‘Of course we can win it’: Defiant Dangerfield backs the Cats to contend again, despite his injury

Updated July 25, 2026 — 12:13am,first published 10:44pmPatrick Dangerfield has revealed he will likely need to take a break in the coming weeks to manage a troublesome adductor injury, conceding Geelong face a delicate balancing act between preserving their captain and maintaining their finals push.The Cats skipper, who battled through obvious discomfort in Friday night’s statement victory over Melbourne after an incident just before half-time, said he would undergo further medical assessment on Monday after feeling the problem worsen during the match.Patrick Dangerfield addresses his teammates at the MCG.AFL Photos“I’ll see the doctor Monday and see where it’s at,” Dangerfield told The Age after the Cats’ 18.9 (117) to 14.13 (97) win.The veteran admitted that, ideally, he would be afforded time to rest the injury, but said Geelong’s injury list and precarious ladder position meant that decision would not be straightforward.“In an ideal scenario there’d probably be time for rest, but we’ve just had injuries at the wrong time. We’ve just got to find a way,” he said.Dangerfield insisted the issue was different to the significant groin injuries that interrupted previous seasons and believed he could continue to play without causing further damage, despite increasing discomfort.“It’s an injury I’ve actually never done before. It happened changing direction,” he revealed.It cast the only significant shadow over one of Geelong’s most important victories of the season.The Cats ended Melbourne’s previously undefeated record at the MCG under Steven King and, in the process, delivered another compelling reminder that they remain firmly in the premiership conversation.With just weeks remaining before finals, the Cats appear to be building towards September in familiar fashion.“We can win it – of course we can win it,” Dangerfield said.“It’s about getting your best football going at the most important time of the year and then riding that wave once you’ve built it.“It started a couple of weeks ago. We haven’t executed it every time, but all you can worry about is the next moment and preparing yourself for the next big part.“There was a lot riding on tonight. It was pretty cool for us to get it right.”That confidence was built on one devastating quarter that completely transformed the contest.Melbourne dominated the opening term and should have established a commanding advantage. The Demons controlled territory, won the contest around the ball and repeatedly generated forward entries, yet their wastefulness in front of goal proved costly. They could easily have been four or five goals in front but failed to convert their dominance into scoreboard pressure.Geelong punished them.Chris Scott’s side produced a ferocious second-quarter burst, slamming on seven goals to two with a combination of ruthless efficiency, clean ball movement and relentless pressure that overwhelmed Melbourne.It was football played at premiership level.The Cats sliced through Melbourne’s defence with speed and precision, punished turnovers and suddenly looked every bit the experienced September side that has made a habit of peaking late in seasons.Emerging key forward Shannon Neale was the biggest beneficiary.Shannon Neale was a standout for the Cats against the in-form Demons.AFL PhotosThe athletic spearhead proved far too powerful for Melbourne defender Lukas Cooke, who was playing just his second AFL game, kicking five goals — four of them before half-time — in one of the finest performances of his career.Cooke fought gamely but was handed one of the toughest assignments in football and Neale’s combination of strength, reach and finishing proved too much to contain.Geelong also entered the game with a clear tactical plan for Melbourne captain Max Gawn.Tom Stewart had another standout night for Geelong.AFL PhotosRather than allowing the superstar ruckman to drift behind the play and influence contests with his marking, the Cats used Mark Blicavs to shadow Gawn around the ground after stoppages. Blicavs’ athleticism and discipline denied Gawn the freedom he so often enjoys as an intercepting presence and limited one of Melbourne’s greatest weapons.The Demons refused to surrender.Defender-turned-forward Harrison Petty threatened to drag his side back into the contest with a career-best display in attack, finishing with four goals in a performance that, at times, evoked memories of club great Garry Lyon. Every time Melbourne threatened to mount a charge, Petty provided another contest and another goal.But Geelong always had the answers.Just as encouraging for the Cats was where those answers came from.Dangerfield was quick to praise the club’s emerging talent, singling out defender Connor O’Sullivan as one of the brightest young players in the competition.“I think he’s going to be generational,” Dangerfield said.“He’s going to play for another 15 years. He’s an extraordinary athlete. His ability to run is phenomenal, and he reads the game so well. It’s hard to talk about him and not smile because it’s nice to know we’ve got him.”He also highlighted the performances of Mark O’Connor and Ollie Dempsey as further evidence Geelong’s improvement extends well beyond its established stars.For all the excitement surrounding those emerging players, however, the fitness of Dangerfield looms as Geelong’s biggest watch over the coming days.The 36-year-old has become one of the masters of managing his body through the demands of a long AFL season, but even he conceded the balancing act is becoming increasingly delicate as finals approach.The Cats have often reached this stage of the season with the luxury of managing veterans from a position of ladder security. This year is different.“Finals aren’t guaranteed,” Dangerfield said.“We’re still fighting. We’ve just got to finish as high as we possibly can.”On the evidence of Friday night’s emphatic victory, the Cats’ charge towards September has gathered genuine momentum. Whether their captain can remain on the park long enough to lead them may prove one of the defining stories of the final month of the home-and-away season.Keep up to date with the best AFL coverage in the country. Sign up for the Real Footy newsletter.From our partners