Dangerfield is one of the shortest priced favourites in Brownlow Medal history, having had a superb year in his first season with the Cats after crossing from Adelaide.

In a dominant campaign, he has also collected the AFL Players' Association MVP, the Coaches' Association player of the year, and all major media awards, including those from The Age, Herald Sun, ABC, 3AW, SEN and the Lou Richards Medal.

Teammate Joel Selwood, Richmond's Dustin Martin, Sydney's Luke Parker and Dan Hannebery, Western Bulldog Marcus Bontempelli, West Coast's Luke Shuey and Hawthorn's Sam Mitchell are among those also expected to jostle for the league's highest individual honour. Adelaide's Rory Sloane is also likely to poll well but cannot win because of late-season suspension.

Dangerfield, Mitchell, Hannebery, Martin and Mitchell all finished in the top 10 last year behind winner Nat Fyfe.

An analysis of the season by Fairfax Media indicates Dangerfield is likely to poll about 18 votes through six best on grounds, while there will be another handful of matches where he is likely to poll two votes in each game. Parker, Shuey, Martin and Mitchell are likely to have a handful of best on grounds, while St Kilda's Jack Steven is also expected to poll well.

Mitchell could yet be retrospectively awarded the 2012 medal alongside Trent Cotchin should Essendon's Jobe Watson be stripped of it because of his anti-doping suspension.

A dejected Dangerfield described Geelong's 37-point preliminary final defeat "as tough as it gets" as he tried to explain what went wrong against the Swans on Friday night.

Dangerfield was by far the Cats' best with a game-high 39 disposals but the Cats' season ended due largely to a terrible start where the Swans booted seven goals to nil in the first term.

In a dressing room where silence reigned, Dangerfield tried to come to terms with what had transpired.

"It's tough as it gets. You don't put that work in through an entire season and lose the way we did. It just felt like we could have given more," he said.

"It was almost as reminiscent as the way Sydney jumped Adelaide last week, and the game was over in the first quarter.

"You can't win a game in the first quarter but you can lose one. It was certainly tough to come back from there."

While the Cats begin a detailed review of the season, chief executive Brian Cook has confirmed coach Chris Scott will be awarded a contract extension, most likely over the summer period. Scott is contracted until the end of next season.

The Cats – and Jimmy Bartel – must decide whether the champion midfielder plays on. If he does, he will spend time in the VFL. Defender Corey Enright, who was in tears after Friday night's loss, may also retire despite being an All-Australian this year. Enigmatic forward Steven Motlop is also expected to be available in a trade.

Scott will also seek answers as to why talls Zac Smith, Rhys Stanley, Tom Hawkins, Mark Blicavs and former Blue Lachie Henderson all failed to have an impact against the Swans' pressure, for the Cats had been a strong contested-mark team through the year.

Brownlow Medal betting:

$1.18 Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)

$13 Dustin Martin (Richmond)

$17 Luke Parker (Sydney)

$17 Marcus Bontempelli (Bulldogs)

$26 Joel Selwood (Geelong)

$34 Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)

$34 Dan Hannebery (Sydney)

$51 Jack Steven (St Kilda)

$51 Luke Shuey (West Coast)

$81 Josh Kennedy (Swans)

Prices courtesy Ubet