In-form midfielder Patrick Dangerfield says he’s happy to 'take one for the team' and be targeted by opposition taggers.
After back-to-back best-on-ground performances in rounds five and six, Dangerfield attracted close attention from Geelong tough nut Taylor Hunt last Saturday and was limited to one possession in the opening quarter.
Dangerfield was able to work his way into the game after the first change, collecting seven possessions and four clearances in the second quarter and finishing with a respectable 20 disposals, eight clearances and four inside 50ms.
The explosive 22-year-old also wore a tight tag in round two, with Western Bulldogs onballer Liam Picken assigned the unenviable task of stopping the budding leader.
In his first year as a full-time midfielder, Dangerfield said he was still adjusting to being tagged.
“I didn’t adjust early enough against Geelong,” Dangerfield told the Crows official podcast Down the Guts.
Click the play button above to listen to the round eight episode of Down the Guts
“You’ve got to do a little bit more body work when you have a close run-with player. In the first quarter, I didn’t do that particularly well. My strength is my contested footy, so I try to bring them into the stoppage and work from there.
“I didn’t do that overly well in the first quarter, but I think after that I did it okay. You can’t just be pushed around by a Taylor Hunt or a Liam Picken. You have to stand your ground.”
The Cats’ decision to tag Dangerfield allowed influential onballers Scott Thompson and Rory Sloane to win plenty of the ball.
Coach Chris Scott was forced to adopt a second tagger in the second quarter to nullify Sloane, who amassed eight touches and two clearances in the first quarter alone.
Thompson went head-to-head with the likes of Joel Selwood, Joel Corey and James Kelly for most of the match and finished with 34 possessions, six clearances and a goal in a performance that earned him a perfect 10 votes in the AFL Coaches Association Player of the Year award.
Dangerfield said the Crows were starting to develop a dangerous midfield group.
“If someone is being closely monitored whether it be Scott Thompson, myself or Sloaney, other players will pop up,” he said.
“We’ve got a real depth in our midfield, which I don’t think we’ve had for a couple of years. No matter who you tag, someone else is going to step up and damage you and that’s what you need if you’re going to be a good side.”
Saturday night football returns to Adelaide next weekend, with the Crows hosting Collingwood at AAMI Stadium. Click here for tickets and match day information
