Inside the conversations that led to Patrick Dangerfield becoming Geelong’s next captain

It would have been one of the great podcasts and we take you inside the fascinating conversations that led to Geelong landing on Patrick Dangerfield as its next captain.

Hours of conversations led Geelong to picking Patrick Dangerfield and Tom Stewart as its leaders. Picture: Mark Wilson

For football and leadership diehards, it would make for the ultimate podcast.

But the hours and hours of discussions about captaincy, how football clubs work and where Geelong is headed will remain inside the walls at GMHBA Stadium.

Dangerfield has succeeded Selwood. Picture: Mark Stewart

Throughout February, Cats coach Chris Scott and his footy boss offsider Simon Lloyd sat down with the majority of the Geelong list to pick their brains about what makes a good captain before deciding who best fit the mould.

The Cats leaders spoke with about 30 players, quizzing them in conversations that varied from five minutes to near on an hour.

Having not appointed a new captain since Joel Selwood took up the mantle in 2012, it was decided that the lengthy chats provided more value and deeper knowledge on what the playing group wanted and needed in its leadership compared to the typical player vote that is common across the AFL.

Tom Stewart and Patrick Dangerfield will lead Geelong forward. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Lloyd and Scott walked away from the conversations with a deeper knowledge of their players and steered the questions into what direction Geelong is headed instead of about individual appointments.

In the end, despite the hours of talk, the Cats ended up in the same position they started.

Frontrunners from the moment Selwood announced his retirement, Patrick Dangerfield and Tom Stewart were always the outstanding candidates.

Chris Scott and the Cats had plenty of options. Picture: Kelly Defina/Getty Images

Unlike some other clubs – Sydney earlier in February announced a leadership group of eight – Geelong decided to keep its leadership team to two, with near on 20 other senior players in consideration for any important discussions.

As Scott surmised afterwards, it was a long process for an obvious result.

“The last thing we wanted to do as a footy club was say ‘Hey let’s take two of our best players and burden them with a role that is going to take away from how they play on field’,” Scott said.

“We want it to be the opposite.

“In summary, it was a mature discussion involving a big number of people around the club really framing what we wanted from a leader instead of just picking who we thought was best.”

Once it was decided Dangerfield would be captain and Stewart his offsider, the decision was passed up the club’s chain of command and ultimately ticked off by the board.

The wider playing group was introduced to its new captain on Thursday before it was made public about 9pm on Saturday night as a club function.

Cats members were the next to know through email before social media became awash with Geelong’s new captain.

Originally published as Inside the conversations that led to Patrick Dangerfield becoming Geelong’s next captain