Adelaide

Best chance: Rory Sloane. The workhorse midfielder enjoyed a sensational year personally, averaging career-best numbers almost across the board to finish runner-up in Adelaide's best and fairest.
Fast starter: Scott Thompson. The Crows didn't score their first win until round four, in which Thompson is tipped to poll three votes. He was on fire in the first half of the year.
One-vote wonder: Daniel Talia. Full backs don't usually get the reward they deserve on Brownlow night and having only ever polled one vote (2012), such looms the case for club champion Talia.
Total votes: The Crows can't expect to poll highly given their roller coaster season. They're predicted to collect 66 votes; a mid-range tally would seemabout right for a side that won half its games. - Harry Thring
 

Brisbane Lions

Best chance: Dayne Zorko Watch for ineligible Tom Rockliff to grab some votes, but Zorko will poll well with his eye-catching run-and-carry and ability to kick goals.
Fast starter: Dayne Zorko The Lions lost their first four matches by an average of 10 goals, so don't expect many votes, but Zorko's 30 touches against Geelong might grab the umpires' attention.
One-vote wonder: Jonathan Brown In what turned out to be his last season, the champion Lion might sneak one final vote with his vintage 16-touch, four-goal performance against the Tigers in round five.
Total votes: Just seven wins for the Lions this season and our predictor has them polling just 40 votes. When they lost, they often lost big, so don't expect too many votes there. – Michael Whiting


Carlton

Best chance: Bryce Gibbs. Elevated his game to a new level this season, averaging career-highs in disposals (24.8), clearances (5.6) and contested possessions (10.7). Should poll maximum votes for a 29-disposal and four-goal effort against Geelong in round 12.
Fast starter: The Blues' season started slowly and there's unlikely to be a rush of votes in the first few rounds. Chris Yarran is one who could poll a couple of early votes after some eye-catching displays.
One-vote wonder: Ed Curnow is a real chance of polling his first Brownlow vote in round 16. The Blues tagger was influential in curbing Saints pair Leigh Montagna and Jack Steven.
Total votes: Carlton finished the year with seven wins, 14 losses and a draw. As such, it is highly unlikely the club will have anyone in the top 10 of the count. A total of 57 votes, according to AFL.com.au's predictor, will likely put the Blues towards the bottom of the pile. - Ben Guthrie

Collingwood

Best chance: Scott Pendlebury. Consistent vote-winner had a solid rather than brilliant season but he was the Magpies best player. He is almost certain to gain three votes in at least three of the first eight rounds and will pick up ones and twos throughout.
Fast starter: Pendlebury will earn three votes against the Sydney Swans and will compete with Dayne Beams for best on ground against Richmond but he's unlikely to earn a vote in either round one against Fremantle or round three against Geelong.
One-vote wonder: Nick Maxwell. Given he has polled just three votes in his career he is at long odds to add to his tally but surely it would be fitting for Collingwood's premiership captain to get one or two in his final season.
Total votes: The AFL.com.au predictor believes the Pies will poll 58 votes this year. Most votes will be polled in the first half of the season when the Magpies won eight from 11 games. Most Collingwood supporters will have had enough by then as it will be slim pickings in the second half of the season with Beams, Pendlebury and Steele Sidebottom the only likely .- Peter Ryanvote winners

Essendon

Best chance: Dyson Heppell The young midfielder came into his own as the club's most important player in Jobe Watson's absence with injury. The Brownlow Predictor suggests Heppell will win 17 votes but he could push up further as one of the favourites.
Fast starter: Brendon Goddard. The senior Bomber started the season in top form with 26 disposals and three goals in round one against North Melbourne. He followed it with another excellent game against Hawthorn in round two and kicked two goals against Carlton in round three. The predictor expects Goddard to poll four votes in the opening two games. 
One-vote wonder: Jackson Merrett Merrett would be very unlucky not to poll a vote for his standout game in round three against Carlton. Merrett had 35 disposals and is likely to get the first Brownlow votes of his career.
Total votes: The predictor suggests the Bombers will poll 77 votes, a decent amount from a finals side. It might have been bumped up a bit more had regular poller Watson not missed so many games. – Callum Twomey

Dyson Heppell rose a level or two this season and could poll well in this year's count. Picture: AFL Media

