the coaches, after he had a massive 32 possessions (23 contested), 13 clearances and two goals in the 12-point Gabba win over North Melbourne. Luke Hodge, who has polled 131 career votes prior to the start of the season and six times finished in the top 20, was rated second-best by the coaches and could add to his tally.

Round 19

Mitch Robinson, who invariably saves a good one for games in his home state of Tasmania, got nine of a possible 10 votes from the coaches in the 27-point win over Hawthorn in Launceston and is tipped to get the three Brownlow votes ahead of Hawthorn’s Ben McEvoy. Neale had 33 possessions and kicked a goal, and could be a chance for one vote.

Round 20

Robinson could go back-to-back with threes after he was preferred in a split vote by the coaches in the 18-point Gabba win over the Bulldogs. The Dogs’ Marcus Bontempelli also will be in the mix, according to the coaches.

Round 21

Charlie Cameron kicked six goals and won the Ashcroft Medal in the return Q-Clash at the Gabba, and received maximum votes from the coaches. Zorko had 25 possessions and kicked two goals and was clearly next best.

Round 22

According to the coaches, Marcus Adams will pick up three Brownlow votes In the sell-out Gabba clash with Geelong, when Lincoln McCarthy pulled down a screamer and kicked the match-winner in the closing seconds. He received the maximum 10 votes from the coaches. Patrick Dangerfield received eight votes from the coaches in a 10-8-10 finish to the home-and-away season that could see him right in the Brownlow finish.

Round 23

If he’s close enough Neale could pick up votes in the final round, when he had a career-best and club record 51 possessions in the 27-point loss to Richmond at the MCG. But both coaches had Nick Vlaustin best afield.