Geelong coach Chris Scott hits back at Kane Cornes’ comments on Patrick Dangerfield’s injury

GEELONG coach Chris Scott has labelled Kane Cornes’ comments about Cats’ star Patrick Dangerfield’s injury as “attention-seeking behaviour”.

Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield shook off a foot injury to produce a matchwinning display against Hawthorn. Picture: Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

GEELONG coach Chris Scott has labelled Kane Cornes’ comments about Cats’ star Patrick Dangerfield as “attention-seeking behaviour”.

The mentor hit back at Cornes following suggestions by the Port Adelaide premiership player that Dangerfield exaggerates injuries.

Dangerfield picked up a foot problem during the first quarter of Geelong’s three-point triumph over Hawthorn on Saturday, but returned to the field to produce a best-on-ground display as a deep forward.

Scott said comments by Cornes the following day were wide of the mark.

“I think it’s attention-seeking behaviour, so I’m inclined to not give it too much attention,” Scott told AFL360 on Monday night.

“As a coach you like to defend your players if you feel they need to be defended, (but) Patrick Dangerfield doesn’t need me stepping in for him.

Patrick Dangerfield grimaces with pain following Geelong’s three-point triumph over Hawthorn on Saturday. Picture: Michael Klein

“I tend to think it was a comment that was a legacy of the old Port-Crows rivalry rather than anything that reflected Kane’s true feelings.

“Patty played through broken ribs earlier in the year without a peep so my experience with him is he deals with pain pretty well.”

Dangerfield kicked five goals, collected 20 disposals and took 12 marks in the advanced role against the Hawks despite carrying what was later found to be bone bruising of the foot.

Cornes told the Sunday Footy Showthe Brownlow Medallist would be fit to face his former club Adelaide in Friday night’s top-of-the-table clash at Adelaide Oval.

“He does exaggerate injuries,” Cornes said.

“In his time at Adelaide, his teammates had to sit him down and say, ‘look, you do carry on a little bit with your injuries’.

Geelong coach Chris Scott has criticised Kane Cornes’ comments about Patrick Dangerfield’s foot injury. Picture: Peter Ristevski

“He does (carry on), so I’d be surprised if he missed with that injury yesterday (Saturday).”

Dangerfield mocked Cornes’ comments when he turned up at a press conference on Monday with his head bandaged, an arm in a sling and on crutches.

Scott said the 27-year-old, whose injured foot was in a moon boot, remained a chance to face the Crows and would be given until noon Friday to prove he had recovered.

“The scan has cleared serious damage and now it’s just a matter of how quickly it comes up,” Scott said.

“The long-term outlook is so murky that it’s not even really worth speculating.”

Originally published as Geelong coach Chris Scott hits back at Kane Cornes’ comments on Patrick Dangerfield’s injury