The Top 5 after Round 8

Believe it or not, we're halfway through this condensed 2020 season, with Lachie Neale the deserving favourite. But it is 2020 and weirder things have happened, so could we see the first Brownlow winner at double-figure odds since Matt Priddis? Here's our Top 5 after Round 8.

5th - Travis Boak 7.33 Votes ($21)

The man is a prolific poller across his career, and there's every chance we'll see him polling plenty in 2020 with the Power currently on top of the ladder and Boak being their number 1 ball winner. Has polled 10+ votes on six occasions including 16 last year, and there's every chance he'll be around the mark at the halfway point.

4th - Jack Steele 7.83 Votes ($51)

Whaaat!? No one saw this coming, but the Saints are flying and he's the catalyst in the middle. Averages a team-high 21.25 disposals per game, where he was ranked 6th at St Kilda in 2019. He's ranked 9th in the competition for contested possessions and fourth in tackles, and with the Saints looking impressive he's the number one candidate to be receiving Brownlow votes.

For those playing at home, this is Jack Steele

3rd - Christian Petracca 8.17 Votes ($11)

Breakout year for the former Pick 2, playing bulk midfield minutes off the back of a huge pre-season. Possesses the x-factor similar to past winners Dusty and Danger, and is putting up similar numbers in 2020. The threats being - Gawn, Oliver and can Melbourne win enough games? Gawn is a prolific '2-vote' getter, Oliver has a poor polling record - if the Dees can win some games in the back-end of the season, he's a show.

2nd - Max Gawn 8.25 Votes ($17)

He's been enormous in his first year as skipper, and although he is a prolific 2-vote getter, he may be able to accumulate enough to be in the mix. With 17 and 20 votes in the last two years, the big fella certainly does get noticed by the umpires. With possessions down 20% this year, could this play into the hands of the ruckman come Brownlow Night?

1st - Lachie Neale 13.75 Votes ($2.50)

A justified $2.50 favourite for the award with Brisbane flying and Neale racking up enormous amounts of football. We've got him 5.5 votes ahead at halfway - will need to go through a huge slump in the second half of the season to be knocked off from here.