Crows star Patrick Dangerfield following a dangerous free agent pattern, writes Michelangelo Rucci

AS a fan of the opera, Patrick Dangerfield may appreciate he has become the AFL’s version of “Much Ado About Nothing”, writes Michelangelo Rucci.

AS a fan of the opera, Patrick Dangerfield may appreciate he has become the AFL’s version of “Much Ado About Nothing”.

Some free agents don’t even rate a mention by Round 17, the so-called twitching hour for list managers at the 18 league clubs. Theory has it, if a free agent is not signed to his current club by mid-July — as was the case with Gary Ablett, Lance Franklin and James Frawley — then he is gone.

But there are a few more acts to go before the future of the Adelaide Football Club’s highest-profile free agent is known — at least publicly. Knowing the next coach at West Lakes may be one.

Dangerfield Wednesday brought an end to 48 hours of intense speculation, all created by a recruiting scout from an AFL clubs declaring the 25-year-old midfielder was ready to put his signature to a two-year deal at West Lakes.

So one AFL club thinks it is out of the running. Another, Hawthorn, would still have Dangerfield as the answer to its need to regenerate Alastair Clarkson’s midfield — and the Hawks are masters of the free-agency market.

Dangerfield says his contract “is the last thing on my mind”.

He adds he has not handed a decision to his manager Paul Connors, whose presence in Adelaide from Monday night started a frenzy — and revealed the real contract story at West Lakes is forward Tom Lynch rejecting a two-year extension to seek three seasons in a new deal.

More important than deciding his future, said Dangerfield, is dealing with the present — an AFL finals campaign.

“The position we are in,” Dangerfield said in his weekly breakfast radio spot on FIVEaa, “we need to win every game ... it is quite easy to focus on footy.”News_Image_File: Patrick Dangerfield in action for the Crows.

By contrast to some free agents of recent seasons, no-one can accuse Dangerfield of sparing himself to protect his future at a new club, say Geelong that is a short drive from his family best at Moggs Creek.

Dangerfield has played to his maximum this season, particularly in the past two games — against West Coast and Port Adelaide — when the Crows have needed on-field leadership to overcome the mental and emotional strain of grieving for late coach, Phil Walsh.

Off the field, Crows executives say Dangerfield has not missed — nor failed — in any engagement for the club. And he has been strong in his commitment to the SANFL-based Crows.

Some at West Lakes read that as a sign of his want to stay. Other suggest it is a pointer to a player intending to leave without criticism of his commitment in the final year of a contract.

There is as much guessing as when Dangerfield breaks from a stoppage with opponents doubting if he will use his left or right foot.

Adelaide premiership captain Mark Bickley says Dangerfield will stay. His on-air radio partner and former Crows player Stephen Rowe says he will go.

Everyone understands there is a family question, one highlighted by Dangerfield who said: “It is one family versus another.”

But the tragedy of recent weeks may emphasise time is not to be taken for granted. Nor is family. And as Dangerfield’s team-mates say, should the Victorian return home, no-one would — nor should — take issue.