Patrick Dangerfield 'approach' by AFL Commission sparks uproar at rival clubs
With vacancies on the AFL Commission in deperate need of filling, Patrick Dangefield has reportedly been sounded out by the league.
The AFL Commission has left commentators stunned after reportedly approaching Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield to fill a vacancy on the board, in a move that is believed to have left rival clubs with eyebrows firmly raised. The 32-year-old Brownlow Medal winner has no plans to retire at this stage, and would be the first active player to serve on the AFL Commission should his appointment proceed.
Dangerfield was reportedly contacted by outgoing AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan to gauge his interest in such a move, with the veteran likely to have to step down as head of the AFL Players Association in order to facilitate joining the Commission. Caroline Wilson broke the story first for The Age, and later elaborated on the scoop on Footy Classified.
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The Commission has two vacancies to fill following the departures of Jason Ball and Kim Williams, with the league said to be keen to add more football voices to the board. It comes as the new CBA between the AFL and players remains unsigned, adding a further wrinkle to the request.
Neither Dangerfield nor McLachlan have commented on the potential move. An AFL spokesman contacted by The Age said 'running commentary' on the vacancies would not be provided.
Wilson told Footy Classified that it would be a 'break' from convention were Dangerfield to be appointed, with Commission roles typically requiring a level of independence - hence some of the rumblings from rival clubs.
“Unless there‘s something we don’t know – and Geelong certainly don’t believe it to be the case that Patrick is retiring at the end of the year, and I don’t think Patrick is planning on retiring at the end of the year – I think it would not only be a radical break from Commission, but pretty much against the current charter of the Commission, which is that you have to be independent,” Wilson said.
“I gather that conversations are being had about conflicts and how they would be managed and that the AFL is determined to get a current voice of a player on the Commission. Already a couple of clubs have contacted me and told me they just can‘t believe the story to be true. I’ve been assured that it is.”
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Co-host Craig Hutchison agreed that it would be an 'unprecedented' move, adding that he believed rival clubs 'wouldn't cop it'. Wilson said the AFL was in 'desperate' need of a new football voice on the panel, something they have not had for several years.
“The AFL desperately need a football voice on the Commission, they haven‘t had one for nearly three seasons,” Wilson said. “There are a lot of other names they‘re looking at, people ranging from Ted Richards, to Chris Judd, to Matthew Pavlich, even Matt de Boer who’s had a pretty impressive post-footy career.”
Fellow panellist Matthew Lloyd pointed out that AFL legend Leigh Matthews had already offered to step down from his existing media commitments to fill one of the vacancies, and said he was confused at to why the AFL had not yet jumped at the opportunity to recruit the triple-premiership coach.
“Leigh Matthews would give away, he said earlier in the year, all his media commitments to go on the Commission," he said. “I think he would be unbelievable. What is it about Leigh they are not jumping at and saying: ‘Thank you for coming on the Commission.’ Isn‘t he exactly what we need?”
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