Patrick Dangerfield

Dangerfield ended his season by receiving his first ever selection into the All-Australian Team as a forward-flanker and polled 23 votes (third highest in his career) finishing 7th in the Brownlow Medal.

Patrick Dangerfield (born 5 April 1990) is a professional Australian rules footballer playing for the Geelong Football Club in the Australian Football League (AFL).

Dangerfield was born on 5 April 1990 at Moggs Creek, Victoria, to mother Jeanette and father John.

He first played junior football with Anglesea Football Netball Club.

In 2004 at 14 years of age he was named junior captain.

He selected to represent Vic Country at the Under-16 National Championships.

In his late teens he moved to Geelong and attended Oberon High School where he was named school captain.

Drafted by Adelaide in 2007, Dangerfield was immediately able to make a lasting impression with his ability to explode from stoppages through the midfield as well as play virtually all of the forward positions.

In October 2007, he won the 100m and 400m titles at the Victorian Secondary Schools Athletics.

He played at Under 18 level with the Geelong Falcons earning selection for Vic Country in the Under-18 National Championships.

He was selected in the AIS-AFL Academy squad that toured South Africa in early 2007.

Patrick Dangerfield was selected by Adelaide with the tenth pick in the 2007 National Draft.

Dangerfield's selection caused immediate controversy as he spent his first AFL year studying in his home state, Victoria, and could not train with the club consistently, while other possible selections such as Brad Ebert began their AFL careers in the senior side.

He previously played for the Adelaide Football Club from 2008 to 2015.

He has served as Geelong captain since the 2023 season.

Since debuting in 2008, Dangerfield's accomplishments include winning the Brownlow Medal, the Leigh Matthews Trophy, and the AFLCA Champion Player of the Year Award.

He is also a triple Carji Greeves Medallist and a Malcolm Blight Medallist.

As well as receiving several media awards, he is also an 8-time All Australian and has represented Australia four times in the International Rules Series.

Dangerfield is also president of the AFL Players Association.

Dangerfield is a frequent AFL media performer, with regular spots on Channel 7, Fox Footy and SEN. He also co-hosts a weekly fishing program.

During 2008 he played for the Geelong Falcons in the TAC Cup while studying and training with Adelaide when possible.

Despite his disadvantages, Dangerfield made his debut for the Crows in their round 20 clash against Essendon during the 2008 AFL season, recording 9 disposals and 1 goal.

Dangerfield played one more game for the season, the following week in round 21, recording 3 disposals.

In the 2009 AFL season, Dangerfield changed his guernsey number from 19 (retired in order to assist the launch of the club's "19th Man" campaign) to the number belonging to former Adelaide captain Mark Ricciuto, 32.

In that year he became a regular in the Crows' senior side, with his style of play likened by fans and commentators to Ricciuto.

He received an AFL Rising Star nomination in round 3 for his performance against at Subiaco Oval, Dangerfield recorded, 20 disposals, 1 goal, 5 inside-fifties, and 5 clearances in the game.

Dangerfield played in 19 of the 22 games during the home-and-away season, averaging 13.0 disposals and 1.0 goals a game.

Dangerfield played in two finals, recording 11 disposals and 2 goals in the Crows 96-point win over Essendon in an elimination final, the following week Dangerfield recorded 16 disposals and 2 goals in a 5-point loss to Collingwood in the semi-finals.

Dangerfield is widely considered one of the best players of the 2010s.

In the 2010 AFL season, Dangerfield continued to develop his game, only missing two games for the entire season.

He increased his disposal average to 15.7 and continued to average a goal a game, kicking 26 goals for the season.

Dangerfield had his best game of the season in a 22-point victory over the West Coast Eagles in round 15, recording 23 disposals, 1 goal, 7 inside-fifties, and 6 clearances.

In the 2011 AFL season, Dangerfield was given more responsibility in the midfield and continued to make leaps on improving his game, increasing his disposal average from 15.7 to 17.1, along with still averaging a goal a game, racking up 375 disposals for the year (6th best at the club), and kicking 23 goals (3rd best at the club) behind the Crows' two main forwards.

Dangerfield had his first 30 possession game against Richmond in round 23, recording 31 disposals, 7 inside-fifties, and 10 clearances in a 22-point loss.

He also won the annual Grand Final Sprint.

In the 2012 AFL season, Dangerfield emerged as a star of the competition, playing in the midfield full-time, and racking up 667 disposals for the regular season, ranked tenth in the AFL.

He increased his average disposal count from 17.1 up to 26.7 a game, but dropped to averaging just under a goal a game, still kicking 23 goals for the season.

Dangerfield had several breakout games in 2012, recording 39 disposals and 14 inside-fifties in a round 5 showdown clash against Port Adelaide, resulting in Dangerfield winning the Showdown Medal, recording 36 disposals and 2 goals in a round 23 clash against the Gold Coast Suns, among more.

Dangerfield helped the Crows finish the season with a win–loss record of 17-5, finishing 2nd on the ladder after finishing 14th the previous year.

During the season he re-signed with the club for three years, to a very positive reaction from Crows supporters.