WEST Coast coach John Worsfold sees a lot of dual Brownlow medallist Chris Judd in Adelaide star Patrick Dangerfield.
The Eagles face the Crows on Saturday night at AAMI Stadium in a vital clash for both clubs in the context of their seasons, and Dangerfield looms as a key figure.
Worsfold said that Dangerfield reminded him of the Eagles' 2006 premiership captain.
"The strength to stand up in the tackle and come out of congested situations with some good speed and power … and he's pretty clean in there as well in those congested situations."
Worsfold knows Judd as well as anyone. Judd played his first 134 matches in the AFL with West Coast.
Under Worsfold's tutelage he won a Brownlow medal, a Norm Smith medal, two best and fairest awards, an AFLPA MVP, captained a premiership team and was twice named All Australian.
Dangerfield hasn't quite soared to those heights in his first 102 games but he is coming off his best season in the AFL.
The 23-year-old was named All Australian in 2012 for the first time, finished second in Adelaide's best and fairest, and seventh in the Brownlow Medal count.
Worsfold says Dangerfield is now an elite player in the competition.
"He's just one of those special players when you're watching the game.
"He can impact in various ways."
Dangerfield has averaged 24 disposals so far this season.
But of all the midfielders in the competition averaging 24 touches or more, Dangerfield has kicked the most goals, 20 in all, including two bags of four against the Western Bulldogs and Greater Western Sydney.
"I think over his career he'll be more of a goal kicker than Juddy," Worsfold said.
"But that's partly because he spends more time forward in the way the game is played.
"We're certainly conscious of what he can bring and we'll put things in place to limit the impact he can have on the game if that's possible."
Worsfold was unsure whether a hard tag was the best way of containing a player like Dangerfield.
"There's a balance there.
"If you think you can get off him the other way, then you might be giving him a bit more leeway to win the footy and damage your prospects.
"I think that they’re always things that you are balancing up with every opposition."
