Patrick Dangerfield and Nat Fyfe have strong claims on a second AFL Brownlow Medal when the count is held on Monday night in Melbourne.
Dangerfield is the clear favourite, but it is considered an open field this year and Fyfe is also rated a big chance.
Dangerfield won the Brownlow in 2016, his first year at Geelong, and Fremantle’s Fyfe took it out the year before.
If Dangerfield wins again, there will be mixed emotions.
He was shattered on Friday night when Geelong lost their preliminary final to Richmond.
For all his many honours, Dangerfield is yet to play in an AFL grand final.
The Cats have lost four preliminary finals since their 2011 premiership.
“It’s tough because there is no tomorrow, that’s the season finished, that’s the bitterly disappointing part, that’s the overriding emotion,” Dangerfield said after Friday night’s loss.
The other big Brownlow contenders are Western Bulldogs onballer Marcus Bontempelli, Brisbane midfielder Lachie Neale and Carlton co-captain Patrick Cripps.
The main problem for Fyfe and Cripps is their teams did not make the top eight, meaning less chances for three-vote games.
But Hawthorn’s Tom Mitchell, who missed this season because of injury, defied that potential handicap when he confirmed his favouritism a year ago.
Richmond star Dustin Martin won the year before and will poll again on Monday night, but he is ineligible because of suspension.
Collingwood ruckman Brodie Grundy has enjoyed a stellar season and deserves to poll well, but the Brownlow is now known as the midfielder’s medal.
Given the number of contenders, there is more chance of a Brownlow tie this year.
Trent Cotchin and Sam Mitchell were joint winners in 2012 after Jobe Watson was stripped of the award.
Nathan Buckley, Adam Goodes and Mark Ricciuto had a three-way tie in 2003.
The biggest upset in recent Brownlow was when $41 long shot Matt Priddis won five years ago.
Gary Ablett, then at Gold Coast and now back at Geelong, was the latest player to win multiple Brownlows when he took out his second medal in 2013.