Dangerfield’s injury could put Giants midfielder Toby Greene in MRO trouble as he used his right forearm to fend off the Cats’ midfielder as he attempted to tackle him midway through the first quarter.
The loss of the Brownlow medallist coincided with a Giants’ spurt as they jumped the Cats,kicking five unanswered goals either side of quarter-time after Geelong’s Jake Kolodjashnij kicked the first goal of his 127-game career in the opening minute.
Their intensity surprised the Cats,who went into the game warm favourites after the Giants lostJosh Kelly just before the game with a tight quad. His absence had appeared to be the hammer blow as they had selected a side without Shane Mumford,Jesse Hogan,Tom Green and Jacob Hopper.
But Greene found willing allies in Lachie Whitfield,Callan Ward and Tim Taranto to take up the fight,putting pressure around the ball and worrying Geelong at ground level inside 50.
Only Cats skipperJoel Selwood could match the Giants’ intensity,with the Geelong captain worried enough about what was happening to call the team into the quarter-time huddle before Chris Scott arrived to speak to his troops.