Cats star Dangerfield set for dangerous-tackle scrutiny

Geelong superstar captain Patrick Dangerfield could miss the start of the next AFL season after his dangerous tackle on Brisbane Lions gun Hugh McCluggage.

Any suspension for the tackle, in the third quarter of Saturday evening's preliminary final, would have ruled Dangerfield out of next week's grand final, if the Cats won.

But they instead slipped to a 14.11 (95) to 12.13 (85) loss to Brisbane at the MCG.

Geelong were leading by 19 points when Dangerfield rushed at the Lions gun, pinned McCluggage's left arm, then slammed him down on the ground on that side of his body.

It meant McCluggage had no chance to protect himself, with his free right arm on the wrong side of the body to cushion his fall, and his head bounced off the ground.

The Lion quickly took his free kick and did not come off the ground for a head injury assessment.

If Dangerfield is suspended, the Cats would almost certainly challenge the case at the AFL Tribunal in a bid to free their captain for round one.

Dangerfield successfully had a rough-conduct charge thrown out at the tribunal in June, arguing he had control of a tackle on Carlton's Sam Walsh and had not driven him into the ground.