Fremantle

Best chance: Stephen Hill With the ineligibility of Nat Fyfe, Hill is seen as the next best chance. He is a notoriously poor poller but he was twice clearly best afield this year and had some other eye-catching performances. We've predicted 12 votes for Hill. 
Fast starter: Aaron Sandilands He polled 20 votes in 2010 and he returned to that kind of form this year. He was arguably best on ground in the Dockers' first two wins and he's hard for the umpires to ignore. The predictor has him at six votes after four rounds.
One-vote wonder: Zac Clarke He polled one vote last year for 22 disposals, eight marks and a goal against Melbourne. We've predicted two votes in round 11 against the Western Bulldogs when Clarke managed 14 disposals, seven marks and 10 hit-outs. 
Total votes: The Dockers won 16 games for the season and should have an even spread of vote getters. Our predictor sees them polling 81 votes. – Alex Malcolm

Geelong

Best chance: Joel Selwood. The Cats' skipper didn't have his greatest year but his performances early and late in the season were exceptional. Our predictor says he'll poll 23 votes and win the medal.
Fast starter: Selwood again. Our predictor says Selwood will jump out of the blocks with eight votes in the opening five games.
One-vote wonder: Hamish McIntosh. The ruckman had a terrible first year at the Cattery in which he failed to play a game at any level. But he was impressive in the first half of the season and there would be a big cheer if he polled a vote.
Total votes: Geelong should poll 93 votes. The Cats won 17 of their 22 home and away games, so they should poll plenty of votes. - Adam McNicol

Gold Coast

Best chance: Gary Ablett Missed the final seven games after shoulder surgery, but we've got Ablett in with a huge chance of picking up his third Brownlow. He would have to defy history but don't count out the little champ.
Fast starter: Gary Ablett Started brilliantly against Richmond and the Brisbane Lions in the first three weeks, but club champion David Swallow was almost his equal and could take some votes early.
One-vote wonder: Jack Martin Arguably the most hyped teenager since Chris Judd, Martin's season was derailed by shoulder surgery, but his final round against West Coast was brilliant and could be the first of many career votes.
Total votes: They faded late in the season to finish with a 10-12 record, but we still have the Suns polling 70 votes. Ablett is a proven vote-getter, and Swallow, Dion Prestia and Tom Lynch also played a number of outstanding individual games. – Michael Whiting

Could Gary Ablett win his third Brownlow despite missing so much of the year? Picture: AFL Media


Total votes: Hawthorn looks likely to poll 90 votes. The Hawks only lost five games for the season and had the best three players on the ground in most of its wins. Sam Mitchell was missing for much of the season but Lewis and Jarryd Roughead led from the front.

Melbourne

Best chance: Nathan Jones won his third consecutive best and fairest in 2014 and enjoyed his best individual season. However, AFL.com.au's predictor has Dom Tyson beating his co-captain to the punch with a projected total of 15 votes to Jones' nine.
Fast starter: The Demons are unlikely to poll many early votes, although Jones had a solid opening to the season. Look for the star midfielder to poll at least four votes in the first four rounds.
One-vote wonder: Chris Dawes. The big forward has not polled a vote since his Collingwood days in 2010. But that's set to change when he should earn at least two votes for his three-goal effort in round seven against Adelaide.
Total votes: Melbourne does not have a realistic chance in this year's Brownlow, although you would expect the bulk of the votes will be shared between Jones, Tyson and Bernie Vince. The AFL.com.au predictor expects the Demons to poll a paltry 37 votes. - Ben Guthrie

Dom Tyson could edge out his skipper Nathan Jones to poll the most Melbourne votes. Picture: AFL Media

North Melbourne

Best chance: Ben Cunnington Veteran Brent Harvey is tipped to poll the most votes of any Roo (14) but is ineligible after being suspended. It leaves Cunnington, according to the Brownlow Predictor, as the Roo with the best chance. It says the midfielder will gather 10 votes. 
Fast starter: Cunnington. The tough midfielder had two successive best-on-grounds and is seen as likely to be on six votes after round four. In rounds three and four he gathered 30 disposals in each game and had considerable interest in North's victories over Port Adelaide and the Sydney Swans. 
One-vote wonder: Michael Firrito The senior defender has won just six Brownlow Medal votes in his career, but could be a chance against Adelaide in round 22. Had 19 disposals and did well across half-back.  
Total votes: The Kangaroos are through to the preliminary final and won 14 games in the home and away season. But that won't necessarily reflect in plenty of attention next Monday night, according to the Brownlow Predictor. It says the Roos will get 68 votes. – Callum Twomey

