- Skipper plans to play beyond 2026
Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield has confirmed he has no plans to retire at the end of the season, with the decorated midfielder keen to extend his time at Cats.
Dangerfield, 35, spoke to the Daily Mail on Thursday after Virgin Australia announced they plan to extend their partnership with the AFL through to 2030.
Off-contract this year, some Geelong supporters have feared their captain would hang up his boots.
But after losing the Grand Final to the Brisbane Lions last September, Dangerfield confirmed the playing group are ready to rip in.
‘We have put the work in, the countdown is on to go time,’ Dangerfield said.
‘I’m looking forward to the State of Origin (with Victoria) over in Perth then our club trial against Hawthorn.
Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield has confirmed he has no plans to retire at the end of the season, with the decorated midfielder keen to extend his time at Cats
Dangerfield, 35, spoke to the Daily Mail on Thursday after Virgin Australia announced they plan to extend their partnership with the AFL through to 2030
Off-contract this year, some Geelong supporters have feared Dangerfield would hang up his boots – but he plans to stay on if his form warrants selection
‘As a group, we have moved on from the Lions defeat, losing is part of sport.
‘In terms of my future, I want to keep playing, I love the club…but as always, it is form dependent.
‘Footy isn’t a daily grind for me, so I’m not (exactly) in a rush to move on.
‘I’m (also) looking forward to seeing some guys who have trained well (in the pre-season) be handed an opportunity.’
Dangerfield joined Geelong from Adelaide in 2016, and although he did win a premiership in 2022, he arguably should have more flags on his sporting CV.
He also recently returned from Ireland where he watched Cats teammate Mark O’Connor win a Gaelic football final with Dingle.
‘We spent plenty of time in the air, it wasn’t exactly a junket,’ Dangerfield said.
‘It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, and what an experience, being in the crowd supporting a mate.
‘Danger’ was joined by teammates Mark Blicavs and Jack Henry in Ireland, with other Geelong stars meeting locally to cheer on O’Connor.
The Cats – rated a $9 chance to win the premiership with TAB – open their 2026 campaign on the road against Gold Coast on March 6.
