Danger gives finger to pain
GEELONG superstar Patrick Dangerfield will again play in pain in Friday night’s cutthroat semi-final as he deals with a fractured finger.
The Brownlow medallist faces post-season surgery on his right ring finger to repair the injury he suffered late in the Cats’ thrilling loss to Melbourne in round 23.
The injury hampered the jet midfielder in the qualifying final loss to Port Adelaide on Friday which has put the Cats at risk of a straight-sets finals exit against GWS Giants.
Geelong has confirmed Dangerfield, 31, will definitely take on the Giants in Perth on Friday night after playing with his ring and little fingers taped together against the Power.
Dangerfield’s efficiency was down in the loss to Port, but football manager Simon Lloyd said the Cats star would defy the injury for a second week.
He is almost certain to go under the knife at season’s end.
“Patrick is playing with a hand injury that he sustained in the final home and away game against Melbourne,” Lloyd said.
“Many players are carrying something this time of year and there is no concern about Patrick’s availability this week.
“He will play against the Giants and he will be ready to give it a red-hot crack.”
Speedster Mark O’Connor won’t tackle the Giants after hurting his hamstring which could rule him out for the remainder of the finals series.
Utility Zach Tuohy is his likely replacement.
The Cats are under pressure to hit back after suffering their eighth loss from nine matches in the first week of the finals.
Another defeat will reignite discussions about the Cats’ finals record even though they have been the most successful home-and-away AFL team over the past decade.
Since 2012, the Cats have won 150 matches and lost 62, the best regular-season record in the competition, according to Champion Data.
But Lloyd said Geelong was firmly focusing on snapping back to its best form on Friday night in a bid to reignite its premiership ambitions ahead of a potential preliminary final against Melbourne in Perth.
“We expect he (Dangerfield) and his teammates and the club to respond after last week,” Lloyd said.
The Cats managed only 43 points in the loss to the Power, their lowest score of the season. It was the fourth time since 2017 Geelong has kicked its lowest score of the year in the first final.
Courageous captain Joel Selwood also played with a hand injury in last year’s finals series but backed Dangerfield to deliver his normal output against the Giants.
“He (Dangerfield) will be fine,” Selwood said.
“He will probably handle the balls a little bit more this week (at training) to work out how to best use it (the finger).
“He has played with a number of injuries throughout his career so it is not something new to him.
“It is quickly forgotten about in the heat of battle, I can tell you that. The adrenaline will get to Paddy.”