Patrick Dangerfield’s instant impact on Geelong’s pre-season has resulted in the midfielder being elevated to the Cats’ leadership group.

Dangerfield, who was recruited from Adelaide at the end of last AFL season, joins Mitch Duncan and Mark Blicavs in the new-look six-man group after Corey Enright and Andrew Mackie stood down.

Joel Selwood will remain the club’s captain, while vice-captain Harry Taylor and Tom Hawkins also retain their spot in the group.

However it’s the addition of Dangerfield which says the most about the Cats’ pre-season after they missed the finals for the time in nine years in 2015.

Having been a co-captain with the Crows, Selwood said Dangerfield had brought with him experience and a willingness to work closely in developing younger teammates.

“We’ve been super impressed with him from what he’s brought already,” Selwood said.

“But we expect that he’ll bring more of that in the years to come.”

Duncan returns after being part of the leadership group in 2014.

“He has grown up a lot since the last time he was in there,” Selwood said.

“He’s about to take his footy to the next level and he understands that. Being a leader of this footy club is going to help him, I think.”