As the clock in an odd, arrhythmic, finals-like final between Collingwood and Geelong dripped away, Patrick Dangerfield threatened to make things suddenly epic.
Until the unlikely, tense finale, the game had followed a predictable path.
Collingwood got the jump, Geelong steadied briefly, and then the Pies reasserted themselves, crafting the match-defining buffer by halfway through the second term.
A rout threatened, as Collingwood played a brand of football that had eluded them for the second half of the season, seamlessly intermixing breakneck pace and no pace at all. On the counter and from stoppages they were lethal – in all other situations, controlled.
Their pace spreading from stoppages, switching the play in defence on the MCG’s expanses, and at spillages inside 50 rattled Geelong early, and built what should have been an insurmountable lead.
Taylor Adams of the Magpies (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
It was insurmountable, as it turned out, but it wasn’t easy. After halftime the game simply died.
Geelong never play with pace, and Collingwood consciously took their foot off the gas, taking fewer risks (virtually none whatsoever) as they looked to nurse the clock to zero. A grind resulted – the match descended into a series of stoppages followed by intercept marks, with Tom Stewart, Jeremy Howe and Darcy Moore the defining actors.
The lead, which never really stretched beyond four goals, wasn’t immense, but it felt safe, because of the way the game was flowing (or rather, wasn’t flowing), and how meek the Cats looked in attack all night.
Until the final stanza, Geelong were devoid of creativity or life, committed to playing slow and kicking to contests along the boundary over and over again. Collingwood handled that Plan A, and there was no Plan B.
Plan C was Dangerfield’s cape. With the game ambling towards its conclusion, Dangerfield turned the night on its head. All evening – even with Scott Pendlebury’s decisive class, Steele Sidebottom’s guiding hand, and Jeremy Howe’s foray-destroying leaping and grip – Dangerfield loomed as the game’s most dominant figure, and in the final stages he became everything.
He snapped the goal to give the Cats a sniff and then started winning every clearance. The highlight-reel West Coast-era Chris Judd bursting through stoppages at full pace element of Dangerfield’s game has receded – now his brilliance is more profound and ever-present: he’s just too powerful to ever subdue in the contest.
If he is near the ball, he will muscle his way into possession, and there is too much strength and explosion in his body to prevent him from creating space to deliver the ball to a teammate.
He can still read a tap at pace and stream towards goal with a booming kick – including the one that nearly made the game erupt last Friday night – but his talent is in the smaller, pivotal moments: extracting a ball that should have stayed locked in, and finding a handball outlet that never should have existed.
Patrick Dangerfield of the Cats in action (Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Geelong’s comeback felt like one man’s stand – against the outcome of the match, but also against the way his team outside of him had played. Dangerfield brought the Cats back into the game by doing things that Geelong had tried to suppress in itself all night, like being unpredictable and bold.
Dangerfield started doing stuff. He barrelled torpedoes into the centre square, smashed kicks through the corridor and took opponents on. The textbook was shoved in the fire, and the music finally came on.
In the end, it wasn’t enough. The final margin was made respectable – which might hurt the Cats going forward by making them believe they can win the most meaningful games playing this conservatively. Geelong dominated virtually every statistical category and not for a second looked like winning.
Collingwood were battered in the contest and in territory but they played with pace when they needed to, spreading from the contests they did win and linking up telepathically with magnetic handball chains. That coherence of rapid movement was the game’s defining difference.
The Cats are disciplined, well-structured, dominant in the contest, clean with their disposal, and elite at intercept marking – they just haven’t found out a way to move the ball from one end of the ground to the other yet.
Dangerfield’s chaos and unpredictability is Geelong’s greatest attacking weapon – unless it spreads to his teammates, the Cats’ season will quickly be over.
AJ
Roar Rookie
I think it was the centre clearance after Pendlebury put Collingwood 4 goals up. It could've got Geelong back in the game much earlier, but instead Collingwood were able to get the ball out of their defensive 50 again. From memory, Dangerfield also gave away a few needless free kicks during the match. Also didn't stick with Adams in his first goal.
Mikey
Roar Rookie
Dangerwood's disposal is terrible but he gives 100%. Joel Selwood works hard, Stewart and a couple of others. That leaves a lot of passengers with Tomahawk leading the pack. Some of those passengers are only in the side for team balance and are lacking in skill. Bews comes to mind, and Atkins even though he tries hard. The biggest problem is Chris Scott and the predictable boring game plan.
Iambillbob
Roar Rookie
Has ever led a team to the premiership before???
