Dangerfield, nicknamed the 'Kamikaze Kid' by the South Australian media, has earned a reputation for his fearlessness and bullocking style of play.
Last season, the 20-year-old led the Crows in hard-ball gets and won more contested possessions than any non-ruckman or key position player in the competition.
However his high-octane approach meant he tired quickly and was only able to play short bursts in the midfield.
Dangerfield's complete lack of regard for his own safety also landed him on the Crows' injury list twice last season.
He missed two games after breaking his hand in a collision with a goalpost and was admitted to hospital overnight when he injured his neck trying to take on three Melbourne players in a tackle at the MCG in round three.
At the end of last season, coach Neil Craig sat down with Dangerfield for a candid chat about the promising onballer's development.
Craig didn't ask Dangerfield to play with less intensity, but rather to be more selective with when he unleashed it.
"In a lot of situations Patrick doesn't need to be as fierce as he is because it's a waste of energy. To try and stand up in a pack and drag three players along on your back … it can be quite tiresome for 22 games a year," Craig told afl.com.au.
"He's just got to be able to pick the situations where it does require the real fierceness that he has, versus it's not time for him to do that and it's time for him to go to space and receive the ball.
"At the moment he's knocking down point posts, running through fences, knocking out teammates and knocking himself out.
"He's already elite in the contested ball. He's as good as anyone going around in the competition - and I'm talking Jimmy Bartel and Joel Selwood - but he needs to add a bit more polish to his overall game."Dangerfield is on the verge of completing his first injury-free pre-season since joining the Crows with pick No.10 in the 2007 NAB AFL Draft.
He kicked 26.19 from 19 games last season, but said he expected to spend less time in attack this year.
"Hopefully, I'll play a lot more in the midfield this season. With the way I've chosen which contests to go into, hopefully that means I'm able to last in the midfield longer rather than being benched or going forward," Dangerfield said.
"I'll still spend some time up forward because with the new substitute rule we'll find a lot more midfielders rotating forward or even off a half-back flank. I think myself, Jason Porplyzia and Scotty Thompson can all fill that role this season."
Patrick Dangerfield is a $276,900 midfielder/forward in the Toyota AFL Dream Team competition
