Geelong have appointed Patrick Dangerfield as captain for the 2023 season.
The reigning premiers selected the unusual time of Saturday evening at 9pm to launch the information.
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The 32-year-old turns into the 54th captain in membership historical past and replaces the AFL’s longest-ever serving captain, Joel Selwood.
Star defender Tom Stewart has been named vice-captain.
The captaincy provides one other chapter to Dangerfield’s spectacular record of achievements, having lastly damaged by means of for his first premiership medal final yr.
He has received three finest and fairests on the Cats, in addition to a Brownlow Medal, the AFL MVP award, the AFLCA participant of the yr and eight All-Australians. He’s additionally the AFLPA president.
“I really like strolling into this soccer membership day-after-day. We’ve enjoyable and we work exhausting. Taking part in for the Cats has been every thing I dreamed it might be since I used to be a bit child,” Dangerfield mentioned.
“To proceed to symbolize Geelong, and the gamers, the membership, and the group who make it nice – lots of whom I’ve aspired to be like my entire life – is an honour.
“I am extremely fortunate to be a part of a bunch of gamers who push one another to nice heights and help one another in all issues. Collectively as one in hoops we’re excited to see the place the following chapter in our journey takes us.”
Dangerfield, who’s contracted till the tip of the 2024 season, will likely be hoping to comply with within the footsteps of his predecessors and exit on the last word excessive.
The previous three captains in Selwood, Cameron Ling and Tom Harley, have all retired after main the membership to the premiership.
Geelong coach Chris Scott paid tribute to Dangerfield and Stewart.
“Pat and Tom are great representatives of a bunch of gamers who know what it takes to unlock excellence on the highest stage of our sport,” he mentioned.
“The likes of Tom Hawkins, Cam Guthrie, Mitch Duncan, Mark Blicavs – these individuals are simply the newest era of gamers who mannequin what we aspire to be as a membership. Pat and Tom and the complete taking part in group know they’ve their help, and everyone knows how lucky we’re to have them at our membership.
“When Pat arrived, he influenced our membership for the higher, on the sphere however most importantly off it. He has and can at all times try to positively affect our folks and our tradition, which is ever evolving. He is discovered a method to embody who we wish to be as a soccer division.”
“As exhausting as Tom is on the sphere, is as exhausting as he works off it. To make himself, his workforce, and his membership higher. He is extremely effectively revered by everybody who is aware of him, performs with him, and performs on him. And that respect is well-earned.”
