If the Gold Coast SUNS are looking for a player to become the new ‘face’ of the QClash rivalry with the Brisbane Lions, midfielder Brayden Fiorini might just be the one. 

Clearly the prolific 21-year-old midfielder has embraced the QClash sentiments, and epitomises what it means to the club to do well against the near-neighbours.

Fiorini was the SUNS’ equal leading vote-getter in the 2018 Brownlow Medal last night with five votes, with all five votes coming against the Lions.

He earned three votes in the five-point win at the Gabba in Round 5 when he had 27 possessions and two goals, and two votes in the narrow Round 22 loss at Metricon Stadium after his equal career-best 32 possessions.

Drafted from the Northern Knights by the SUNS at selection #20 in 2016, Fiorini shared top spot in the SUNS’ 2018 medal count with Tom Lynch (5).

Then came Touk Miller (4), Jarrod Harbrow (3), Lachie Weller (3), Jarryd Lyons (2), David Swallow (2), Jarrod Witts (2), Aaron Young (2), Jack Martin (1), Steven May (1) and Alex Sexton (1).

The total SUNS’ vote of 31 was a club low, yet oddly the 12 players who figured in the count was a club high, equal with the 12 players who combined for 62 votes in 2013. 

Fiorini’s three-vote haul in his 20^th game sees him rank equal sixth fastest to a best afield ranking among 16 players who have polled three votes in a game for the SUNS.

Gary Ablett played three games before his first SUNS three-voter, followed by Jared Brennan (6), Lyons (11) and Peter Wright (16), while this year Weller (17) slotted into fifth place when he earned three votes in the club’s Round 18 upset win over Sydney at the SCG.

Fiorini, Harley Bennell and Brandon Matera (20) are next, followed by Lynch (22), Charlie Dixon (27), Dion Prestia (43), Aaron Hall (57),  Adam Saad (61), David Swallow (66), May (85), Michael Rischitelli (99) and Harbrow, who earned his first three-voter in his 133^rd game for the club in the Round 1 win over North Melbourne in Cairns this year.

This is on top of Fiorini’s record as the SUNS player quickest to poll his first Brownlow vote for the club – he did so in his second game in Round 22 2016 when he had 32 possessions, kicked two goals and made 12 tackles against Port Adelaide at Metricon Stadium.

Others to poll inside 10 games for the club have been Ablett (3), Pearce Hanley (3), Matera (4), Rischitelli (4), Saad (5), Brennan (6), Zac Smith (6), Witts (7), Michael Barlow (7), Harbrow (8), Jaeger O’Meara (8) and Hall (8).

Martin’s first votes came this season in his 69^th game this year against Fremantle in Perth in Round 3 when he had 21 possessions, including a career-best 15 contested possessions, kicked a goal, and took an equal career-best three contested marks.

Sexton’s first votes came this season in his 96^th game against Brisbane at Metricon Stadium in Round 22, when he had 19 possessions and kicked four goals. 

Aaron Young, who polled five votes in 76 games for Port Adelaide and was 52 games to his first votes, polled his first SUNS votes in the Round 18 win over Sydney, where he had 17 possessions and four goals.

Lynch collected the club’s other three-vote rating this season when he was judged best afield after kicking a club record eight goals against Carlton in Round 2.