Port Adelaide

Best chance: Robbie Gray. A stellar season saw Gray win his first AFL Coaches Association player of year award. Expect him to finish strongly with a brilliant second half of the season.
Fast starter: Brad Ebert. The vice-captain's first half of the year was much more prolific than his second and he's tipped to poll four times in the first six rounds.
One-vote wonder: Jay Schulz. He's a much-loved spearhead at Alberton, but Schulz isn't expected to poll highly. His eight-goal haul against the Western Bulldogs in round 14 could earn him maximum votes, which would be to the delight of his teammates.
Total votes: The Power's dominant first half of the season should see a number of players amass significant votes. They're tipped to earn 100 votes across the night, which would have them up there with the leaders. - Harry Thring

Richmond

Best chance: Trent Cotchin The skipper is the Tigers' best chance because vice-captain Brett Deledio is ineligible. Cotchin polled 19 votes last season and 26 in 2012. He won't reach those heights, however, and could finish on 13 votes. 
Fast starter: Trent Cotchin collected 38 possessions in round one and backed that up with a best-on-ground performance the next week. The wins soon dried up for Richmond and so would the votes for the star midfielder.
One-vote wonder: David Astbury The tall defender's season was ended by injury after round nine, but not before he established himself as one of the Tigers' most improved players. Among the Tigers' best in the round two win over Carlton, a vote would please all at Tigerland.     
Total votes: A miserable first half of the season won't net many votes, but the Tigers came home with a wet sail and will earn plenty after round 14 for a predicted total of 68. – Nathan Schmook
            

St Kilda

Best chance: Nick Riewoldt Could earn top votes in each of the Saints' four wins with a total of 17 goals and 52 marks across those games. Also in the mix for a number of one and two-vote opportunities, the club champion is expected to poll at least 12 votes.
Fast starter: Clint Jones Played a more attacking role early in the season and racked up 39 possessions in round one, putting him in the mix for top votes. Also performed well in round two and should be among the votes.
One-vote wonder: Sean Dempster The reliable backmen finished third in the Saints' best and fairest this year but has polled just two Brownlow Medal votes in 11 seasons. Would be a popular vote-winner at the Saints' table.   
Total votes: The Saints finished on the bottom of the ladder and conceded more points than any club, meaning their opponents can expect a lot of clean sweeps in the votes. A predicted total of 32 votes reflects their ladder position. – Nathan Schmook

Star forward Nick Riewoldt continued to shine despite St Kilda's difficult season. Picture: AFL Media


Sydney Swans

Best chance: Lance Franklin After an indifferent start, Franklin is sure to poll votes all over the place late in the year after a series of explosive performances after the season's halfway mark. 
Fast starter: Josh Kennedy Started consistently and was among the favourites after a string of early solid games. A hamstring injury kept him out of rounds 22-23, but he will poll plenty before round 12.
One-vote wonder: Mike Pyke Round 19 could see Pyke on the board after his 49 hit-outs in the Swans' win over Essendon, in which there were standout performances by Luke Parker, Ben McGlynn and Michael Hurley.
Total votes: It's a tight race between Franklin and Kennedy with Parker coming in third, with our predictor giving the Swans a total of 91 votes  reflective of their 17 wins for the season. – Jennifer Phelan

West Coast

Best chance: Matt Priddis There is nothing more certain than Priddis polling the most votes for West Coast and we've predicted 18 votes from 10 games. He polled double figures in 2010 (13), 2011 (19) and 2013 (13). 
Fast starter: Jack Darling Priddis, Luke Shuey and Mark LeCras are predicted to poll three votes in each of the first three rounds. But Darling could poll some votes in the first two rounds after kicking four goals against the Western Bulldogs and three against Melbourne. We've predicted two in round one but he could poll in both.  
One-vote wonder: Matt Rosa He only played 16 games this year and he's only polled in five games in his previous 135. We've predicted one vote in the opening round this year. 
Total votes: Our predictor has West Coast tallying 64 votes, the majority to Priddis and Luke Shuey, who is ineligible. The Eagles only won 11 games for the season. – Alex Malcolm

Western Bulldogs

Best chance: Tom Liberatore is the Dogs' best bet to emulate his father Tony and become a Brownlow medallist. He's constantly under the umpires' noses as the competition's top tackler and was also top 10 in several other statistical areas. Like his dad, he's a proven vote winner after finishing equal 10th in the 2013 count.
Fast starter: Jack Macrae burst out of the blocks and racked up four 30-plus-possession games to round five. His ability to find the ball with style is sure to catch the umpires' attention.
One-vote wonder: Liam Jones wasn't able to nail down a regular spot in the Dogs' underperforming attack, but his five-goal haul in the round 13 win over Collingwood should snare him a vote.
Total votes: With the Dogs only winning seven games, the club is unlikely to poll too many votes. Our predictor sees them polling 49 votes, which is, like their season, around the lower end of the 'ladder'.