The 2017 AFL season, the 121st season of Australian Rules football, is set to begin on 23rd March when Carlton and Richmond, teams that finished 13th and 14th last season, meet at the Melbourne Cricket Ground or MCG. Though, the first time we see Patrick Dangerfield, the 2016 Brownlow medal winner, in action this season will be on 26th March when Geelong take on Freemantle. Dangerfield was outstanding last season and it was mainly due to his efforts that Geelong made the quarterfinals in 2016. So, will Dangerfield repeat his previous season’s performances and take home the Brownlow medal again in 2017? Let’s take a look.
Are you confused about backing Patrick Dangerfield to win the 2017 ‘player of the year’ award? If yes then here are some reasons for you to pick the Brownlow Medalist. Signed by Geelong in 2016, Dangerfield broke the record set Greg Williams for most disposals in a debut for a new team. Breaking the previous record, Dangerfield recorded 43 disposals. Moreover, he was unanimously named Geelong’s player of the year in 2016. Considering what he achieved last season, Dangerfield would surely make the shortlist for 2017’s Brownlow medal. So, who are the other contenders for the Brownlow medal? Let’s find out.
Along with Patrick Dangerfield, Marcus Bontempelli, the Western Bulldogs’ midfielder, is the favourite for the 2017 Brownlow medal. Recently named in the All-Australian team, Bontempelli is clearly the best player of the Western Bulldogs. In the 2016 AFL, the 21-year old midfielder performed outstandingly well. He averaged 5 tackles, 24 disposals and a goal a game. Also, currently only a few players in the AFL have better decision-making abilities than Marcus Bontempelli. Players other than Patrick Dangerfield and Marcus Bontempelli who could win the 2017 Brownlow medal include Nathan Fyfe and Dustin Martin.
The 2015 Brownlow Medal winner, Fyfe was a bit of a hit and miss last season. In some games, he performed outstandingly well while in others he was nowhere to be seen. Fyfe was injured for most of the 2016 AFL season. This is one of the major reasons he didn’t challenge for the Brownlow medal last year. Provided he stays fit for most of the 2017 season, Nathan Fyfe will surely be one of the contenders for this year’s Brownlow medal.
Dustin Martin, the final name in our potential winner list, is one of the most exiting youngsters in the AFL. Just like Marcus Bontempelli, Martin was named in the All-Australian team recently. Considered by many as the only real challenge to Patrick Dangerfield for the Brownlow Medal, Dustin Martin is a player with an eye-catching style and someone who’s only going to get better with time. For this reason, the odds of Dustin Martin winning the 2017 Brownlow medal are high. Although, whether Dustin Martin wins or not is something we’ll only know when the 2017 season finally concludes on September 30.