AFL 2024: Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield expects changes to concussion ruling and throws support behind mid-season trade period

Patrick Dangerfield has backed the AFL’s venture into NRL heartland and the new mid-season trading concept that looms large. He explains why here.

Patrick Dangerfield has weighed in on concussion. Picture: Getty Images

Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield is expecting continual changes to match review officer rulings and concussion protocols into the future as new information arises on one of the biggest issues facing the game.

The AFL Players Association president believes it is important to see the big picture with suspensions, saying that while players may feel “stiffed” by penalised incidents, the long-term health and wellbeing of players should be the priority.

Dangerfield was famously rubbed out for one-match in 2017 for a dangerous tackle which concussed former Carlton player Matthew Kreuzer, leaving Dangerfield ineligible for back-to-back Brownlow Medals and just three votes shy of winner Dustin Martin.

Patrick Dangerfield copped a one-match ban for a tackle on Matthew Kreuzer in 2017. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith

The 33-year-old also expressed his support for a mid-season trade period and the AFL’s opening round concept, describing the venture into New South Wales and Queensland as a “no-brainer”.

The AFL Commission’s ruling on proposed rule changes looms, with the league looking to tweak match review interpretation in the wake of Brayden Maynard’s high hit on Angus Brayshaw in last year’s qualifying final, which came in the act of smothering,In a memo released to AFL clubs in December, the league also wished to come down harder on rundown tackles where players are driven into the ground with “excessive force”.

Victorian state coroner Joh Cain handed down 21 concussion recommendations in December as part of his findings into the death of former Richmond player Shane Tuck, including reducing contact training in the AFL and AFLW by the 2025 pre-season.

Several players across the competition have suffered concussion blows this pre-season with Western Bulldogs draftee Aiden O’Driscoll spending time in hospital following a brutal collision with Bailey Williams, who also entered concussion protocols.

It comes as the Australian Institute of Sport released concussion recommendations for junior and recreational sport last week which stated that players should be kept out of competitive matches for three weeks and contact training for a fortnight after encountering concussion symptoms.

Dangerfield is in favour of the AFL’s current concussion measures currently in place but said rules are unlikely to be set in stone.

Jeremy Cameron was stretchered off a head knock last year. Picture: Daniel Pockett/Getty Images

“I’m really supportive of what’s currently in place, we are learning more every year. You can only go off the best science you know at the time and what you feel is the best decision for the code at the time,” Dangerfield said.

“I think the AFL has been really cognisant of that, we’ve certainly been collaborated at stages around certain things, not all, but certain things, which is important. You need to have players on board with that sort of stuff.

“But I think there is going to continue to be an evolution around concussion, around how we adjudicate certain incidents that happen, some that are footballing actions, some that aren’t and some that sit in a grey area of, ‘it’s a footballing action, but it something we need to remove for the betterment of the game and player safety’.

“There’s going to be times where you feel like you’re stiffed and that’s just going to have to be okay. What’s paramount is once you remove yourself from the emotion of the game as a player, your health is the most important thing whilst you’re playing, but more importantly once you’re finished.

“I think we’re getting better at understanding that as players.”

Dangerfield also wants to see the mid-season trade period introduced.

This publication reported last week that the AFL is set to launch a mid-season trade period next season, with clubs lodging submissions to the league on mid-season trading along with other list management strategies.

While Dangerfield acknowledged it is a “significant” measure, he thinks it will only benefit the game by creating opportunities for players and adding an extra dimension to a drab period.

Esava Ratugolea was traded from the Cats last year. Picture: Mark Stewart

“I’ve always been really supportive of it, open to it and I think it is a way to progress the game. I think if you’re honest with where the game’s at there’s a groundhog element to rounds 12 to 16 and it’s just the nature of the beast,” Dangerfield said.

“I think it is the way to spice up the season, it gives players opportunities, both by being traded in and being traded out, it gives clubs a chance to reflect on where they are at, pragmatically, potentially move players out, those players get more opportunities for teams potentially playing finals.

“I don’t see too many negatives of it, and that’s obviously the challenge because you are dealing with the unknown in terms of the repercussions that come with something as significant as this. But there’s nothing wrong with trying it, if it doesn’t work out then we can always remove it. That’s where I’m at with it.”

Dangerfield is also all for the AFL’s opening round measure, which will see Victorian clubs Melbourne, Carlton, Collingwood and Richmond venture to NSW and Queensland.

“The Sydney front and that eastern seaboard is a real market of interest for the competition and it makes sense to do. I think it is a no-brainer in terms of pushing in on the NRL turf,” Dangerfield said.

“They’re too interested in Vegas anyway,” he added with a laugh.

The Brownlow medallist was pleased with the hard work that was put in to secure the new five-year Collective Bargaining Agreement.

In a big win for the AFLPA, the agreement saw a 10 per cent rise in AFL total player payments while AFLW player payments will receive a 77 per cent boost by 2027.

“We were really proud of the work that’s been done. It was a hugely robust negotiation process but we got there in the end. I think it is something that reflects the value of both playing cohorts provide the competition,” Dangerfield.

“It is a gamechanger in terms of women’s footy and I think both the players association and the AFL have been upfront about trying to progress it.

“There’s always toing and froing in these negotiation processes and sometimes it doesn’t seem smooth sailing and sometimes it isn’t, but I feel like we’ve got a really healthy respect from the AFL and from the players for the league more broadly about what they are trying to achieve.

“I think it is a great deal for all and I think it sets the benchmark for sport in Australia.”

Originally published as AFL 2024: Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield expects changes to concussion ruling and throws support behind mid-season trade period