Opinion Where will Patrick Dangerfield rank amongst the greats?

[Cleric]

He's 34 years of age, still playing good football, and he's had an amazing career.
Played for two club, won a Brownlow and a flag.

Where will he rate alongside the champions that went before him?
Will he be on the same line as Voss, Buckley and Ruccutio, who I think he shares the most traits with?

 

[strand_victor]

Will He be Remembered as a Crow or a Cat? He played over 150 Games at Each Club.

 

[Lightsxo]

Will He be Remembered as a Crow or a Cat? He played over 150 Games at Each Club.

I mean easily at a Geelong player?

He was a gun at the Crows but he won the brownlow and was the best player in the comp as a Cats and won a flag there as well.

 

[PhatBoy]

I think the general disdain for him will probably reduce people’s opinion of him as a footballer but he’s been bloody good for a bloody long time

 

[Romeoh1]

Have always liked him and will always have a very high opinion and good memories. Happy he got the flag he earned. ( actually thought he was bog in 22 flag)

 

[Handsuper47]

Magnificent player, but I don't think he's gonna be remembered amongst the greats purely because he played in the same era as Dusty, who in three different finals (2017 QF, 2019 PF, 2020 GF) showed the difference between them. For better or worse that's always going to be a blemish on a stellar career.

 

[Mr Meow]

Dangerfield's very likely going to end up on 8000+ disposals, 350+ goals and 250+ goal assists by the end of this season.

I can only think of Ablett that we know for sure has achieved that (as goal assists were only recorded 2003 onwards).

12 votes off eclipsing Ablett for #1 all time in Brownlow votes.

8x All Australian.

I'd have Ablett ahead, but these reference points at the very least suggest he's been bloody good.

He had a few erratic or quiet finals over the years, but people dismiss the fact that he also had a lot of huge ones, often in teams that were getting overpowered elsewhere. This did lead him to a bit of "trying-to-do-too-much"-itis at times, but he threw his battered body into contest after contest no matter what. In fact his body should be completely broken by now. A bit of a freak in that regard.

 

[South of the Yarra]

Simple really. A Champion of our great game.

 

[Mr Meow]

Magnificent player, but I don't think he's gonna be remembered amongst the greats purely because he played in the same era as Dusty, who in three different finals (2017 QF, 2019 PF, 2020 GF) showed the difference between them. For better or worse that's always going to be a blemish on a stellar career.

He will be remembered amongst the greats - your record doesn't have to be flawless to be in that category. Dangerfield was bested in those finals but so was the whole Geelong team. His overall finals record: 45 goals/assists from 28 games, going at 24 disposals and 5.6 clearances per game - stands up. Especially considering quite a few of those finals were as a youngster or veteran - not in the peak years.

 

[HairyO]

I think the general disdain for him will probably reduce people’s opinion of him as a footballer but he’s been bloody good for a bloody long time

I think this is a fair call.

Does he make the top 10 at Geelong ?

 

[STPer18]

The GOAT!

One of the best of the 21st century to date. Very lucky to have had him play in the hoops for the past 10 years.

 

[maskmcgee]

Nowhere, as he's one of the most hated footballers of all time. Hated not because he's a good player but because he's a ****wit.

 

[Robroy22]

He's easily the greatest Anglesea FC player

 

[Mr Meow]

I think this is a fair call.

Does he make the top 10 at Geelong ?

Different eras and positions, it becomes really hard to make those calls.

Where does he sit amongst 21st century midfielders so far? Really it's more for neutrals to decide, rather than Geelong supporters. Being hated isn't going to help with that though.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Not in GOAT contention, but a rung or two below with Bucks, Voss etc. In terms of players of the 10s, he's still beind Dusty for me. Maybe on par with Cripps and Neale.

 

[Mr Meow]

Not in GOAT contention, but a rung or two below with Bucks, Voss etc. In terms of players of the 10s, he's still beind Dusty for me. Maybe on par with Cripps and Neale.

Buckley and Voss > Cripps and Neale.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Buckley and Voss > Cripps and Neale.

True. I think in terms of tackling, contested marking Danger is elite, legendary, but in terms of field and goal kicking he's not quite that level.

 

[two blue tiger]

Well behind Dusty.....

 

[Mr Meow]

True. I think in terms of tackling, contested marking Danger is elite, legendary, but in terms of field and goal kicking he's not quite that level.

Fair enough. I think that's a slight misconception due to say the worst 10-20% of his disposals being shockers - memorable sprays or stuff ups. But the top 20% are very damaging. The rest are probably dish offs or long territory kicks that fall somewhere in between. So it's right to call him inefficient or erratic with his disposal, but wrong to dismiss that he has been a goal, goal assist and score involvement machine as a midfielder.

