Dangerfield and Fyfe lead Brownlow Medal contenders in 2019

Patrick Dangerfield will have to overcome the teammate curse and a star-studded leaderboard to make history at the Brownlow Medal tonight.

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.

Geelong's Patrick Dangerfield and wife Mardi.

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.

GUIDE TO THE BROWNLOW MEDAL CONTENDERS

Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong): The 2016 winner has enjoyed another sterling season and will finish in the top three. If he’s close late he’s a great chance as he will poll well over the last three rounds. But he might bleed too many earlier votes to teammate Tim Kelly.

Lachie Neale (Brisbane): The move from Fremantle has been very good for the onballer. He ticks all the Brownlow boxes — his side made the finals, he’s a midfielder and no teammates should take a lot of votes from him.

Lachie Neale helped Brisbane to a top-two finish during the regular season.

Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs). Certain to poll well after his All- Australian season. But teammates Jack Macrae and Josh Dunkley also shone in the midfield. There will be controversy if Bontempelli wins, given the round-22 fine for hitting Nick Haynes.

Nat Fyfe (Fremantle): Like Dangerfield, a former winner (2015) and a perennial favourite. Fyfe is hamstrung to an extent because the Dockers did not make the finals, meaning less chances for three-vote games. But Fyfe enjoyed an outstanding year and he will be prominent on the leaderboard.

Patrick Cripps (Carlton): The Blues midfield bull has the same profile in this count as Fyfe — no top-eight finish, but what a stellar season from him. The feeling is Cripps will need a solid lead at halfway, with not so many eye-catching games later in the season.

Brody Grundy (Collingwood): Can the Magpies ruckman snatch away the midfielder’s medal? A stellar season, rewarded with his second-straight All-Australian honours.

Tim Kelly (Geelong): Remember when Gary Ablett was the hot favourite to win his first Brownlow in 2007, only for Cats teammate Jimmy Bartel to come from the clouds?

Adam Treloar (Collingwood) A solid season and if Grundy isn’t the Collingwood frontrunner, then it will be him.