Patrick Dangerfield shoots down reports he will join AFL Commission while still playing for Geelong

Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield has conceded he can’t serve on the AFL Commission while he’s still an active player.

Patrick Dangerfield will not be taking up a position on the AFL commission as he accepts the conflicts of being a current player on the highest body would be too great.

The Geelong captain and AFL Players Association president confirmed he spoke to commission chair Richard Goyder earlier this year about joining the panel that oversees all of football.

But Dangerfield said that discussion was limited to a small comment while the pair talked through what post-football life would look like for Dangerfield.

The superstar midfielder shut down any chance he would take up the position while playing, declaring “I just don’t think it is possible as a player”.

Dangerfield the comments shared with Goyder were “extraordinarily surface level” and he hadn’t had “any material conversations” with the chair or AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan about joining the commission.

It was reported this week the Brownlow medallist was approached by Goyder and McLachlan about being parachuted onto the commission while still playing.

Dangerfield is in the midst of discussions on a new CBA. Picture: Mark Stewart

That talk drew the ire of clubs across the AFL, with GWS Giants chairman Tony Shepherd describing the potential appointment as “inappropriate”.

Dangerfield said he had considered what it would look like to be a player on the commission and decided the challenge would be too great.

“I just don’t think it’s possible as a player with the conflicts you have,” he said on SEN.

“I don’t think it could never get through but everything that has been spoken about makes sense to me in terms of the conflicts around it and how you would navigate that, I have no idea.”

Dangerfield, who is in the midst of discussions between the AFLPA and the AFL on a new collective bargaining agreement, said the league was in a “great position” amid soaring attendances.

He said his chat with Goyder didn’t dive too deep into joining the commission.

“I haven’t had any material conversations with either Gil or Richard about the commission,” Dangerfield said.

“I spoke to Richard at the start of the season at the captain’s conference and our conversation was more based on what post-footy is going to look like to me.

“Part of the conversation was an extraordinarily surface level comment about commission but not joining the commission and this, mind you, contextually was around what my career looks like when I hang up the boots.”

Dangerfield confirmed he had no thoughts about retiring as a player but he would be keen to stay in football once he hangs up the boots.

The commission, which decides the rules of the game and can hand out punishments to clubs amid scandals among other high-level duties, has two vacancies.

Legendary player and coach Leigh Matthews is keen to take up a role.

April fools? Key decision maker scoffs at Danger rumours

-Lachlan McKirdy

Sydney chairman Andrew Pridham says Patrick Dangerfield has too many conflicts of interest to serve on the AFL Commission while still playing.

Pridham said he laughed when he read a report the AFL had approached the Geelong captain to potentially sit on the Commission as a player.

The AFLPA is currently negotiating a new pay deal and Pridham said impartiality was an important pillar the commission had to uphold.

Pridham is on the panel to choose the next commissioners.

Nine media reported the AFL reached out to Dangerfield in an attempt to break tradition and help steer the commission in a new direction.

“I’ll be completely honest, when I read the article, I thought it must have been April (Fools),” Pridham said.

“Patty is a champion player. He is clearly very knowledgeable about football.

“He’s the president of the AFLPA, he’s the captain of Geelong — you couldn’t tick off more conflicts than that.

Dangerfield has played 15 matches for Geelong this season in an injury-hit year. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/AFL Photos/via Getty Images

“We’re currently negotiating with the AFLPA on the CBA.

“It’s an independent commission. It’s implausible for anyone to be on the commission that is conflicted in any way, that includes people with media commitments and people that have club connections. Actual connections, not historic ones.

“A current player and president of the AFLPA? It’s a non-starter.”

Dangerfield has one more year to run on his contract at Geelong and is certainly a player that won’t be lost to the game.

Pridham can tell he is a knowledgeable source on matters, particularly of what’s important to the players, and sees Dangerfield having a role to play in future years once he has retired.

But in the meantime, he hopes that the commission looks outside of the box for its appointment in other ways and ensures that all states feel like they have a say.

Pridham is an important voice in the search for new commissioners. Picture: Valeriu Campan

Pridham is one of a five-member panel including Dale Alcock, David Koch, Kylie Watson-Wheeler and Andrew Wellington who will help appoint the new commissioners.

“I think it’s really important that the commission has a good mix of skills in terms of business, social aspects of life like the community, diversity and people from different states.

“South Australia hasn’t had a commissioner since Bob Hammond. There’s never been a commissioner that’s based in Queensland. So, there are a couple of obvious things.

“I think whoever goes onto the commission, having real knowledge of the clubs, what’s important to them and the culture of the game, and an understanding of the modern game, I hope that’s where the focus will be.”

Originally published as Patrick Dangerfield shoots down reports he will join AFL Commission while still playing for Geelong