Patrick Dangerfield injury overshadows Cats win over Crows

Geelong showed they’ve still got it and stamped their authority on the competition, but they could be without a huge asset after a hamstring injury.

Patrick Dangerfield has claimed it was hamstring "awareness". Photo: Fox Footy and Getty Images

Just when the Dangerfield Express had seemingly reached terminal velocity, a hamstring-induced derailment has put the Cats skipper’s health back on to season 2023 news lists.

Patrick Dangerfield, 33, heavily praised in recent weeks as having fully regained the damaging speed and power of his early career, suffered a left hamstring injury late in the second quarter of the Cats’ 14.14 (98) to 11.6 (72) win over Adelaide at GMHBA Stadium.

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Dangerfield, replaced by sub Oliver Dempsey to start the third quarter, had again been the most influential player in the opening half as the Cats booted six second-term goals to establish the matchwinning break they didn’t relinquish.

The 2016 Brownlow Medal winner had been widely regarded as being on track to earn what would be a record nine All Australian blazers and was again top of the Cats’ stats list with 16 gilt-edged disposals by half time, including nine in a dominant second term.

Dangerfield has a history of soft-tissue injuries in his legs, including in 2022 when the Cats successfully managed his workload after an early calf injury, but he missed more than a month mid-season and wasn’t “let loose” until the finals.

Patrick Dangerfield went straight down the tunnel. Photo: Fox Footy

But the Cats claimed the injury wasn’t as bad as it seemed post-game.

Dangerfield himself said it was just “awareness” but will undergo a scan to make sure it’s only a minor injury.

His coach Chris Scott said it wasn’t a recurrence of another injury.

“In my opinion, injury history is very relevant when it’s a recurrence of a similar issue,” Scott said post-game.

“I can’t recall Pat doing a hamstring.

“I don’t think that’ll have a big influence. He’s had some trouble with a calf. If it was that, I think we’d be a bit more cautious. This is one we’ll treat as an isolated incident.”

The Crows also suffered an injury blow when backman Nick Murray was subbed at halftime with a suspected concussion.

The visitors shuffled admirably as Jeremy Cameron threatened to take advantage of the resultant mismatch left when Mitch Hinge was given the defensive task.

A gallant Adelaide was within three goals for long periods of the final term after Izak Rankine’s second major and enjoyed the lions’ share of possession.

A string of poor choices and execution in transition butchered their chances.

"Hopefully it's on the minor scale."

Dangerfield on his injury setback - and a cheeky "smoke and shadows" reference!

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Taylor Walker’s third goal cut the margin to two straight kicks and Rankine had one final chance to ratchet up the pressure when he burned off Mitch Duncan in a members’ wing foot race, but centred when perhaps he could have run on and kicked at goal himself.

But it was fitting that Cameron effectively ended the match with a sensational soaring mark that ultimately gave Tanner Bruhn the final goal.

Dangerfield told Fox Footy after the game that it didn’t feel “too bad”.

“(We’ll) scan it tomorrow and reassess – it feels minor, but you can never really tell with these things,” Dangerfield said.

“I’m on the wrong side of 30, so conservative approach, see how it goes.

““Having done one before on the belly, this doesn’t feel like that. But it wasn’t worth the risk a minute into the second half.

“Thankfully the guys finished off a really solid game against a team that’s playing really great footy.”

– with NCA NewsWire

Originally published as Patrick Dangerfield injury overshadows Cats win over Crows