CARLTON co-captain Patrick Cripps has marked a phenomenal season with a third-placed finish in the 2019 Brownlow Medal.
Heading into the night as one of the favourites, Cripps ended the year on 26 votes - seven behind eventual winner, Fremantle’s Nat Fyfe.
Cripps started the season in unprecedented fashion, polling 13 votes from his opening five games: a feat never achieved in the 95 years of the Brownlow Medal.
The 24-year-old recorded best-on-ground performances in Round 2, Round 4, Round 5, Round 12 and Round 19.
We couldn't be prouder to have this man representing the Navy Blue.
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) September 23, 2019
An incredible season from @patrickcripps ends in a third-placed finish with 26 votes. #BoundByBlue #Brownlow pic.twitter.com/UYkqvlnPZm
Leading the way for the first half of the count, Cripps was ultimately pipped by 2016 Brownlow Medallist Patrick Dangerfield in second position.
It ends an extraordinary year from Carlton’s No.9, who continued to stamp himself as one of the competition’s standout winners.
Tonight’s finish in the Brownlow Medal adds to an award-ladened first season as skipper, which also yielded acknowledgement as the AFLPA’s Most Valuable Player while also being named All Australian for the second straight year.
This is why it was a case of #PCripps3Votes in Round 12... #BoundByBlue #Brownlow pic.twitter.com/2tplzcQzMJ
— Carlton FC (@CarltonFC) September 23, 2019
Cripps averaged 28 disposals and 17 contested possessions over the course of the year, while also showing how dangerous he is up forward with 13 goals.
With 75 votes under his belt from 101 games, Cripps elevated himself to 11th position on Carlton’s all-time list of Brownlow vote-getters.
CARLTON’S 2019 BROWNLOW VOTES
26 - Patrick Cripps
6 - Marc Murphy, Sam Walsh
5 - Ed Curnow
3 - Charlie Curnow, Matthew Kreuzer, Nic Newman
2 - Sam Petrevski-Seton, Kade Simpson
1 - Matthew Kennedy, Harry McKay, Will Setterfield, Jacob Weitering