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Sport Nation
“So similar it’s frightening”: Dangerfield’s huge comparison for Cats debutant
Lachlan Geleit • July 7th, 2025 11:19 am
Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield has a serious eye for talent.
Back in 2022, the Cats veteran told SEN that Max Holmes, who was 20 at the time, could one day be the best player in the competition with the midfielder possessing Chris Judd-like traits.
READ: “JUDD-LIKE TRAITS”: DANGERFIELD BELIEVES TEAMMATE COULD BE THE “BEST PLAYER IN THE COMPETITION”.
At that stage of his career, Holmes had played 30 career games and polled just two Brownlow votes. Let’s just say there weren’t many others who held the same opinion of the young Cat as Dangerfield did.
But, almost three years later, Holmes is already a best and fairest winner at Geelong and many can now see those Judd-like breakaway traits on-ball. It also wouldn’t shock if he one day ascended to become the best player in the AFL if everything clicks.
Having given such a good scouting report on Holmes during his early days at the Cattery, David King asked Dangerfield to do the same for George Stevens who played his first AFL game against Richmond at GMHBA Stadium on Saturday.
The 189cm, big-bodied midfielder made an instant impact, collecting 21 disposals, eight clearances and 14 score involvements in the massive victory.
King asked: “So, you've given us that on Max Holmes. So for George Stevens, can you give me your recruiting analysis or scouting report on him?”
“Yeah, (he’s like a) ‘Joey’ (Josh) Kennedy. He's so similar it's frightening,” Dangerfield replied on SEN Breakfast.
“Joey was a star obviously, but when he came through I think he had similar challenges early on in his career in terms of how he was pigeonholed as a player.
“People would say, ‘He’s not as fast as whoever’. But where he hits home is that he’s better than anyone else in the contest.
“He plays to his size. Joey was so good at protecting space, and he was actually quite fast over the first two to three steps.
“In the open field, you could get him, but inside the phone box, he was brilliant and George is really similar.
“Those first couple of steps are really quick. He protects the space well, and he plays to his size. He's not 190cm and plays like he's 180cm, he’s 190cm and plays every bit of that size.”
Stevens, who hails from South Warrnambool, was drafted with Pick 58 in the 2023 Draft and Dangerfield and his teammates still remember first laying their eyes on the then 17-year-old back in 2022 at a local training camp where he surprised many.
“He's a great story for us,” Dangerfield said.
“We had a training day down in Warrnambool and whenever we do that in a regional area, we bring some of the locals down and they can come and have a kick and a catch, just to build that connection in the local community.
“Three or two years ago, George Stevens was that at Warrnambool.
“He came down, and we all thought he was a 30-year-old, like, legitimately.
“We thought, ’This guy's pretty damn good, and he's obviously 30 because he looks it, and he moves like it’.
“Then we found out he was actually 17 and he was in the draft that year and it blew us away.
“He was a late pick, and he took his chance over the weekend.”
Stevens will hope to play his second AFL game when the Cats face the Giants at ENGIE Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
