Despite persistent groin issues throughout the pre-season, Geelong superstar Patrick Dangerfield has declared he is now "moving around fairly free and pain-free" and looks a good chance to feature in the Cats' pre-season match against Collingwood next week, per Matt Balmer of Fox Sports.
Dangerfield, 30, has been managed throughout the pre-season on a modified training program, but despite being behind the rest of the group in terms of fitness, he feels it's all heading in a positive direction as the beginning of the season looms closer.
โItโs all pretty positive at the moment,โ Dangerfield said at training this week.
โWe had a good hit-out today and it was sort of my first match sim, albeit not a huge amount, but a little bit, which is good.
โIt always takes a little bit longer (to get back to peak fitness).
โThat being said, games makes it easier and the continuity of playing is always an adjustment anyway.
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โItโs probably not ideally where Iโd like to be but the most important thing is Iโm moving around fairly free and pain-free, which is good.โ
Cats coach Chris Scott added that Dangerfield's persistent groin problems were partly the reason for him playing more up forward than usual in 2020.
Despite being on top of the issue at this current point in time and wanting him to play more in the midfield in 2021, the groin issue will determine the amount of time Dangerfield will spend in the midfield.
โGiven weโre of the hope and belief he can play well into his 30s, itโs important he got on top of his problem once and for all,โ Scott said.
โThere is a strong argument to say that it was allowed to linger for too long last yearโฆ it clearly impeded him.
Get ready for the return of Patrick Dangerfield the midfielder.
Details from Dangerfield and coach Chris Scott on his recovery from injury and plans for 2021 @AFLcomau: https://t.co/7jfe8m49hn
— Mitch Cleary (@cleary_mitch) February 18, 2021
โObviously we didnโt want to talk about it too much and make an issue of it during the year but that was part of the reason to play him forward a little bit more.
โWe think heโs got great capacity to play as a forward, especially when heโs fully fit, but right at the moment we need him to be one of the premier midfielders in the competition and he canโt do that while heโs limited with his groin problems.โ
The Cats begin their 2021 campaign against the Adelaide Crows at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, March 20.
