Hawthorn midfielder Tom Mitchell is the raging Brownlow medal favourite.
Various bookmakers rate the Hawk a $1.25 fancy with the next best - Patrick Cripps or Dustin Martin - drifting out to $10 or upwards.
But many pundits reckon the race for the Brownlow is much tighter and could come down to this weekend's last round of voting.
Here's a glance at the contenders.
* TOM MITCHELL. The Hawthorn onballer has a whopping 129 more disposals than the next best and averages 36 a game. He finished third in last year's count with 25 votes in a Hawthorn side that missed the finals. Also fifth in the competition for frees for. An accumulator rather than eye-catcher, will teammates Jaeger O'Meara or Luke Bruest steal votes?
* PATRICK CRIPPS. The Carlton gun is fifth on the disposals list, averages 29 a game, and is also equal seventh in the league for tackles laid. Has turned in a number of outstanding games but will be hurt by the trend of umpires awarding maximum votes to someone on the winning team - the Blues have just two victories this season.
* DUSTIN MARTIN. By his own admission, the Tiger megastar hasn't entirely recaptured his stunning form of last season when he took the Brownlow with 36 votes. But still has produced at least four standout games and a number when if not best-afield, close to it. Averages 25 disposals a game, tops the league for inside 50s and has kicked 29 goals to be a genuine chance.
* MAX GAWN. The Melbourne ruckman has dominated the rucks, with 149 hit-outs more than the next best. Also averages 16 disposals a game and considered a chance for maximum votes in at least five games. But no ruckman has won the medal since Scott Wynd in 1992. And teammate Clayton Oliver could pinch votes from him.
* CLAYTON OLIVER. Only two players have collected more disposals than the bullocking Demons midfielder. Averages 30 touches and seven tackles a game and considered a near-certainty to poll maximum votes in at least three games. But will Gawn's excellence deny him full votes, or visa versa?
* BRODIE GRUNDY. The Collingwood ruck sits behind Gawn for hit-outs but is been influential around the ground, averaging 21 disposals a game. His side is also returning to the finals with a healthy dose of wins but may suffer from the umpires' traditional lack of ruck recognition, and the flashy feats of teammates Steele Sidebottom and Jordan de Goey.
* DAYNE BEAMS. The Brisbane star is averaging 29 disposals a game and is a chance of at least four best-on-grounds. Will be hampered by his team losing more games than winning. Polled 17 votes last season when the Lions won five games - same as this season. A sneaky chance if the leaders poll relatively low.
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