There's a lot more to being an AFL captain than what you see on the field.

Have you ever actually directly been involved with any club at a senior level?

There's a lot more to being an AFL captain than what you see on the field.

Have you ever actually directly been involved with any club at a senior level?

Yes I captain-coached South Melbourne for a brief period in the 60s

[censored] off

Don't even bother pretending you know ANYTHING more than anyone else here about McLean's character and his role at the club, or about the game of football itself. You've already proven you are a soft no-nothing with your little TAC-style 'drive safe kids' comments. Spew. The kid has demanded the captaincy since the day he walked in the door and has nothing but respect from everyone around him for the way he goes about his footy. Furthermore, he is one of about 3 genuinely good players in the side and is the perfect age considering our youth policy. Who the hell else could you pick? Tell you what, I respect his career but if CB gets it that will just about be it for me.

That's not the point Morto. If he was 20 and doing burnouts then fine, but he then shouldn't have been made captain of an AFL club.

I want Green with Mclean deputy, give it to Mclean as the Demon machine starts rolling at the end of 2010

So your decision about this club's future is based on the comments of some pole-smoking groundskeeper who literally works at the feet of these athletes with his little gloves and trowel?

What other qualities do you admire in a captain? His ability to keep his apartment clean?

yes the 60s.

If you haven't noticed that was 40 years ago.

I don't pretend to know anymore about McLean, but I do know there's more to being captain now than just being "hard" on the field.

You need to be a leader both on and off field. There's media commitments, coaches meetings etc etc etc

Brock seems to be struggling with the basic requirements of being a current AFL footballer (eg actually playing more than 5 games a year and showing some level of maturity) so how's he going to cope with being a captain?

And if you're happy for him to be driving 50km/h over the speed limit as a representative of the club (let alone the captain) you've lost your argument then and there. Might as well give it to Carroll if you're into "hard men".

As for who I'd give it to? I'd say Bruce. Is durable so at least he'll be on the park most of (if not the whole) year. Seems to have a good training ethic (as is evident by his fitness levels) and speaks well in front of a camera from what I've seen of him.

I am 20.

And no I don't do burnouts and I don't do 140km/h or whatever he did across the West Gate (?).

That, and I'm not being hailed as the great leader of an AFL club.

Who would you pick? I'd be interested to hear who a supporter of another club sees as our best leader.

yes the 60s.

If you haven't noticed that was 40 years ago.

I don't pretend to know anymore about McLean, but I do know there's more to being captain now than just being "hard" on the field.

You need to be a leader both on and off field. There's media commitments, coaches meetings etc etc etc

Brock seems to be struggling with the basic requirements of being a current AFL footballer (eg actually playing more than 5 games a year and showing some level of maturity) so how's he going to cope with being a captain?

And if you're happy for him to be driving 50km/h over the speed limit as a representative of the club (let alone the captain) you've lost your argument then and there. Might as well give it to Carroll if you're into "hard men".

As for who I'd give it to? I'd say Bruce. Is durable so at least he'll be on the park most of (if not the whole) year. Seems to have a good training ethic (as is evident by his fitness levels) and speaks well in front of a camera from what I've seen of him.

um... that 60s thing was a joke

please let me know what 'speaking well in front of a camera' is going to do for our premiership chances, and what evidence you have that McLean cannot handle this task

"struggling with the basic requirements of being a current AFL footballer (eg actually playing more than 5 games a year and showing some level of maturity)"

so the fact he has had some injury problems is another reason not to give it to him?

Must have posted about the same time

I'd pick Bruce. If Miller's 2007 had been more like his 2008 it might have pushed the balance back in his favour, although I haven't heard what he's like off the field.

*edit*

So you're saying you have no involvement with a senior club? It would explain your lack of insight to what a captain should be doing.

And how many games he will play is an issue yes. The worst thing for the playing group would be their captain spending a large part of the year on the sidelines (I can remember what happened to Essendon when Lloyd did the big hammy).

McLean may be a smart bloke (although losing your license in the fashion he did would suggest otherwise) but he comes across as a bogan on TV

Who would you pick? I'd be interested to hear who a supporter of another club sees as our best leader.

he picked Bruce which I found not the least bit surprising

probably reckons he deserved the B+F too

seriously you 'let's make Brucey and captain and win 5-6 games next year' crowd are doing my head in.

Must have posted about the same time as you ^

I'd pick Bruce. If Miller's 2007 had been more like his 2008 it might have pushed the balance back in his favour, although I haven't heard what he's like off the field.

I heard somewhere that he ran a red light once so that rules him out

That and he's about a quarter of the player McLean is

That doesn't mean anything though.

Is Adam Simpson anywhere near as good as Boomer Harvey? Mitchell close to Franklin or Hodge? Harley to Ablett?

Best player =/= captain

That doesn't mean anything though.

Is Adam Simpson anywhere near as good as Boomer Harvey? Mitchell close to Franklin or Hodge? Harley to Ablett?

