FREMANTLE star Nat Fyfe sits on the cusp of an extraordinary record-breaking Brownlow Medal-winning season.
Based on the 3-2-1 votes cast by AFL.com.au reporters after each game, Fyfe has polled votes in 11 of 14 games for a total of 29 votes, projecting the 23-year-old will take home his first Brownlow in a canter.
Fyfe's votes per game ratio in 2015, according to our forecast, is 2.07. This has him on track for an astonishing 46 votes if he plays all 22 games this season.
That tally would shatter Dane Swan's season votes record of 34, which the Magpie midfielder achieved when he won the award in 2011.
Fyfe is even on track to pass the legendary Haydn Bunton.
Before this season Fyfe already held the second highest votes-per-game ratio in VFL/AFL history behind three-time Brownlow winner Bunton.
According to our 2015 predictions Fyfe is now the outright leader in this race, with a remarkable career ratio of 1.07 votes per home-and-away game.
The Brownlow's best: Who Nat Fyfe is chasing down
Fyfe is treading a fine line with the Match Review Panel this year, putting him in danger of being ruled ineligible to win the award.
Fyfe escaped suspension for his clumsy spoiling attempt on Hawthorn's Taylor Duryea in Sunday's game in Launceston, although he still received a $1500 fine from the Match Review Panel.
The 23-year-old was also cited for tripping the Western Bulldogs' Koby Stevens in round seven, with Fyfe accepting a $1000 sanction for the incident.
Should the medal again become 'live', AFL.com.au reporters have Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell (17 votes) second in line to take out this year's award.
Dan Hannebery (16) and Trent Cotchin (15) are the next best placed.
AFL.com.au's leaderboard is similar to the AFL Coaches Association's projections, although our reporters have Andrew Gaff – who is third in AFLCA voting (behind Fyfe and Hannebery) – down the pecking order.
Gaff is projected to have polled eight votes to this point of the season, behind teammate and reigning Brownlow winner Matt Priddis's 11.
AFL.com.au's projected overall leaderboard after round 15
1. Nat Fyfe (29 votes)
2. Sam Mitchell (17)
3. Dan Hannebery (16)
4. Trent Cotchin (15)
5. David Armitage, Dylan Shiel, Todd Goldstein (14)
AFL.com.au's projected club-by-club leaderboard after round 15
Adelaide: Patrick Dangerfield (8 votes); Scott Thompson (8)
Brisbane Lions: Dayne Beams (8)
Carlton: Marc Murphy (10)
Collingwood: Scott Pendlebury (11)
Essendon: Michael Hurley (8)
Fremantle: Nat Fyfe (29 votes)
Geelong: Josh Caddy (6)
Gold Coast: Kade Kolodjashnij (5)
Greater Western Sydney: Dylan Shiel (14)
Hawthorn: Sam Mitchell (17)
Melbourne: Bernie Vince (7); Nathan Jones (7)
North Melbourne: Todd Goldstein (14)
Port Adelaide: Travis Boak (8)
Richmond: Trent Cotchin (15)
St Kilda: David Armitage (14)
Sydney Swans: Dan Hannebery (16)
West Coast: Matt Priddis (11)
Western Bulldogs: Jake Stringer (7)
• Brownlow hub: news, numbers and the best of the red carpet
• A short history of the Brownlow Medal
