AFLPA president and Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield insists there are no immediate plans to make him an AFL commissioner, nor would he ever join the body during his playing days.
Dangerfield earlier this week became one of the biggest talking points in the game when a Caroline Wilson report indicated he’d been approached to join the AFL commission while still playing for the Cats.
It drew reported widespread criticism from clubs and fans alike, while Dangerfield’s position representing the players association also contrasted the issue.
Despite admitting he’d had a “surface level” discussion with AFL chairman Richard Goyder, the 33-year-old insisted it was more of a personal conversation.
“I haven’t had any material conversations with either Gil or Richard about the commission,” the Geelong superstar began on SEN's Whateley.
“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 mid you, so pathway beyond footy and where that goes. What's the best path if I want to forge a pathway in administration, where does it go? (Goyder) obviously has a significant background in that area.
“Part of that conversation was an extraordinarily surface level comment around commission, but certainly not join the commission.
“This contextually was around what my career looks like once I hang up the boots.”
When asked if there was a notion of joining the commission while being an active player, he responded: “Not really, because of the challenges around the conflicts, to be honest”.
Dangerfield also backed the direction the league is heading under the commission, despite recent criticism labelled at Goyder on his decision to not fill the board’s current void.
“I do find it funny though, for all the conversation around this and (a supposedly) disorganised place the league is at, well attendance is through the rood, there’s 14 teams who can make the finals with three weeks to go,” he explained.
“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.”
Dangerfield, however, did suggest it would be good to get a former player onto the AFL commission. Since 2021, there has been nobody with football experience on the league’s board.
He also has no immediate plans to retire. With 318 games to his name, the first-year skipper would likely need to play until at least 2025 to join the elusive 350 club.