Patrick Dangerfield reveals why he’s in awe of Gary Ablett

LIKE every Geelong fan, Patrick Dangerfield was excited by Gary Ablett’s return home, and one extraordinary act at training over summer showed him the extent of his new teammate’s brilliance.

THERE was no way he knew I was there.

I hadn’t called for the ball and there were four players around him so I assumed it certainly wasn’t going to be coming my way.

The next thing I knew I haven’t broken stride and the ball was in my hands thanks to a handball that only a couple of players in the competition could have even contemplated, let alone delivered.

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That was my welcome to the world of Gary Ablett.

After the session I went and spoke with assistant coach Nigel Lappin about that handball because I still couldn’t believe what he’d done.

Trust me I haven’t been the only Geelong player shaking their head in amazement at some of the things our new recruit has produced over the summer.

I’ve been as excited as every Geelong fan from the moment in the trade period when his return looked like finally becoming a reality.

I actually interviewed Gaz for Channel 7 last week and it was a fascinating chat.

What struck me the most is for all his brilliance, it’s been extraordinary the criticism he’s copped in recent years.

Patrick Dangerfield with Gary Ablett and Joel Selwood. Picture: Michael Klein

But do you think it worries him?

He just takes it on the chin, explains how he can’t change what is being said, and then gets on with making himself a better player. Which it must be said, is very scary.

What makes great players is the simple things that they do. This might sound ridiculous because when you watch a game everyone just notices the brilliant acts.

But it’s the mundane things such as being clean off the ground which enables them to have so much more time with the ball than the mere mortals do.

So if Gaz collects it on the boundary line he’s got that split second longer because he’s been that little bit cleaner and has read the play that little bit earlier.

Everyone says the same thing about Scott Pendlebury, it’s like time slows down around him but he has that space because he’s already made the right decision ahead of everyone else.

I’d also advise people not to look too much at Gazza’s birth certificate because he doesn’t look like he’s slowing down.

He’s never going to win a 100m sprint but what he does is read the cues of the game so early that he hits top speed earlier than anyone else which makes him look quick.

And his lateral movement is off the charts. The reason? He trains in runners.

Let me tell you, training in runners against guys who are wearing boots is one of the hardest things you can possibly do but he never falls over.

I’m convinced being in the runners keeps his centre of gravity low — as he’s almost keeping his body over his feet, if that makes sense — which means he’s never unbalanced.

It’s hard to explain in words but it’s worth a trip out to Deakin University in the pre-season to watch it happen. It certainly blew me away.

One of Gary Ablett’s greatest assets is his ability to stay a step or two ahead of the play. Picture: Michael Klein

Watching the young players hang off his every word (I’m not young but include myself in this category) is so good to watch and he’s such a great resource.

Recently he addressed our Academy group about the time in 2006 when his team leaders called him in and told him he didn’t train hard enough.

It was a light bulb moment for his career. You could see what Gaz retelling this story did for the kids in the room.

Nothing compares with seeing things with your own eyes and this is certainly the case with Gaz and Joel Selwood who becomes the third fastest player to 250 games today.

You don’t appreciate just how good Joel is from afar but the one thing I have loved over the past two years is that I no longer receive at least one or two really solid jabs in the ribs when playing against Geelong.

Without fail when I played against him for Adelaide, his knuckles would be stuck under my rib cage at a centre bounce.

I don’t know how you quantify will but there is no-one who has played with more of it.

It’s almost like he senses moments and it doesn’t have to be with ball in hand as he’ll take two opponents out to clear a path for a teammate.

Joel’s resilience is extraordinary.

In the lead-up to the 2016 season he had plantar fasciitis and I thought his foot was stuffed but he kept saying he’d be available for Round 1.

Dangerfield is glad to have Joel Selwood as a teammate and not an opponent. Picture: Getty Images

He played in a VFL practice match the week before the season opener and then declared he was right go. He then went out dominated as usual and then didn’t miss a beat for the rest of the season.

From the outside you look at him and think this bloke is not real, he can’t be that good, that well respected off the field and that well received by members and corporates.

But he is.

For example if our team manager is handing out tickets to the Virgin Lounge, Joel will go over, grab them and says, “I’ll do it, sit down”.

He’s also the one who will pick up the rubbish or towels in the club rooms. You can’t teach what Joel has.

If you want to articulate to first or second-year players about what attitude you need to take, I’d say watch Joel for a day and just do that.

A lot of words have been spoken and written about the three of us over the summer and how we’re going to work together this season.

I wouldn’t stress about it, we’re certainly not, but I will admit I’m a bit excited about getting on the end of a few more of those handballs.