Treloar does not earn more than Dangerfield, though he is paid handsomely, but his trade cost Collingwood more than Dangerfield cost Geelong.

That Collingwood could part with compensation even akin to that for Dangerfield was remarkable, for Dangerfield was a proven star, Treloar an emerging one.

Of course there were reasons for this. The knowledge that unless Moggs Creek joined the AFL, Geelong was the only club Dangerfield would go to and the spectre of free agency's inadequate compensation created a different competitive tension to Collingwood's dealings.

While two clubs were content for a deal to happen on Dangerfield, only one club wanted Treloar to move to Collingwood.

That meant Collingwood gave up two years of first-round draft picks as well as a late pick last year for their man and a second-round pick. The Cats parted with picks nine, 28 and Dean Gore for Danger and a third-round pick.

Eight rounds in and Treloar has been Collingwood's best player, but admittedly good Collingwood players this year have been as common as brunettes in Brighton. Eight rounds in and if Dangerfield has not been Geelong's best player that is only because Joel Selwood is there, too.

It is too early to compare the merit of which has been the superior trade, for one is 23 the other 26, but after eight rounds their performances have been strikingly similar. On numbers alone Treloar is slightly in front on some measures.

Dangerfield has got a little more of the ball, though being bigger (189 centimetres to Treloar's 182 centimetres) he has spent fractionally more time forward. It is one of the assets he has over Treloar. To shake a tag he can rotate to the goal square and expose and discomfort a fretful opponent. It also might contribute to the fact he has scored a little more than the straight midfielder Treloar.

Treloar has used the ball slightly better – his disposals are at 75 per cent to Danger's 65 per cent - but then the Cat is being more heavily tagged so he is winning more of his ball in the contest and consequently under more pressure when he is disposing of it.

Their clearances figures are identical, which is remarkable. Treloar has laid more tackles, which might also be explained by the fact his side has been poor and the opposition has had more of the ball.

They both have elite pace and Dangerfield has carried the ball more. They both have explosive speed but Dangerfield's has been witnessed frequently, Treloar's only in recent weeks.

Former Hawthorn premiership midfielder Brad Sewell was struck by the parity in the numbers.

"I would imagine Dangerfield's impact has been greater so those numbers are surprising. I don't know how you measure it statistically but Dangerfield seems to be more dangerous with the ball or around the contest because of his breakneck speed and power," Sewell said.

"There is obviously a difference in the fact one was recruited to a team that is a genuine premiership contender. It could be said that when you have better players around you, you play at a better level.

"You would rather be a good player in a dominant side than a dominant player in a bad side. Look at Nathan Jones at Melbourne, he has been the dominant player for five or six years but I am sure he is enjoying his footy more now than in the past. He is not dominating as much but they are playing better."

Sewell pointed out that with Dane Swan out and Scott Pendlebury playing under duress with an injury, Treloar has carried more of the midfield burden.

"There was hype around the Dangerfield-Selwood mix but Geelong has more depth in the midfield to let Dangerfield play inside and outside.

"You don't have the support at a side like Collingwood that they have at Geelong.

"When Dangerfield is tagged, he can go and play another role and they can spread the load across the midfield but at Collingwood if Treloar is tagged he has to stay in that role."

That was evident when Collingwood played Carlton and Treloar was effectively tagged by Ed Curnow. The former Giants player had not often been tagged in his career because other teammates who would draw attention first, but that is changing.

"I would imagine Dangerfield is playing within a more structured game plan where there has been slights on Collingwood for changes of patterns and style."

It was not coincidental that Treloar's best game for Collingwood was last week in Brisbane when Pendlebury was the next best player on the ground. The Collingwood captain finally looked to be recovered from the rib injury that he had played with, albeit with a dulled influence, when he might otherwise have missed a few games.

Pendlebury's form raises a similar query of an opposition coach's box about Treloar and Pendlebury that Geelong's pairing creates for others: do you tag Selwood or Dangerfield ... or both?

Treloar is not yet a player of Dangerfield's standing. But on the numbers he is compiling he is entering Danger territory.