Crows confident Dangerfield will stay

Adelaide ruckman Sam Jacobs hopes the Crows’ stirring finish to the AFL season will help ensure star Patrick Dangerfield sticks around.

Jacobs is confident Dangerfield will stay with the Crows next year, amid rampant speculation that the midfielder is headed to Geelong in a massive free agency deal.

Dangerfield was among Adelaide’s best on Saturday night as they won a riveting elimination final against the Western Bulldogs by seven points.

“I’d like to think now, the decision becomes even harder for him,” Jacobs told Channel Seven’s Game Day.

“As a playing group, we can’t ask any more than what he’s done.

“He’s led brilliantly all year and as you’ve seen again last night, he stands up when the game is in the balance.

“We have full confidence he’ll be there next year.”

Fellow Adelaide player Nathan van Berlo also noted that Dangerfield had been mighty this year in difficult circumstances.

Apart from coping well with the spotlight on his playing future, Dangerfield also earned plaudits in the aftermath of coach Phil Walsh’s tragic death.

“We love Paddy and the way he’s handled himself this year, in what’s been a fair pressure cooker for him with a lot of media scrutiny on him … it sums up his character,” Van Berlo told Channel Nine’s Footy Show.

“It speaks volumes (for) his character and ability to perform under pressure.

“I know he loves the footy club, I know he loves us as teammates and he’s going to give it his all until the end of the season.”

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