For many AFL players, when a milestone rolls around, they’ve tended to say that a reflection on what they’ve achieved will come when their career comes to a close.
Patrick Dangerfield was never going to full in that category.
As he prepares to become just the 25th player in VFL/AFL history, the 35-year-old is embracing the occasion as Geelong looks to extend its winning streak to six and consolidate its place inside the top two on the ladder.
“It’s been nice to reconnect with a few old teammates, and (there have been) a few wonderful phone calls during the week of players that I played with a very long time ago,” Dangerfield said.
“And it’s been nice to sort of reflect on those moments… living that little moment for a millisecond.
“And then you realign yourself and you get ready for Friday night, which is going to be pretty special.”
Dangerfield is the fourth player in the past five seasons, following Gary Ablett Jnr, Joel Selwood, and Tom Hawkins, to make their 350th appearance while wearing the navy blue and white hoops.
“I think it speaks to the organisation and the environment that’s been created,” he said.
“Players want to hang around; they want to enjoy the environment; they want to squeeze everything out of their career.
“It’s not necessarily the game that catches up with you mentally- it’s your body physically failing you, which I think is a great spot to be in.
“The moment that we were burning our players out mentally because they’ve had enough of the game, that’s sort of when we need to reflect on what we’re doing, and that hasn’t really been the case for us at all.”
A product of Bellarine club Anglesea, Dangerfield was drafted by Adelaide in 2007 from the Geelong Falcons.
However, he remained home for the 2008 season to finish his schooling at Oberon High, but managed to debut late that year.
After 154 games in eight years with the Crows, he made the move to the Cats ahead of the 2016 season and had an instant impact.
After missing the finals for the first time in nine years in 2015, Dangerfield’s influence was immense in his first season, winning the Brownlow Medal and helping Geelong to a preliminary final.
He also won the first of three Carji Greeves medals following a best-and-fairest with Adelaide, and earned All-Australian honours for the fourth time.
Dangerfield has added four further All-Australian blazers to his collection and was named captain of the team in 2020.
However, the crowning glory of his career was the 2022 premiership, which was accompanied by the Gary Ayres Award as player of that year’s finals.
Moggs Creek-based Dangerfield says the environment created by Geelong helps players thrive.
“The building allows you to live and enjoy life where you want it to be,” he said “For some it’s on the farm, for some it’s on the coast, for some it’s on the Bellarine.
“Most of the time, we don’t start our first meeting until 10 am. It enables you to, whether it’s dropping the kids at school, or it’s going for a surf pre-training, or whatever it is, it’s different for everyone.
“It doesn’t mean we’re any less on when we come in. But when you’re on, you go to work.
“But then, when you’re off, you can enjoy life outside of footy.”
X: @krockfootball
