Nat Fyfe and Patrick Dangerfield rematch could happen again in Round 1, writes Mark Robinson
NAT Fyfe and Patrick Dangerfield played out one of the most exhilarating and combative duels in Round 9, 2015, and it could happen again next week, writes MARK ROBINSON.
Mark Robinson
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COULD it happen again?
Could the players who fill the top two positions in the Herald Sun Top 50 list — which will be released on Monday- — get the green light to renew what is surely the modern game’s most engaging rivalry?
It happened once and it was a rip snorter.
No real defensive mindset at stoppages. No out-and-out tagging. No third-man blocking. No occasional run-with.
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It was hunt and kill your own as the best matched up against the best from the first bounce until they dragged their weary bodies from the ground after the final siren.
It happened in Round 9 at the Adelaide Oval in 2015.
In atrociously wet conditions at night, Nathan Fyfe and Patrick Dangerfield played out one of the most exhilarating and combative duels. It was more akin to 1980s man-versus-man than the strategic defensive suffocation which can be today’s football.
Phil Walsh loved it.
The former Crows coach will be in heaven’s outer on the opening Sunday of the 2017 season, when Fyfe reacquaints himself with Dangerfield, and he should be proud he was one of the coaches who helped instigate this contest.
Walsh left Dangerfield on Fyfe and Dockers coach Ross Lyon left Fyfe on Dangerfield, with both men intent on winning, yet also intrigued by the match-up and, still at the end, satisfied with the outcome.
It seemed, for one game at least, the coaches allowed themselves to love the essence of the competition instead of being stressed by it.
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The best news is Lyon, who is as hard as any coach — ever — anticipates another Fyfe v Dangerfield showdown at Subiaco in Round 1.
“Will it occur Round 1?” Lyon said.
“It should happen because neither of us are playing taggers, so they will get to each other.”
Told he contributed in 2105 to the “good of the game”, if not enhanced the romance of the game, Lyon laughed.
“I didn’t realise at the time to be honest,” he said.
“I always thought we were in the game and Fyfey was playing well ... I think he kicked a couple, didn’t he, Fyfe? I haven’t had a look, I’m doing it from memory. Did Dangerfield kick any?
“I really enjoyed it in hindsight and, look, it’s probably going to happen for fair periods.’’
That load of Lyon emotion aside, he thinks both teams will back their midfield groups until one hurts the other.
That was the captivation of the 2015 contest. There was a goal or less in it at each change on a spongy surface, so both coaches continued to let it roll, which meant Dangerfield and Fyfe continued to pound each other.
“They’re both in pretty good from,’’ Lyon said.
“I went to Bendigo (JLT match versus Essendon) and when Leuenberger went off, Stanley and Smith started getting (on top) and he (Dangerfield) really came into it.
“He was super out of the middle, but Sandilands and Griffin are good ruckmen and so I think both teams will back their ruckmen in and their midfields, unless one really gets on top.’’
Chris Scott is new to the Dangerfield-Fyfe caper, although he’s not new to Dangerfield wearing the cape.
Scott admits he is both a coach and a footy fan and, in this game, he wants both the win the ultimate match-up.
“Hopefully, the two things are the same. Hopefully the best thing for us to win is also a match-up that’s great for the game,’’ Scott said.
“I remember that game vividly. They both had 40-odd and both were pretty dominant.
“Yes, it will happen. I’m sure it will happen.’’
Scott admires greatness as much as anyone.
“We still admire the good players from the box. I remember watching Ablett play down at Geelong a couple of years ago and in the box, we were, ‘How good is this?’
“Sometimes you try so hard to have an influence over what’s happening out there, but sometimes the really special players kind of transcend all that and you’ve got to sit back and say, fair play.’’
The 2015 contest was won narrowly by Fyfe.
He had 40 disposals, 26 contested disposals, six tackles, 14 clearances and kicked a goal.
Dangerfield had 38 disposals, 29 contested disposals, eight tackles, nine clearances and kicked a goal.
As a direct opponent, they played on each other for 78 minutes.
The Brownlow Medal votes were three Fyfe, two Dangerfield and the trivia question answer was Mick Barlow with the single vote.
The Dockers won a low-scoring encounter by 11 points.
The affirmation that this was a contest for the ages can be seen by watching the game again or clicking into YouTube and typing “Phil Walsh Post-Match: Rd9”.
His team was beaten, but football was the winner and Walsh took a level of satisfaction that he played a small role in its eventuality.
“You might call me old-fashioned but that is how I like footy,’’ Walsh said at the time.
“When I went to the footy as a young guy from Hamilton, which wasn’t that often, we’d go down and we’d watch great player versus great player and that is what we saw tonight. I thought it was great.
“Maybe I’m a weirdo. I want to win ... but I also think we have to protect the game.
“And one thing fans love is those great battles and tonight was a great example of that.
“Everybody walking away would be talking about Fyfe v Dangerfield.”
Let’s hope we do again.
Originally published as Nat Fyfe and Patrick Dangerfield rematch could happen again in Round 1, writes Mark Robinson
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