Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield is ranked elite and the competition’s 17th best player

Patrick Dangerfield has been an elite forward in 2025 but his success may be coming at the expense of other Cats stars who are finding the going far harder. See the stunning stats.

Geelong’s Tyson Stengle, attempting to quell Collingwood’s Isaac Quaynor, is having a career-best season for tackles. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images.

Patrick Dangerfield has barnstormed his way to becoming one of the most effective forwards in the AFL but startling new data shows it could also be causing major headaches for coach Chris Scott and the other gun Cats forwards.

With Tom Hawkins retiring last season, the Geelong front half has undergone a major makeover during the summer as Dangerfield spends more time inside 50 in the twilight of his career.

But some teammates — most notably Tyson Stengle — are yet to find their best footy in the new structure.

And there have been fewer opportunities for the forwards with Scott’s side ranked 14th in the competition for inside 50s, winning the battle in games this year just twice.

New Champion Data statistics show Stengle has gone from being the 23rd ranked player in the competition to 269 after eight rounds.

Superstar Jeremy Cameron’s rankings have also plummeted to such a level where he no longer features in the top-100 most effective players in the game in 2025.

Sunday’s game against GWS might have come at the perfect time for Stengle who has a strong record against the Giants at GMHBA Stadium.

He’s averaged two goals and 16 touches from his past two matches, albeit in losing causes — the visitors have won their past four since 2019.

While Stengle is averaging a goal a game, other areas which have been strengths of his game including disposals (13.4 to 10.1), forward 50 groundballs (2.5 to 1.3) and score involvements (6.2 to 5.1) have all dropped off compared to last year’s form.

Geelong’s Oliver Dempsey, Oli Wiltshire and Tyson Stengle celebrate a goal against Carlton. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

In the plus column, only Shaun Mannagh has applied more tackles among Geelong forwards in 2025. And it’s Stengle’s best season at the Cats for that defensive marker.

Despite the drop off in Stengle’s numbers, Dangerfield’s presence is helping to fill some of the void. As a general forward he’s ranked as elite for disposals, forward 50 marks, forward 50 ground balls and goals.

Scott and coaching staff have shown they aren’t afraid to use Danger as a break glass in case of emergency option in the middle and that’s a time where Cameron’s magnet might be moved closer to goal.

Cameron, has been solid without being sensational, with 18 goals in eight games.

The former Giant, who was second in the Coleman Medal race with 64 goals in 2024, has slipped marginally to fifth, and is only slightly down on score involvements compared to last season.

The right balance on Cameron’s positioning is a week-by-week proposition given his ability to get up the ground but the return of Gryan Miers will add much more creativity to the Cats’ forward mix, possibly allowing Cameron to spend more time inside 50.

Patrick Dangerfield had a massive final quarter against Collingwood. Picture: Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images.

And then there’s Ollie Henry, who was the sub against Carlton but showed signs he was coming back into some form with two majors against Collingwood.

When asked if Dangerfield’s commanding presence in the forward line has posed challenges for others, like Henry, coach Chris Scott suggested perhaps the 22-year-old hadn’t been targeted as much.

But he didn’t feel Henry had to play inside 50 to play well, saying he was “dangerous” against Collingwood.

“We’re looking to change that a little bit, to be honest, because that hasn’t been by design,” Scott said.

“And some things evolve that are not intentional. But I think that is one way of looking at it.

“We would like to direct the ball through him a little bit more.

“We acknowledge that we’ve made it a little bit harder for him, not deliberately, these things can sneak up in you a little bit.

“But with the time to reassess, we probably haven’t been maximising his strengths as much as we have in the past, and we like him being our focal point inside our forward half.”

A major new AFL stats hub has this week been launched on Code Sports, providing Code subscribers the opportunity to produce their own player by player or club by club stats comparisons.

Check it out here.

Originally published as Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield is ranked elite and the competition’s 17th best player