Geelong star Gary Ablett will enter Monday night's AFL Brownlow Medal count as firm favourite and poised to be rewarded for three years of excellence.

Ablett was a clear favourite among betting agencies on Sunday to win his first league fairest and best award.

Ablett was rated a $2.75 chance with both the TAB and Sportingbet, ahead of Collingwood's Dane Swan ($5), two-time winner Adam Goodes ($7) of Sydney and St Kilda's Nick Dal Santo ($9).

Carlton captain Chris Judd, the 2004 winner with West Coast, is also a strong chance, although his odds ranged from $7 with Sportingbet to $10 with Centrebet.

Ablett, 25, has enjoyed another outstanding season and amassed 656 disposals in 19 home and away games, including 13 hauls of 30 touches or more.

His peers voted him a runaway winner in the recent AFL Players' Association awards, where he took home his third-straight MVP award.

If the umpires see it the same way, Ablett will make up for last year's third placing behind Adam Cooney of the Western Bulldogs and become the Cats' sixth winner and first since teammate Jimmy Bartel (2007).

Ablett was disappointed when overtaken last year but, after starring in the win over Collingwood in Saturday night's preliminary final, tried to focus on enjoying the count.

"I haven't been thinking about it too much. I'll just turn up on the night, enjoy the night, and what happens, happens," Ablett said.

"You don't want to have too many expectations on it. You can't expect too much."

But teammate Cameron Mooney said it was time Ablett was acknowledged as the stand-out player.

"I'd love to see Gaz win it," Mooney said on Sunday.

"He's been the best player for three years and probably hasn't been rewarded. He definitely does deserve one."

Cats coach Mark Thompson was hopeful Ablett was "due", but said the midfielder was more intent on helping the Cats win a second flag in three years.

"Even though it's a great personal award, he probably has bigger things to worry about," Thompson said.

"If you had a choice between the two, he'd certainly take the premiership medal. Although he'd probably like both."

Barring a major surprise, the 2009 Brownlow appears set to follow the recent trend of midfielders dominating.

St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt is the only key-position player among the top 10 favourites for a season which yielded 68 goals, 205 marks, 363 disposals and selection as All-Australian captain.

Riewoldt ($15 with Sportingbet) is on the eighth line of betting with most agencies despite looming as the key to the premiership result.

Goodes was the last medallist not to have played primarily as a midfielder, although he spent times on the ball when he won as a ruckman in 2003. He was primarily a winger in 2006, as he was this season.

Before that, Essendon back pocket Gavin Wanganeen was the last winner (1993) not found in the middle of the ground.

St Kilda's domination of the season means they have several other chances, in Leigh Montagna and Brendon Goddard and also the chance of polling more votes in a season than any other side.

Essendon polled 116 of a possible 132 votes in their 2000 premiership year.

The Saints, or Ablett and teammate Joel Selwood ($8.50 with Sportingbet), could conceivably match the feats of West Coast's Ben Cousins and Daniel Kerr, who finished 1-2 in 2005.

Cooney is a roughie with agencies, ranging from a $126 chance to $150.

Brought to you by AAP © 2024 AAP