Toast Patrick Dangerfield, 2023 Captain.

[Cataholic]

pls remind me where these posts are...

No idea.

I'm taking it in good faith that it was posted.

 

[Mr Meow]

When was that posted btw?
We are all guilty of reactivity on a weekly basis.
Danger's start this year, like our team, was not auspicious.
He is back to his brilliant best in recent weeks.
Yes, I'm incorrect about his power games being few and far between.

Search "Fyfe" in the previous Non Geelong Football thread. Even then you did clarify a little subsequently when it was pointed out how non-descript Martin and Fyfe are as 31 year olds (Dangerfield best finals player aged 32). Merely having a bit of fun as Cats being over the hill is folklore amongst public opinion. Yet like Lazarus they rise up again...

 

[Vdubs]

'SEEM like shadows' v 'ARE shadows'

I don't think Vdubs was over the top to be fair.

But no matter, he's hit his straps now and that's all that matters.

True, but anyone expecting this 33 yo dynamo to repeat these types of performances on a weekly basis- impossible.
He needs to be managed, like last year- the very way he plays takes a hell of a lot to recover from, and we know he's had wear and tear issues

 

[Vdubs]

No idea.

I'm taking it in good faith that it was posted.

I did post it, at the stage where PD looked fatigued, or not at his current level, in a week where Pendles had been brilliant yet again.
It was really a comment on Pendles moreso than a knock on the awesome trio.
Nobody could expect them to continue to play the way they had week in week out, specially Danger.

 

[Cataholic]

True, but anyone expecting this 33 yo dynamo to repeat these types of performances on a weekly basis- impossible.
He needs to be managed, like last year- the very way he plays takes a hell of a lot to recover from, and we know he's had wear and tear issues

True.

He took a little while to get going in 2023, but he was by no means Robinson Crusoe.

But boy, hasn't he hit his straps now??! Awesome to watch.

Getting him in such rich form come finals will be a delicate strategy, but I reckon he, and the GFC, will give it a good shot.

 

[Mr Meow]

I did post it, at the stage where PD looked fatigued, or not at his current level, in a week where Pendles had been brilliant yet again.
It was really a comment on Pendles moreso than a knock on the awesome trio.
Nobody could expect them to continue to play the way they had week in week out, specially Danger.

Fatigue in older players is common in a spluttering, out of sorts team rather than a smooth running machine.

FWIW so far I've graded only his second half against Gold Coast as non existent. Vs Collingwood he was sloppy and largely ineffectual with the footy, but digging in manfully. His career has featured games like that, usually in teams performing poorly. Some good signs vs the Blues in a game where no mids helped him out. The Gold Coast disaster was a disaster for all but 2 or 3 Geelong players. Then it clicked into gear subsequently.

Remember the back end of his 2022 was glorious. Overall it was a really good season, helped by great management of game time. 2021 and 2020 were strong. Martin has not performed well since 2020. Fyfe maybe a couple of years before that. This was the only reason I took issue with the comment. I would happily put Dangerfield in the same category as Pendlebury rather than the other two.

 

[Vdubs]

Fatigue in older players is common in a spluttering, out of sorts team rather than a smooth running machine.

FWIW so far I've graded only his second half against Gold Coast as non existent. Vs Collingwood he was sloppy and largely ineffectual with the footy, but digging in manfully. His career has featured games like that, usually in teams performing poorly. Some good signs vs the Blues in a game where no mids helped him out. The Gold Coast disaster was a disaster for all but 2 or 3 Geelong players. Then it clicked into gear subsequently.

Remember the back end of his 2022 was glorious. Overall it was a really good season, helped by great management of game time. 2021 and 2020 were strong. Martin has not performed well since 2020. Fyfe maybe a couple of years before that. This was the only reason I took issue with the comment. I would happily put Dangerfield in the same category as Pendlebury rather than the other two.

LONG season ahead of us, now that we are approaching top 8 again.
All I can add is I would hope we don't expect or think that he could or should play to this standard all year.
Great if he can.

 

[Mr Meow]

LONG season ahead of us, now that we are approaching top 8 again.
All I can add is I would hope we don't expect or think that he could or should play to this standard all year.
Great if he can.

So the same as every single 33 year old who has ever played the game then?

We can hope he continues to surprise. I doubt anybody will be calling him a shadow of his former self for a while yet, even if form naturally goes up and down.

 

[Cataholic]

So the same as every single 33 year old who has ever played the game then?

We can hope he continues to surprise. I doubt anybody will be calling him a shadow of his former self for a while yet, even if form naturally goes up and down.