Best player =/= captain

They're all integral players to their side though.. Miller has a career based on a remarkable ability to go the day without toucking it

We don't need anymore embarassment

And so is Bruce.

I really do think you have no idea whatsoever what it is required to be a captain and what is expected of you.

Mitchell has gone missing a few times this year too

And so is Bruce.

I disagree and he's not going to be for much longer anyway

Young side, young captain

Even if the only young option you have is struggling to put in a full year and is struggling to get his head around growing up off the field?

Even if the only young option you have is struggling to put in a full year and is struggling to get his head around growing up off the field?

Well you just can't factor in injury, anyone can miss the year even your delicate friend Mr.Bruce, although it would require him attempting to win some hard ball

And again, you know nothing of his fights, and even so I think its a good thing if anything if he likes a bit of biffo... and just, stop, please, mentioning the driving theng who gives a CRAP

What about all the things we've heard from his former coaches etc about the character of the kid? You have a perturbed gardener as your source

If McLean can convince the club he can handle the off-field issues I have no problems with him being the next captain (heck, before that happened I thought Neitz should have given it to them) but in light of those events it would be wise to put off giving it to him until he can sort that out AND prove he's sorted it out over an extended period of time

Speaking of doing peoples heads in, you'd have to cackle maniacally if DB pulled the impossible and named someone like Grimes.

Being a good captain and having off-field issues almost goes hand in hand....

Carey, Cousins, Kane Johnson, wasn't Voss involved in an incident outside a St.Kilda nightclub?

McLean has made errors in judgment, absolutely, but he's owned up to them and he served his punishment. Is it not time we move on from that and concentrate on what he brings to the club, on the field, as well as off. For all of his silly indiscretions, McLean also donated $10,000 to help save our club, has time and time again delivered measured and mature media performances and has proven that he can play and dominate in finals.

He's a natural-born leader, and that's something you can't teach someone, no matter how good a bloke or player they are.

Like I said, if he can convince the club he's all good to go then give it to him now.

But for the time being I think Bruce is a good option with all the vice/deputy's etc being part of the younger brigade

Being a good captain and having off-field issues almost goes hand in hand....

Carey, Cousins, Kane Johnson, wasn't Voss involved in an incident outside a St.Kilda nightclub?

McLean has made errors in judgment, absolutely, but he's owned up to them and he served his punishment. Is it not time we move on from that and concentrate on what he brings to the club, on the field, as well as off. For all of his silly indiscretions, McLean also donated $10,000 to help save our club, has time and time again delivered measured and mature media performances and has proven that he can play and dominate in finals.

He's a natural-born leader, and that's something you can't teach someone, no matter how good a bloke or player they are.

Yes Voss threw a billiard ball at some bloke's head and he is widely regarded as the very definition of AFL captain

good post

leave your soft, trivial reservations at the door please EB and everyone like you. We have a football side here not a bloody sewing circle.

Cousins and Carey were regarded as 2 of the best captains and both effectively tore their clubs apart at the time of their departure

Cousins and Carey were regarded as 2 of the best captains and both effectively tore their clubs apart at the time of their departure

they also delivered their clubs the ultimate glory 5 times between them

It's a risk-reward type scenario then isn't?

Is the risk of potentially winning a grand final worth the risk of potentially [censored] over a club that's already struggling at present?

imo giving it to Bruce now and McLean in a year or 2s time greatly reduces the risk of the latter while not effecting the first

Yes Voss threw a billiard ball at some bloke's head and he is widely regarded as the very definition of AFL captain

good post

leave your soft, trivial reservations at the door please EB and everyone like you. We have a football side here not a bloody sewing circle.

Wrong

Voss & co belted the bloke that threw the ball.

You can watch it on Youtube ( or at least you could)

Yes Voss threw a billiard ball at some bloke's head and he is widely regarded as the very definition of AFL captain

Hey I've done that, maybe I could get a vote !!!

Brock for mine as I think that it is important to get the wheels in motion from top to bottom about where we are heading. I have no doubt that Bruce is a contributor to the club and the game but we need more than that and most definitely a new leader, one that a young team can rally behind, and I don't see that in Bruce.

I have always had a soft spot for Green in this role but Jaded is right, while I respect him completely appointing him could well be seen as a protection of the status quo and I really don't think that is what we can afford to do right now. McDonald is in a similar situation, especially since this will be his last season. Although all that being said Green would still be in my opinion a massive improvement on the current captaincy situation.

I guess the thing that hangs over McLean are his flirtations with the law last year. But you know what we all grow up and most of us learn from our mistakes, and hopefully he has done that and while he is quite obviously the best captain on the field we have, we can only hope that he is ready for the responsibility of the position off the field. Coupled to that is the fact that no-one should be punished for their misdemeanours forever and Brock is not exception to that.

What most people in here seem to agree on in theory at least is that Brock will lead this club some day, and it is just a matter of when, so I guess all we can hope for is that the club and the inner sanctum (that we know nothing of) know what they are doing and can make a decision that best suits us going forward.