Pat’s path from winning medal to presenting it
PATRICK Dangerfield could find himself in the uncomfortable spot of handing this year’s Brownlow Medal to a player with fewer votes than him.
The AFL confirmed Dangerfield would still be invited to present this year’s Brownlow, despite being ineligible.
As the most recent winner, he will have the task of putting the 2017 medal around the neck of the winner.
Dangerfield yesterday accepted a one-match suspenus sion for his dangerous tackle on Matthew Kreuzer.
The star Cat said it was now time to move forward.
“Nobody likes missing games of footy, I certainly don’t, but we’ve got a greater goal that is bigger than myself, and just this weekend we’ve got a clear vision for what we want to achieve,” he said.
“You weigh up a whole myriad of different things, and that (challenging) comes into your calculations, but at the end of the day it’s a decision that is based on what is best for
as a group and as a club and now it is about moving forward and focusing on this week.
“It (the Brownlow Medal) is not in my thinking, and people can speculate as much as they like, but if you’re involved in any sort of sport you understand that the most important
thing is being involved on the final day and being triumphant.”
Dangerfield could poll the most votes but be on stage as he hands the medal to an eligible victor.
AFL spokesman Patrick Keane confirmed he would be invited to the count and asked to perform that task.
“All former winners are invited for life. We have had plenty of Brownlow medallists who have been suspended in later years who have attended,” he said.
“For the last 10 or 12 years we have invited the (last year’s winner) and given them that option (to present the medal).”
The Cats would hope to be in the 2017 Grand Final, but given Dangerfield lives only 90 minutes away from Melbourne would be expected to attend.