Crow Patrick Dangerfield looms as a Brownlow medal chance after another standout display
HIS future remains clouded but Patrick Dangerfield could follow in the footsteps of the player he inherited the number 32 jumper from & become Adelaide’s second Brownlow Medallist, reports Andrew Capel.
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HIS future remains clouded but Patrick Dangerfield could this year follow in the footsteps of the player he inherited the number 32 jumper from and become Adelaide’s second Brownlow Medallist.
And in what could turn into an embarrassing night, Dangerfield could accept the Brownlow as the AFL’s best and fairest player having already decided he is joining a different club next season.
Dangerfield can’t officially sign a free agency offer sheet until October 9, 11 days after the Brownlow presentation at Melbourne’s Crown Casino, but by then he might already have told the Crows of his intentions.
Dangerfield, a proven Brownlow votegetter, is in career-best form and coming hard at favourites Nat Fyfe (Fremantle), Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne) and Matt Priddis (West Coast).
After back-to-back best on ground performances – he dominated against Richmond last week – his Brownlow odds are today set to be slashed from $19 into almost single figures after he torched the Bombers for 27 disposals, including 15 contested, and three goals.
Dangerfield had a game-high 14 score involvements and ignited Adelaide’s 12 consecutive goals streak, after Essendon had booted four of the game’s first six majors, with a superb running goal when he put his team on his back and said enough is enough.
Dangerfield has been Adelaide’s leading votegetter at the past three Brownlow counts.
He polled 21 votes last season, five behind winner Priddis, 22 in 2013 and 23 in 2012.
He has not finished outside the top seven in the past three years, illustrating how good he is and that he catches umpires’ eyes.
The Crows’ only Brownlow Medal winner was former captain and the previous owner of the number 32 jumper Mark Ricciuto in 2003 when he tied on 22 votes with Collingwood’s Nathan Buckley and Sydney’s Adam Goodes.
Interim coach Scott Camporeale, who has worked very closely with Dangerfield in his role as midfield coach, would not be drawn into commenting on the 25-year-old’s Brownlow chances, simply saying “you’ll have to ask the umpires’’.
But he rated 2015 as the electrifying Dangerfield’s most consistent season.
“It’s hard to judge but I think he’s been more consistent,’’ Camporeale said.
“He had a great 2012 and again in 2013. He’s a quality player, there’s no doubt about that but he’s got great support around him too (most notably from superb ruckman Sam Jacobs), which helps him.’’
The brilliant midfielder, who becomes a restricted free agent at the end of the season and is being strongly targeted by Geelong, has not given any indication of where he will be playing his football next year.
Even one of his best mates at Adelaide, key forward Josh Jenkins, has no idea what he wants to do. “He keeps things remarkably close to his chest,’’ Jenkins said. “I’m not even sure if Mardi (Dangerfield’s girlfriend) knows.’’