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Dangerfield calls for maturity around restricted free agent discussions
Nicholas Quinlan • April 5th, 2025 3:32 pm
Geelong captain, Patrick Dangerfield has weighed in on the Oscar Allen situation believing that the AFL industry should be more mature around discussions of restricted free agents.
Throughout the week, much has been made of reports that West Coast captain Oscar Allen met with Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell to discuss his situation.
It resulted in West Coast and Oscar Allen calling a press conference on Thursday afternoon where he felt “quite embarrassed and ashamed” and was “mostly remorseful towards our fans, players, support staff” over his actions.
On SEN’s Crunch Time, the former outgoing ALFPA president maintains that clubs would be doing a disservice by not trying to speak with restricted free agents.
“I’ve followed this in terms of just whether it’s the media reaction or past player’s reaction or other,” Dangerfield noted.
“And I get the optics of the captaincy piece but at the same time, he’s out of contract at the end of the season.
“So, when do you do it as a player?
“We as a club Geelong, we’re meeting with players.
“Every club is doing the same thing, what are they trying to do? They’re trying to improve their list and trying to get better.
“Now what are we doing as players, you’re assessing where you are at, Where’s your life at? What’s the next little period of time going to be for you?
“So, I think we need to mature as an industry around that.
Dangerfield also referred to his own experience in 2015 when he moved from Adelaide as a restricted free agent to return home and play for Geelong.
“When I was leaving Adelaide and chatting with James Podsiadly about this.
“I just wanted to tell everyone like, you have this burden and I’m not saying that this is where Oscar is at.
“But from my personal experience, when you do decide to go, it’s like you just want to tell everyone.
“And his (Podsiadly’s) big thing was having experience with Junior (Gary Ablett Jr.) was that, mate the industry is not ready for it.
“But I feel like you should be able to assess your options but with it obviously comes the critique if it becomes public.”
Dangerfield will be playing his old side in Adelaide next week to kick off Gather Round.
The match will take place on Thursday night with the first bounce expected at 7:40pm.