Not sure every single 33 year old has played to the standard that Danger does when he's on song.......

 

[Mr Meow]

Not sure every single 33 year old has played to the standard that Danger does when he's on song.......

Exactly. When a player is "done" or close, their highs will no longer be that high and they will amass some poor games (lower lows than previously), then some solid enough games with a couple of moments of class. Richmond have obvious examples: it is how I view 31 year old Martin and probably Riewoldt. To a stronger degree, whatever current day Cotchin is.

Whereas Dangerfield can still put together a block of 8/10 or 9/10 performances being the dominant force in games. His "lows" are mostly judged ridiculously harshly based on his superhuman years. When in reality they still stack up against Selwood's quieter games at the end. Paddy has definitely been criticised here more than he's deserved - I would say at every stage of his career following 2016. His 7 or 8 years Geelong stack up very well with most that have worn the club's colours in my time supporting the team.

 

[Vdubs]

So the same as every single 33 year old who has ever played the game then?

We can hope he continues to surprise. I doubt anybody will be calling him a shadow of his former self for a while yet, even if form naturally goes up and down.

I completely concede.
This month anyway...

 

[Footy Smarts]

His field kicking is currently rated as the 3rd best in the comp.

It's been unreal so far this year.

He got a touch ahead of himself at one point on Saturday though when he tried a ~100m pass from one bank flank to the opposite forward flank. It only fell about 10m short of Tuohy. The look on Tuohy's face was great. 100% would be ribbing him about it this week.

 

[Vdubs]

Exactly. When a player is "done" or close, their highs will no longer be that high and they will amass some poor games (lower lows than previously), then some solid enough games with a couple of moments of class. Richmond have obvious examples: it is how I view 31 year old Martin and probably Riewoldt. To a stronger degree, whatever current day Cotchin is.

Whereas Dangerfield can still put together a block of 8/10 or 9/10 performances being the dominant force in games. His "lows" are mostly judged ridiculously harshly based on his superhuman years. When in reality they still stack up against Selwood's quieter games at the end. Paddy has definitely been criticised here more than he's deserved - I would say at every stage of his career following 2016. His 7 or 8 years Geelong stack up very well with most that have worn the club's colours in my time supporting the team.

Along with JC, he is one of the most exciting and brilliant players we have been privileged to watch.
His first 2 years with us were out of this world, week after week.
But his 22 GF performance was his most disciplined, team-orientated and awesome performance that I have seen.

 

[catsfootyfan89]

But his 22 GF performance was his most disciplined, team-orientated and awesome performance that I have seen.

This.

That Grand Final performance will be what I remember most of his time at Geelong. If you ever needed an example of a player putting their shoulder to the wheel, it was this day. He didn't do anything flukey or showy - it was just all guts and he was an absolute bulldozer. Just 100% focus on what he does best - all grit and power.

 

[doctor_evil]

Worst captain since Colbert.

Needs to harden up or hand it in.

If there is a team problem he should be talking our guys through it.

Done nothing so far to show leadership onfield this season.

I’ve said my bit. Hope to eat my words later.

Nomnomnom

Goes alright now.

 

[Mr Meow]

Could be on 11 or 12 Brownlow votes now. Top 5 or so for Coaches Association award? Has lifted the team on his back this month with others joining him. Looks like a captain to me.

 

[goyoucatters]

Could be on 11 or 12 Brownlow votes now. Top 5 or so for Coaches Association award? Has lifted the team on his back this month with others joining him. Looks like a captain to me.

It was always nonsense to suggest that he couldn't be a really quality leader at our club. He's been doing it for years, anyway, on and off the field. And his '22 finals series was the most compelling audition for the role any player could ever provide.

Has been far and away one of our best over the opening of this season as well. Hilarious how we still have some Cats supporters who want to question him and his efforts in the hoops. Will go down as a superstar of the comp and our club, no matter what happens with his career from here.

Nobody could truly get close to Sels as a captain for the ages. But Danger is clearly the best approximation we could have hoped for, and I for one am delighted to see him embracing the role and leading from the front every week.

 

[Sttew]

Danger 8 votes this week from the coaches. 4th week in a row he has polled votes.

 

[Vdubs]

Danger 8 votes this week from the coaches. 4th week in a row he has polled votes.

4th week in a row we have won...surely that's no coincidence

 

[cats_09]

Feels like discussion has moved a fair distance from Dangerfield's announcement as captain and into chat about how other players are going this year - there's more suitable places for said discussion, such as Oppo Camp - Non Geelong football (AFL) discussion 2023, part I