Geelong players will support the club in a bid to lure free-agent-to-be Patrick Dangerfield out of Adelaide.
Regulars Mitch Duncan and Jared Rivers said Thursday that they would back the Cats in any attempt to lure a player of Dangerfield’s calibre.
One of the AFL’s elite talents, the two-time All-Australian Dangerfield will come out of contract at the end of the 2015 season and has strong family ties to the Geelong area. A product of the Geelong Falcons, the 24-year-old Dangerfield will become one of the most pursued men in free agency if the Crows are unable to reach a new deal with talented midfielder.
“I guess it’s hard to say at the moment, he’s still got another year on his contract. But, if Pat wanted to come to Geelong, I’m sure everyone would say yes,” Duncan said at a promotional function.
“He’s a great player for Adelaide, so we’ll just have to wait until the end of the year.
“He grew up in Geelong, so I guess he’s got a lot of old Geelong friends who still live there and a few of the boys went on a trip with him for the International Rules (in 2010) and had a bit to do with him.”
New Adelaide coach Phil Walsh snubbed Dangerfield for the Crows’ captaincy role, picking forward Taylor Walker to replace Nathan van Berlo despite missing a huge chunk of games in the past two seasons and further adding to speculation that Dangerfield could be ready to relocate after an eighth season in South Australia.
“I think anyone will go after someone as a good a player as him. There’s no doubt he is a quality player and we’ll just have to wait until the end of the year,” defender Rivers said.
“It’s what you guys (the media) will be talking about all year, so I look forward to reading the different articles.”
Dangerfield experienced somewhat of a down year by his standards in 2014, averaging 24.9 disposals per contest, down three kicks and a mark an outing from 2012 career highs of 26.7 touches and 4.2 marks per game.
Photo: Chris Hyde/Getty Images.
