AFL: Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield says the Cats aren’t done after Thursday’s qualifying final loss to Port Adelaide

Geelong earned the double chance in the AFL finals, and superstar Patrick Dangerfield says the Cats aren’t done after Thursday’s loss to Port Adelaide.

Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield says the Cats aren’t done yet. Picture: Ryan Pierse/Getty Images

Wearing the battle scars of a brutal opening finals contest, Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield is adamant the Cats’ season is not over yet.

Dangerfield had his forehead opened up in a clash with Port Adelaide’s All-Australian defender Darcy Byrne-Jones in the 16-point qualifying final loss at Adelaide Oval on Thursday night.

The Cats have only won four of their past 16 finals and now face a do-or-die battle with the winner of Saturday’s match between West Coast and Collingwood to keep their premiership hopes alive.

But Dangerfield was adamant Geelong was just that.

They kicked 5.12, but even the most fervent Cats fan would concede the Cats played uphill football after halftime.

“We’re still alive. We’ve earned the double chance, we’ve earned the right, so we are very much alive,” he said.

“We’ve got to get over it, review it. But there is so much to look forward to. We’ve worked so hard this year, and it’s not over yet.”

The Cats finished the game with more scoring shots than Port but kicked 5.12, with spearhead and Coleman medallist Tom Hawkins kicking five behinds and zero goals.

“There was times when we turned the ball over in really hard-to-defend positions. and when we had out opportunities to execute in front of goal, we missed a few,” Dangerfield said.

“The competition is too good for that, we need to make sure we are putting pressure on the scoreboard as well as pressure on the ball.

“We gave ourselves opportunities, controlled the play at different stages, as did Port, and they put that scoreboard ascendancy on.”

❝We've worked so hard this year and it's not over yet.❞#GeelongStrong @FordAustralia pic.twitter.com/1NGPmNjeX5

— Geelong Cats (@GeelongCats) October 2, 2020

The Cats lost their opening final last year before bouncing back the following week to beat West Coast, which could be the same scenario they face this year.

“Right throughout this whole season that has been one of our strengths, resilience when things didn’t go our way,” he said.

“The challenge is exactly that, to get on with the job, to look forward to the next team we play and really respond.”

Dangerfield said there was no time for “self pity” and ample time to get ready for the semi-final back in Queensland next weekend.

“That’s the challenge for us, we have to lick our wounds and get over it pretty quickly,” he said.

“There is no time for self-pity at this time of the year. But we’ve got to be better.”