The race for this year's Jim 'Frosty' Miller Medal will come down to the wire this weekend as three tied key forwards stake their claim to be crowned the VFL's leading goalkicker for 2024.
Carlton forward Liam McMahon's seven-goal haul at Kardinia Park over the weekend has seen the former Collingwood-listed tall bring his season tally to 43 goals, going atop the competition's goalkicking alongside Port Melbourne spearhead Billy Gowers and Werribee sharpshooter Hudson Garoni.
Both Gowers and Garoni had scheduled byes for Round 20 - the penultimate weekend of the VFL season - giving Frankston forward Matt Johnson the chance to snatch the lead.
Johnson was held to just one major against flag contenders Footscray on Sunday to remain on 41 goals for the year, with a Round 21 bye meaning the 23-year-old's pursuit of taking out the medal has fallen short.
McMahon's big day against the Cats in an upset win has seen the race remain at three contenders as the 198cm attacker looks to cause a late upset.
The seven-goal outing places McMahon in reaching distance of claiming Carlton VFL's first leading goalkicker award, with a meeting against Richmond on Sunday at IKON Park set to unravel his fate.
The form McMahon has put forward in his second season with the Blues is sure to have the 22-year-old in consideration for an AFL recall this coming off-season, having been cut from Collingwood at the end of 2022 after failing to feature at senior level.
The 22-year-old has booted multiple goals in all 15 games for Carlton this year despite a mostly lean season for Luke Power's side, with the win over Geelong being just the Blues' fourth for the year.
McMahon, an athletic and crafty key forward, will potentially be banking on quieter weekends for seasoned VFL forward Gowers and Garoni to take out the Jim Miller Medal.
Garoni too has come home strong for the 'Bees, kicking 16 goals in his past four games to average over 2.5 majors per game from his 17 games in 2024.
The Werribee star finished third for goals in the VFL last year, sitting behind joint winners and Gold Coast forwards Chris Burgess and Brodie McLaughlin with his 39 goals.
With Werribee to face Box Hill in the final game of the home and away season, Garoni will have a good indication of how big of an afternoon he'll need to claim this year's title and become the first Tigers player to do so since James Podsiadly in 2005.
Sunday's 2:05 pm bounce at Box Hill City Oval falls three hours after McMahon takes on Richmond's reserves to conclude Carlton's campaign.
Gowers may have one hand on the medal by Saturday, with the former Carlton and Western Bulldogs forward going up against the Northern Bullants, who sit last on the ladder, at North Port Oval that afternoon.
The 28-year-old has enjoyed a sensational return season in the VFL after spending 2023 with Gippsland club Moe after departing Southport.
Gowers managed his own seven-goal afternoon in his last appearance, dismantling Frankston's defence despite defeat as Johnson added three goals to his tally.
Gowers could become Port Melbourne's 15th winner of the VFL/VFA leading goalkicker gong, with the Borough having won a total of 29 in its 150-year history.
The Bulldogs' goalkicking leader in 2018, Gowers kicked five goals in the Borough's corresponding fixture against the Bullants earlier this season, with a season-ending matchup against this year's 21st-placed side placing the 33 AFL gamer as a likely favourite to come out on top.
McMahon managed a pair of majors in Carlton's loss to Richmond in Round 14, while Garoni and Werribee will face the Hawks for the first time this year on Sunday.
