Patrick Dangerfield responds amid furore over approach from AFL commission

Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield has spoken out after it was reported he had been approached to fill one of two board vacancies for the AFL Commission, saying he had no plans to retire in the short-term and adding that it would be impractical for a current player to fill such a role. The report that Dangerfield had been sounded out for the role by the likes of AFL boss Gillon McLachlan caused something of a stir, prompting suggestions rival clubs 'wouldn't cop it'.

The Commission has been keen to get more football voices on the board, a proposal Dangerfield supported, however the 33-year-old added he believed the general state of the league in the 2023 season meant some of those concerns were overblown in his opinion. No active player has ever served on the AFL Commission, with Dangerfield pointing out there were obvious conflicts of interest he believed would be too difficult to manage in order to do so.

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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 reported request.

Dangerfield said the only conversations he had with senior AFL figures came at the beginning of the season, and were much more general in nature regarding what his plans were when he does decide to call time on his career. In addition to McLachlan, Dangerfield said he had also chatted to Commission chairman Richard Goyder, however neither of those discussions had involved any serious suggestions of him joining the board.

"I haven't had any material conversations with either Gil or Richard about the commission," he told SEN on Thursday. "I spoke to Richard at the start of the season at the captain's conference and our conversation was more based on what post-footy is going to look like for me.

"It was a personal conversation mind you, so pathway beyond footy and where that goes. Part of that conversation was an extraordinarily surface level comment around commission, but certainly not join the commission."

Patrick Dangerfield rules out AFL role over conflicts of interest

Dangerfield said it would not be possible for any player to be on the commission due to the "challenges around the conflicts". The eight-time All-Australian backed in the AFL's administration as the league prepares to include Tasmania as the league's 19th team in coming years.

He added it was amusing that some of the talk regarding both the Commission and the future of the AFL more broadly seemed so negative. He said this season's closely fought finals race, as well as the generally strong financial position of most clubs, would suggest the AFL was in a healthy state.

"I do find it funny though, for all the conversation around (a supposedly) disorganised place the league is at, well attendance is through the roof, there's 14 teams who can make the finals with three weeks to go," Dangerfield said.

"If you look at the books on the vast majority of clubs they're extremely profitable, the league is in a great position and the doomsday sayers and some of the narrative around where the league is at, it's quite extraordinary to listen to."

Caroline Wilson was the journalist reporting that Dangerfield had been approached, telling Footy Classified on Monday night she had been 'assured' that it was true. She also said there were a variety of former players highly regarded in league circles who would be suitable for such a role.

“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.”

With AAP

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