Geelong champion Patrick Dangerfield has had ankle surgery and will miss up to eight weeks of the AFL season.
Dangerfield decided to have an operation to fix a syndesmosis injury which he suffered in Sunday’s win against North Melbourne.
While the best-case scenario is a return in four weeks, the Brownlow medallist could miss as many as eight weeks but the Cats are reluctant to put a timeframe on his return.
“It was felt the best course of action was for Dangerfield to undergo surgery,” Geelong said in a statement on Wednesday night.
“Dangerfield will be out of action indefinitely with his rehabilitation and recovery from the injury determining his return to play.”
Dangerfield post-match shrugged off the injury as a “minor tweak”.
Geelong medicos initially backed that prognosis before scans revealed a syndesmosis tear.
After sending the star on-baller for a second medical opinion, the Cats and Dangerfield on Wednesday weighed up whether the 31-year-old should have surgery or if he could play through the pain.
After being hurt late in the third quarter against the Kangaroos, the brilliant midfielder returned to action briefly in the last term.
But he was then benched for the remainder of the match.
The fixture was Dangerfield’s first since being suspended for three games for rough conduct for an incident in Round 1.
The Cats, in eighth spot on the ladder with three wins and two losses, host sixth-placed West Coast on Saturday.
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
That sounds good to me actually what a perfect replacement for hartlett or Houston with that kick of his plus his defence side of the game is spot on. We've made the call McKenzie's in Ken.lol.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
Heard Mckenzie and Lienert playing well,would love Mckenzie on the back flank if he could play there,that left foot could be a real attacking weapon from there
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
100% apparently these things can be a real problem if they don't get it right the first time so fingers crossed. Yeah man Sunday night it is, weird bloody time if you ask me.lol.I think I'll give going a miss this week and fingers crossed for the showdown.lol. he was emergency last week wasn't he, not sure how McKenzie's going but he did well last year playing on taller blokes, so to play as a mid sized defender should slot in nicely if needed too.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
No injury is good .Could open the door for Fredericks debut,think we play sunday arvo,will check the SANFL team and see who doesnt play in it
O M
Roar Rookie
Not a great situation for Geelong and of course Danger. He has no doubt been one of the greats of the modern game so it would be a travesty if he was forced to limp into retirement with his final memory of a Grand Final being that moment he was left staring at Dusty's behind after being unceremoniously shrugged into the gutter just before Martin kicked his 4th miraculous goal of the game.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
I will accept your diagnosis. Perhaps Dangerfield should have said no as well.
pablocruz
Roar Rookie
My question is will Jordan Clark be reinstated to give the Cats some real pace?
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
Snap just read that myself. The Adam jinx is in full effect.lol. we better becareful if players keep getting these injuries from tackles the AFL will want to change the bloody rules or some rubbish as they do. Jokes but we know what these Muppet are like.lol.
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
Snap i was just about to post that as well. This is what I get.for backing him for the rising star at $81, I'm sorry Lachie my bad.lol. If players keep getting these injuries from tackles, the AFL will want to look at changing the rules so you can't tackle. Jokes but you know what these Muppets are like.lol.
Maxy
Roar Rookie
yea,think Lachie Jones at Port has been ruled out now with similar injury
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Yeah you’re exactly right there. There’s no one test that will incontrovertibly show a syndesmosis injury but I think this goes to a wider problem in the AFL where medicos don’t get the final say so on injuries, unless it’s like a concussion
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
Butters from port, stringer had it last year we seem to have a higher rate of syndesmosis injuries at the moment
Charlie Keegan
Roar Guru
The poke test. Poke it does it hurt? Somethings broken haha
AdamDilligafThompson
Roar Rookie
Its the same thing that butters from port had i think.
Peter the Scribe
Roar Guru
Can't recall Danger missing a big swag like this before. So many injuries to sides this year. Doggies seem to be getting a good run of it.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
You can diagnose a syndesmosis injury with some level of accuracy. Some tests can be performed, which in isolation do not necessarily give you a 100% accurate picture, but as a cluster, they do, i.e. Kleiger's Test, Squeeze Test, Cotton Test, Fibular Translation Test, etc., to name a few. Of course, you can never be 100 per cent certain without imaging to confirm. The fact he struggled to externally rotate on his ankle, which you could see him testing on the ground, instantly made me think of this as a possible injury. It was poor from their medical team. It's a nasty injury that shouldn't have been taken lightly. We are not talking about a GF here or a game Geelong needed to win. They were always going to win that game, with or without Danger. I can assure you, their medical team will be under scrutiny this week, especially when we're talking about a $1M+ player who is now out for possibly 8-weeks.
Aransan
Roar Rookie
The medical team wouldn’t have allowed him to play if they had had some idea of the extent of the injury. Dangerfield is too brave for his own good.
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
Just adds to the challenge. Good luck in your recovery, champ. I will add that it was poor from their medical team to allow Danger to continue playing with that injury. Very poor. Go Cats!