But the story wasn\u2019t merely the quality and scale of Dangerfield\u2019s work. It was when and where he did it.<\/p>\n
He booted the crucial first goal (from a free kick) for the Cats as they reeled from the gold-and-brown onslaught, and then, in the second quarter, the captain led the charge that saw Geelong wipe off that deficit to lead by a point, as Bailey Smith, Tom Atkins, Mark Blicavs and their other nuclear weapon, Jeremy Cameron, followed his lead.<\/p>\n
Hawthorn wilted in the face of this counter-offensive.<\/p>\n
The Cats cleared out in that third quarter, when the momentum from the midfield became like a boulder hurtling downhill. Of their seven goals in that term, five came from stoppages \u2013 a measure of how Smith, Dangerfield and Atkins had routed the Hawks.<\/p>\n
Loading<\/p>\n
For Hawthorn, this final reiterated what they had known \u2013 that they were one gun midfielder short even with Will Day, and two shy of premiership-calibre when Day is grounded. The pursuit of Zach Merrett<\/a> is based on that bottom line.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m really proud of the way our guys rallied after an imperfect start,\u201d Dangerfield told this masthead.<\/p>\n \u201cThey [Hawthorn] were playing well, pressuring well \u2013 but a bit of it was self-inflicted, like we didn\u2019t use the ball particularly well. We got that right in the second, [and] cleaned up our contest a bit.\u201d<\/p>\n The concussion of Stewart was other major subplot from this final; when it transpired \u2013 coupled with Henry\u2019s ankle (which seemed worse when it happened) \u2013 one wondered whether the Cats would be able to cover the loss.<\/p>\n Loading<\/p>\n By game\u2019s end, the narrative had shifted to Stewart\u2019s loss \u2013 no one who watched this final would doubt that Geelong could cover for Stewart next weekend.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s still very raw,\u201d said Dangerfield of his friend Stewart\u2019s concussion.<\/p>\n \u201cBecause we set ourselves … there\u2019s individual goals, and there\u2019s collective goals. And he is such an important part of our team, and also a friend of mine.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a tough thing to swallow, for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n Dangerfield\u2019s finals record is imposing, having been close to the Norm Smith Medal in the 2022 grand final massacre of the Swans. In Richmond\u2019s zenith, Dusty Martin had held the title of finals performer nonpareil; on this occasion \u2013 which drew more than 99,000 fans \u2013 \u201cDanger\u201d produced what might have been his finest hour-and-a-half.<\/p>\n I asked him to assess his performance, where it stood in his long career.<\/p>\n \u201cTo be honest, it\u2019s just the next one,\u201d he said. \u201cWhen you get to my age, all that matters is the next one. And if you look too far ahead or reflective, then you forget to live in the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cSo, I had to catch myself this morning, I was really nervous, getting up, [I] marched off the kids to school and sort of sitting at home, I\u2019m like, \u2018I\u2019m a little nervous here\u2019, and I had to set myself, just to a point of view, \u2018Mate, enjoy the moment.\u2019 And you don\u2019t know when the next opportunity is going to be.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s a beautiful game, it\u2019s a bloody hard game, and you never know when it\u2019s going to be up.<\/p>\n \u201cThat was sort of a nice little self-leveller this morning, you go, \u2018Mate, don\u2019t take yourself too seriously.\u2019<\/p>\n \u201cSo tonight was about taking a swing, and you don\u2019t kid yourself \u2013 it\u2019s not like you play with nothing to lose.\u201d<\/p>\n There was so much to lose, of course. But the 35-year-old number 35<\/a> refused to let his team succumb. He didn\u2019t merely live in the moment.<\/p>\n He owned them.<\/p>\n