In the Round 9 match against Collingwood this season, Tom Mitchell became just the seventh player in the history of the game to collect 50 possessions in a single game.
The 24-year old’s game was nothing short of ridiculous, as he finished with 50 touches (22 of which were contested), eight marks, eight tackles and five clearances.
On Monday night’s Brownlow Medal count, Mitchell, the 2017 All Australian rover, finished third with 25 votes.
Three of those 25 votes were awarded to the ball magnet for that Round 9 performance.
Six weeks later, the Hawks met the Pies again.
This time around Mitchell managed 35 disposals along with six tackles, seven marks, seven clearances and two goals.
Again, the umpires saw it fit to award Mitchell the maximum votes for a dominant display.
It saw Mitchell achieve the rare double, with the full six votes against an opposition side over two meetings in a single season.
But a deeper look into Mitchell’s past will tell you that this streak extends further.
In 2016, Mitchell’s Swans met the Pies in the season opener.
Mitchell gathered 30 disposals, nine marks, four inside 50s and three goals to again be awarded two Brownlow votes in his side’s 80-point win.
Keep looking.
Round 20, 2015. Sydney versus Collingwood at the SCG.
Mitchell’s game?
41 disposals, eight disposals, five clearances and one goal.
Three Brownlow votes, too.
Four consecutive encounters, four consecutive times amongst the votes, three of those for best on ground honours.
There is no side in the competition that Mitchell has been awarded more votes against than Collingwood.