You don't end up with 350+ goals and 250+ goal assists (which he is on track for) by accident. How many other midfielders have achieved that? How many midfielders with 350+ games (which he's about to hit) have kept up a 7 score involvement per game average? He is damaging. He just isn't consistently precise.

 

[PerthBoy86]

Fair enough. I think that's a slight misconception due to say the worst 10-20% of his disposals being shockers - memorable sprays or stuff ups. But the top 20% are very damaging. The rest are probably dish offs or long territory kicks that fall somewhere in between. So it's right to call him inefficient or erratic with his disposal, but wrong to dismiss that he has been a goal, goal assist and score involvement machine as a midfielder.

You don't end up with 350+ goals and 250+ goal assists (which he is on track for) by accident. How many other midfielders have achieved that? How many midfielders with 350+ games (which he's about to hit) have kept up a 7 score involvement per game average? He is damaging. He just isn't consistently precise.

Yes he can be dangerous (pun intended), but sprays it a lot. Was watching some Gaz Senior highlights last night, I will say at times Danger showed flashes of that brilliance marking etc, but still nothing like Gaz.

 

[Mr Meow]

Yes he can be dangerous (pun intended), but sprays it a lot. Was watching some Gaz Senior highlights last night, I will say at times Danger showed flashes of that brilliance marking etc, but still nothing like Gaz.

He's a 4.7 turnover per game player - that is a pretty high number. It's a turnover every 5 or 6 disposals.

Going at 13 contested possessions and 5.5 clearances a game means you're getting the ball in situations where it gets turned over more though.

I think once that's balanced out against 1 goal, 0.7 goal assists and 6.9 score involvements a game (a score involvement every 3rd disposal roughly) it suggests he is a damaging ball user - even if the sprays stand out in the memory bank.

Pendlebury has "neater" skills, but goes at a score involvement once every 4 disposals. But obviously turns the ball over less often - once every 7 disposals. 1.2 goals/assists per game to Dangerfield's 1.7. So does he actually do more damage with ball in hand? You'd be hard pressed to find midfielders with more scoreboard impact than Dangerfield in the AFL era.

 

[PerthBoy86]

He's a 4.7 turnover per game player - that is a pretty high number. It's a turnover every 5 or 6 disposals.

Going at 13 contested possessions and 5.5 clearances a game means you're getting the ball in situations where it gets turned over more though.

I think once that's balanced out against 1 goal, 0.7 goal assists and 6.9 score involvements a game (a score involvement every 3rd disposal roughly) it suggests he is a damaging ball user - even if the sprays stand out in the memory bank.

Pendlebury has "neater" skills, but goes at a score involvement once every 4 disposals. But obviously turns the ball over less often - once every 7 disposals. 1.2 goals/assists per game to Dangerfield's 1.7. So does he actually do more damage with ball in hand? You'd be hard pressed to find midfielders with more scoreboard impact than Dangerfield in the AFL era.

Yeah he goes forward/deeper more than Pendles, so makes sense. He's the archetypal modern medium midfielder-forward combo like Dusty, Bont (though he's a tall mid), Cam Rayner etc. Like Crippa he's more about brute force than agility or finesse (not that he lacks agility) like Pendles. Pendles and Sidebottom just make really smart decisions usually.

 

[Daka]

I think when he first got to Geelong he was okay personality wise, but as time went on he sort of got that look at me type of persona he got a very big ego when he won the Brownlow & started dominating the game.

Trying to take bias out it. I think he will be up their with some of the best 2010s players of his era.
One of the more damaging players no doubt about that.

I don't think you should compare past era players, like Buckley, Voss etc that's just my thoughts.

 

[Mr Meow]

Yeah he goes forward/deeper more than Pendles, so makes sense. He's the archetypal modern medium midfielder-forward combo like Dusty, Bont (though he's a tall mid), Cam Rayner etc. Like Crippa he's more about brute force than agility or finesse (not that he lacks agility) like Pendles. Pendles and Sidebottom just make really smart decisions usually.

I sort of agree, but having said that, Dangerfield has still had 25% more clearances per game than Pendlebury despite having around 15% less disposals. Pendlebury has had a higher proportion of his footy on the outside, with link up play, whereas with Dangerfield it has been more commonly at the coal face or in contested situations across half forward/inside 50. Personally I find that latter profile - with the heap more score involvements, goals and goal assists - more damaging. Even if the odd one goes out on the full or to an opposition player.

 

[Colby2Sheez]

Some horrible takes in here.

For mine Dangerfield has been Elite for years and seems to have a couple left.

I don't get the hate either.