Iambillbob
Roar Rookie
Wonder if he can kick 6 goals in a final...go a long way if he can
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Rugby build
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
What Bell said so eloquently. Totally agree
Andreas
Guest
I thought all season that Geelong would fade towards the end. Too many of their elite players are getting old. They might beat the Eagles (I wouldn't bet on it) but they will not get the Tigers.
Carl Trevaskis
Guest
Is Nakia Cockatoo eligible to play? I know he hasn't played all year, and didn't tear up the VFL... but could he replace Gary Rohan. He is strong, fast and tough. I'd like to see him out there and task him to live up to the expectations we have for him in the no.5 jumper.
Chris
Guest
Danger's thighs are the key to his game - massive!
Jack A
Guest
Danger will have to contend with WC bulls Nic Nat and Yeo at the stoppages this week and they are both capable of stopping him. Yeo is the #1 tackler in the AFL this year and may be given a run with role. Nic Nat can stop anyone and his long reach, quick reflexes and pace will come in handy. Hutchings tagged Kelly last time they played and kept him to 18 disposals in a Cats rout of WC - will he be asked to tag Danger this week? This is going to be a great game!
Timbo's rules
Guest
Dangerfield is a great player with some flaws. like all of them I guess. Compare him to Adam Goodes (or Paul Bagshaw) who had the ability to turn a game in dispute in ten minutes, finals, grand finals, you name it. The one thing these great players did was at critical times in a game they would take the ball from the heat of the contest and deliver it cleanly into the forward line. This is Dangerfield's one big failing and why he won't be remembered alongside the greats.
Jack A
Guest
WC has a great blend of pacy, gut-runners in the Cats back half that can make it difficult for the Cats to escape eg Cripps, Ryan, Rioli, Gaff, Masten, Waterman and Petrucelle (if he’s selected) can all run to varying degrees. Nic Nat ran down Saad in a burst of pace last week and he’ll be around the contest. Cats have to win the contested ball first and foremost and then move the ball with great precision. They can do that quickly or at a slower pace. I do agree that they have a greater chance of catching the WC defenders out if its moved quicker. I’m expecting a great game.
bell31
Guest
nice article Jay - at the game, that's exactly how it felt --- the Pies' lead never put the game beyond doubt, but always had the Pies in control of the game, until, if I recall correctly, the last half or so of the last quarter when Danger threatened to take the game away from us. Thank goodness for one of the shortest final quarters I can remember (26+ mins)!
JamesH
Roar Guru
If they play the slow kicking game against West Coast they'll get murdered. McGovern, Barass, Sheppard and Hurn will have a field day. The Cats have the pace to catch the Eagles out the back, if they're brave enough to use it.
Shane
Guest
Yep, that is the only reason. Spare me.
Pope Paul VII
Roar Rookie
Just taunt NN about his precious dreads. That should get the free kick count going.
Goalsonly
Roar Rookie
The cats like all players (and coaches) to varying degrees are learning to confront their fears. The Pies were more Poised. There's nothing to fear but the fear That's the lesson to learn when it's near So you best be prepared Too scared to BE scared. Cos in Danger the chances appear.
Goalsonly
Roar Rookie
There's two in my Dangerfield Show The mystery and the one that I know I only know bad Which is a bit sad When the other makes everyone glow.
Tezza knows
Roar Rookie
Do you barrack for Geelong. Against Collingwood, the analysis is very clear. it stood out like a shag on a rock that Hawkins, Taylor, Ablett and Selwood cant do the gut running required in matches. They are too battle weary to do that any more; that’s the real problem. Poor Danger had to do it all, and he nearly can. As I reflect more on that now, I am beginning to believe that Scott may not have pushed that group hard enough at training, and in game positioning. Has Hawkins moved beyond the hf line or in the ruck? Has Selwood been on the wing or half back too much. In other words, did Scott give them a softer year? Ditto for Taylor, he seemed to have been given a softer year too. All that translates into softer match play. If any Geelong player deserved calculated nursing during the year, it’s Dangerfield. Scott is conscious about doing that with Danger, but I think he dropped his guard there with the other players I mentioned. The Cats have virtually no chance against the Eagles. The counsel I give is : sacrifice your own game and tackle ferociously for the first 2 quarters (the Eagles hate that, history demonstrates that), and play corridor, tell Hawkins to move to the corridor position all the time, not the pocket, put Danger at full forward (deep) at commencement of the game and rotate him with Gazza, and Harry Taylor (occasionally)
Rissole
Roar Rookie
I recall in the game on Friday night (think it was the 3rd quarter) Dangerfield bursting from the centre square and missing a 15-20m pass to a free player on the lead. He ended up grubbing it along the ground.