Dangerfield heroics excite reliable Lion for GF clash
Watching on in awe as Patrick Dangerfield single-handedly destroyed Hawthorn only made Brisbane gun Josh Dunkley more excited at the prospect of standing in his way.
The Geelong skipper turned back the clock in magnificent fashion in last Friday’s preliminary final, putting the Cats on his back with 31 disposals, 20 contested possessions, and three goals. Dunkley, who regularly goes head-to-head with the AFL’s best contested ball beasts, looms as the only Lions midfielder with the frame and height to match Dangerfield at stoppages. He’s ready to front up if required when the Cats star rolls through the midfield in Saturday’s grand final at the MCG.
“Finals footy’s all about the contest and seeing the way he played last week was, like insane,” Dunkley said. “It was one of the best games I’ve ever seen, and to be able to do it in the contest, but then also do it forward and kick goals—like an insane amount of it—was just incredible to watch.
“I was sitting back in the hotel over there before our game, watching thinking ‘jeez, how good’s this bloke, winding back the clock.’ So yeah, it is an exciting opportunity for whoever’s on him at this certain time. And we’ll try and stop him and get the best out of it.”
Dunkley was also prepared for the prospect of tackling the likes of Max Holmes, Bailey Smith, or Tom Atkins if required at different times.
“We talk about being on edge and for me, I’m on edge every single week because I’m playing against probably one of the best players in the comp,” Dunkley said. “Tomorrow it’s going to be whoever’s going well at the certain time.”
He brushed off any concerns over an ankle issue that prompted a lighter training week ahead of the grand final.
Dangerfield, meanwhile, wasn’t thinking about a tag but is just as wary of what contested beast Dunkley can do.
“He’s a wonderful player in his own right, forget the negating part of his game,” Dangerfield said. “So we’re going to be mindful of that. We’ve had plenty of meetings this week around how we think they set up, but most of it, to be honest, has been about what we do.”
Dunkley is a player Lions coach Chris Fagan knows he can count on, hailing his impact both on and off the field.
Entering his third consecutive decider and fifth grand final overall, Dunkley has played two grand finals at the Bulldogs—winning in 2016 and losing in 2021—before crossing to Brisbane at the end of 2022.
“He’s a fantastic finals player for the way that he goes about it,” Fagan said. “And there’s no mistake that he’s been at our club for three years, and we’ve made three grand finals.”
https://www.perthnow.com.au/sport/afl/dangerfield-heroics-excite-reliable-lion-for-gf-clash-c-20149585
