Patrick Cripps win Brownlow Medal by ONE vote after beating bookies’ favourite Lachie Neale

Carlton star Patrick Cripps won the 2022 Brownlow Medal, pipping bookmakers’ favourite Lachie Neale to the prestigious award by a single vote.

The Blues skipper received 29 votes, one more than Neale, to become the first Carlton player to receive the Brownlow Medal since Chris Judd in 2010.

In an epic finish, Cripps secured three votes in the final game of the season, which allowed him to pip Neale to the post with the star midfielder polling just one vote. 

Neale, the 2020 winner, was the bookmakers’ favourite and was bidding to become the dual Brownlow Medallist since Fremantle star Nat Fyfe won the award in 2015 and 2019. 

The Lions gun would have also been the first player to to win two ‘Charlies’ in three years – or better – since St Kilda legend Robert Harvey won back-to-back Brownlow Medals in 1997 and 1998.

Gold Coast star Touk Miller finished third with 27 votes, while Dockers star Andrew Brayshaw and Melbourne gun Clayton Oliver finished joint fourth with 25 votes each.

‘I actually don’t know whether to laugh or cry,’ Cripps said in his acceptance speech.

The Carlton skipper pipped the Lions superstar to the award by a single vote on Sunday

‘I loved footy growing up as a kid and I remember being at boarding school in Western Australia and I would say to mum could you always sign me out on Brownlow night cause I loved watching it.

‘I can’t put it into words, it’s an absolute honour. To be honest it is nice to just win some games. The first seven to eight years of my journey at Carlton have been tough but I’ve always been an optimist […] this year is the first time we’ve been ahead of the ledger.

‘I love playing footy, I love playing with my mates.’

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