Townsville Bulletin

Danger jokes stop with flag looming

- MICHELANGE­LO RUCCI

ADELAIDE’S players insist Friday night’s preliminar­y final is about them – and not Patrick Dangerfiel­d – as the Crows note the task of ending a 19- year AFL grand final drought is no laughing matter.

Crows forward Tom Lynch has stepped away from the almost- scripted banter between fellow Adelaide forward Josh Jenkins and Dangerfiel­d to highlight the real focus on West Lakes.

“I’m more interested in getting myself to a grand final than worrying about stopping someone else being there,” Lynch said. “It is not very often you get the prospect of being one game from the grand final, so a preliminar­y final makes you excited – and gives you goosebumps. So the prospect of us getting there is more important than what happens at any other club or any other player.”

Jenkins last week opened the off- field barbs with Dangerfiel­d – once kept on social media – to tell Fox Sports: “If he marches into town with his Geelong teammates, there’ll be nothing better than beating him and reminding him that perhaps he should have stuck around with us and he could be a Brownlow Medallist and a premiershi­p player.”

But Lynch reveals the strong ties – and respect – Dangerfiel­d still commands with so many Crows players, after playing 154 AFL games at Adelaide, makes a mockery of the mocking game between Jenkins and the Brownlow Medallist.

 ?? CLASS ACT: Crow Tom Lynch ( left) says it’s all business against Geelong, despite the Cats being armed with Patrick Dangerfiel­d ( right). Picture: GETTY IMAGES ??
CLASS ACT: Crow Tom Lynch ( left) says it’s all business against Geelong, despite the Cats being armed with Patrick Dangerfiel­d ( right). Picture: GETTY IMAGES
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