Chris Scott on Patrick Dangerfield ahead of game 350

Geelong coach Chris Scott stands by his description of Patrick Dangerfield as a football “unicorn”, revealing how the skipper helped to transform the Cats on and off the field.

Patrick Dangerfield and Cats coach Chris Scott. Photo: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images.

Geelong coach Chris Scott still likens Patrick Dangerfield’s football ability to a “unicorn”.

As the Cats skipper prepares to celebrate his 350th game against Brisbane on Friday night, Scott said he stands by the comments he made almost a decade ago when Dangerfield returned from Adelaide to Victoria.

Scott said he was the best player of his type — a “powerful inside midfielder” — at the peak of his powers.

“I can’t remember the timing of it but I think we were hopeful he could help a lot. But no one could be so optimistic to think one player is going to come in and transform the fortunes of our football team,” Scott said.

“I’m happy to say in the fullness of time, he did that. He’s taught us so much. It’s almost impossible to ask players to play the way he does because he has some unique ability.

“He does some things that no other player can do.”

While Dangerfield has racked up a stack of on-field accolades since crossing from the Crows, winning the 2016 Brownlow Medal, three Geelong best-and-fairests and 2022 premiership, Scott said his skipper had arguably made a greater mark off field.

Scott highlighted Dangerfield’s previous role as the AFL Players’ Association president as one reason he would be remembered as an AFL great.

“He’s been an elder statesmen of the game for a long time. It’s a rare ability to be able to converse with the 18-year-old draftees coming through, make them feel comfortable, and the next minute be on the phone to Gillon McLachlan (the former AFL CEO) talking about high powered negotiations,” Scott said.

“The impact he’s had on the club off field has been instructive for all of us. On a personal level, he’s been great for me.

“We might get pass the losses pretty well collectively, I still struggle with it personally, but I’m better now from dealing with Pat than if he didn’t come to our footy club.”

‘He’s in great shape’: Scott backs veterans

Geelong is in no rush to leave veteran ruckman Rhys Stanley out of the side according to coach Chris Scott as the Cats prepare to manage experienced players in the back half of the season.

While Sam De Koning started the season as the number one ruck, Stanley has now played nine games shouldering the load in the middle of the ground since he returned to the side in Round 5.

With developing talls Mitch Edwards and Toby Conway still working their way back to full fitness, Scott said he was pleased with the form Stanley had shown.

“He’s in great shape,” Scott said.

“I’ve bracketed he and Mitch Duncan too often already together this year. But those guys who weren’t in the team earlier in the year have played their way into the team off the back of good form.

“We don’t think Rhys has had a huge load, we think he’s primed to continue to play well. We’ll think through how we manage some of those older guys in the second half of the year but they’re in really good shape so there’s no reason to think they can’t play at their best.”

Scott baulked at claims the Cats were light in the ruck departing, as he said the club was “pretty well stocked”.

“With ruckmen, you rarely get the balance perfect. You’ve either got too many and you’ve got guys in the VFL or you don’t have enough,” he said.

“We’re really confident we’ve got some options outside those two young ruckmen who we think are very capable of playing AFL footy this year.

“I think it’s forgotten a little bit, Shannon Neale is a 203cm ruckman-forward, Blicavs, De Koning will come back in four or five weeks.”

Scott on Stevens’ debut hopes

Geelong coach Chris Scott has praised untried midfielder George Stevens who continues to knock on the door of the Cats’ AFL team.

The 20-year-old from South Warrnambool has been in dominant form this season at state league level, averaging 27 disposals a game.

While he’s appeared among the Cats’ emergency list consistently throughout the occasion, Geelong’s midfield is among one of the hardest to break into given the form of Tom Atkins, Max Holmes and Bailey Smith among others.

Across the last several weeks, Ted Clohesy has often been the man called into the side, although he’s often been used as the substitute.

“He’s certainly playing his part and in a lot of these cases it’s who are you going to replace, our midfield is going pretty well,” Scott said.

“George is a genuine midfielder for us. George is playing well enough to be in the team, there are just midfielders in front of him.”

Scott and his coaching staff have experienced a selection squeeze in recent weeks with Ollie Henry and Jed Bews among those in the reserves.

The Cats confirmed earlier this week young ruck Mitch Edwards would play his first VFL game of the season against Brisbane this weekend.

The game is scheduled to go ahead at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday at 11.05am.

Brisbane will go in as favourites as the Lions currently sit fifth on the ladder while the Cats are 16th with a 5-6 record.

VFLW action sees the Cats take on Carlton on Sunday.

Originally published as Chris Scott on Patrick Dangerfield ahead of game 350