GEELONG has held "amicable" negotiations with Adelaide over a deal to secure departing star Patrick Dangerfield, Cats coach Chris Scott has confirmed.

Dangerfield, 25, is a restricted free agent and has expressed his desire to join the Cats to be closer to family and friends in his hometown of Moggs Creek, near Geelong.

Dangerfield claimed his first Malcolm Blight Medal as the Crows' best and fairest on Saturday night and addressed the crowd, describing the "incredibly difficult" decision he had to make.

How he gets to the Cats is still to be decided, though.

Early last week, Adelaide CEO Andrew Fagan all but confirmed the Crows would match any offer made for Dangerfield, ensuring the club received the best possible deal.

Should Dangerfield join Geelong as a free agent, the Crows would only receive the pick immediately after their first (No.13) at the NAB AFL Draft as compensation.

If they match the Cats' offer though, then Geelong would be forced to trade for Dangerfield and would have to offer more at the trade table.

On Sunday, Scott said both clubs had discussed the Dangerfield situation, adding he was confident the star midfielder would join his preferred new home in next month's trade period.

"There is a negotiation going on behind closed doors but even I'm not privy to those exact conversations," Scott told Channel Seven.

"My understanding is that it's pretty amicable. I know it's in a lot of people's interests to make out as if it's not."

Scott said he would only enter the negotiations if asked to by Cats recruiting manager Stephen Wells and football manager Steve Hocking.

"They [Wells and Hocking] are the main two drivers from Geelong's perspective," Scott said.

"(Chief executive) Brian Cook and I sit on the list management committee as well, but we're very much directed by those two guys."

Scott said the club would continue its "egalitarian approach" when dealing with future contract discussions, citing the club's ability to maintain a strong playing list over the past decade.

He added the potential signing of Dangerfield would be no exception to that method.

"Often there is a premium associated with bringing players in from other clubs but I think Geelong's success in the modern era is based around an egalitarian approach to the TPP (Total Player Payments)," Scott said.

"And whatever we do over the next year or two, we won't be compromising on that."