Patrick Dangerfield hopes he won’t need to miss a home and away game despite his baby being due in the middle of the upcoming season.

The 2016 Brownlow Medallist and his wife Mardi are expecting their first child in July, a month in which the Cats face Greater Western Sydney, Hawthorn and Adelaide.

“… surely [the baby] can wait for four hours during the week?” Dangerfield recently joked to KIIS101.1’s Matt Tilley and Meshel Laurie.

Dangerfield also joked that there might be some upside in missing the clash with the Giants, given they are among the premiership favourites.

“If we’re going to GWS that’s not exactly a great trip, so it might be a good excuse not to go,” he said with a chuckle.

As for whether he wants to find out early whether the little one is a boy or girl, Dangerfield said: “I’d like to know, but my wife doesn’t … so I won’t be knowing.

“As long as it’s healthy, I don’t mind.

“This is a very exciting time in our lives.”