By JOHN VAN KLAVEREN
One game in the hoops – and he’s already a record breaker.
Star recruit Patrick Dangerfield lived up to the pre-season hype and then some as he rattled up a cricket score of possessions in Geelong’s outstanding 30-point win over Hawthorn on Monday.
Dangerfield’s career-high 43 disposals was a record for a player on debut, bettering the 37 gathered by Greg Williams in his first game for the Sydney Swans in 1986.
He would have snapped up the three Brownlow votes on offer as well.
Not that Dangerfield’s performance was perfect – he missed two easy set shots on goal in the frantic last quarter and fell afoul of the umpires while remonstrating over an unpaid free kick.
There was a free kick paid after that – but it was against the passionate star, with Cam Guthrie ushering him out of the area before things escalated.
Nevertheless the performance had Cats’ fans bubbling with excitement all over social media as they contemplated a season of hope once again.
There were renewed incitements of the Kennett Curse as well as sobering warnings that it was just one game in a long season and lauding the efforts of Dangerfield’s fellow recruits Zac Smith and Lachie Henderson.
John Pepperdine congratulated Geelong: “Beating the Hawks in front of 70,000 in game one is a fantastic effort. Cats for premiers 2016. So proud of our boys”.
“What a player he is,” Mitch Levien added. “Zac Smith was outstanding as well among many others, future looks bright for the Cats.”
Jayden Smith confessed Dangerfield’s game was enough to convert him from a St Kilda supporter to a Geelong supporter.
“I think I am in love again…” Brenda Walsh gushed “…with all the new players – they were all fantastic and (have) given us all so much hope for 2016”.
Mark Buch summed it up: “It was the Danger show!”
