Moloney next Captain?

[trudders 0]

Beamer would be an excellent captain. A captain should not be based on the merits of who is the best player or what. A captain should be determined by his pride and his leadership. If Beamer was to be captain his form will only improve as he comes to terms with the fact that he is loved by the club.

I havnt seen grimes be too commanding as such just yet. Beamer makes his presence on field felt. When he lifts the team lifts. He is a bloody good player, he may hack it a few times, but our midfield alongside with beamer is only going to develop.

PS i can see a captaincy role in trengrove in the future.

[FlowerPower 3]

That a Yes for me as long as his output keeps in touch with our youth

[Hellaintabadplacetobe 4,294]

JUNIOR AIN't GOING ANYWHERE!!!!

I agree, he is probably leading the b n f with Jamar right now, and is playing some of his best footy. If he goes round again next year, which he should if his body can handle it, he stays Captain IMO

I don`t think we have anyone else putting their hand up for the gig just yet.

[Jaded No More 68,867]

Beamer and Green are short term solutions, because neither are ideal candidates (Green more due to age than anything else), which is why we need to bite the bullet and hand the captaincy to someone who can do the job for the next 10 seasons. That man is Jack Grimes.

[dee-luded 2,959]

Beamer and Green are short term solutions, because neither are ideal candidates (Green more due to age than anything else), which is why we need to bite the bullet and hand the captaincy to someone who can do the job for the next 10 seasons. That man is Jack Grimes.

He's not ready yet, too much pressure for a young fella who is still learning & trying to improve his game. IMO he'll be a more mature player all round in 2012.

[Jaded No More 68,867]

He's not ready yet, too much pressure for a young fella who is still learning & trying to improve his game. IMO he'll be a more mature player all round in 2012.

And IMO Junior will and should play in 2011.

Problem solved.

[titan_uranus 24,974]

And IMO Junior will and should play in 2011.

Problem solved.

You would have been ridiculed for saying that this time last year.

Shows how wrong most of us were in writing Junior off. And how good he's been this year.

[H_T 3,043]

Beamer and Green are short term solutions, because neither are ideal candidates (Green more due to age than anything else), which is why we need to bite the bullet and hand the captaincy to someone who can do the job for the next 10 seasons. That man is Jack Grimes.

You see the light. All aboard. Tickets please...

[dee-luded 2,959]

And IMO Junior will and should play in 2011.

Problem solved.

He should, I think your right, but only because we're in such a rebuild with most of the list as youth. What do you think about one season of shared duties between Beamer & Junior?

My thoughts are we need Junior out on the track as well as out on field. We also need to lead our kids to be more aggressive than most recent Melbourne teams have been since the '90s. So I can't think of a better combination of 2 players who are both in leadership mode than Junior with his selflessness, discipline & pure hard work,,, & the Blood 'n' Guts, passionate bullish work & sheer boldness of Beamer.

The others will fall into a natural order.

[The Big Ticket 94]

I'm praying that Junior plays on next year. He's amazing.

Then it will give Grimes or whoever another 12 months.

Really gone cold on Davey for captain lately. Not really keen on Moloney either.

[Adzman 2,154]

They will embalm Junior before they give it to someone who doesn't deserve it!

Beamer could be it, so could green. Junior plays on one more year in my book, then we will have a clearer idea of who will emerge as the top candidates.

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Care to elaborate?

He's #1 at the club for clearances (67) and contested possesions (92), and #2 for tackles (56) from 11 matches this season. Those are elite numbers for a first-dibs, inside midfielder. Might suggest that his output in heavy traffic isn't as bad as some might think?

MFC are starved of first good inside first dibs players. The numbers dont measure the impact of his decision making and use of the ball and the fact he does go missing in games when MFC are under the pump. Maybe I should have more clearly defined heavy traffic.

The main criticisms i have had of Brent in his career thus far have been his inability to apply enough defensive "chase-pressure" at times, which can sometimes make him look awfully slow and vulnerable in space; and his occasional propensity to just "kick the thing" long (although since the beginning of '09 this has improved markedly and he now regularly lowers his eyes rather than just blazing away).

Good points and I see those as a problem still alhtough not as bad as before. However against Carlton, he did it a couple of times straight to the opposition. I dont think he is that competent by hand. Moloney lack pace as well

I'd have never thought his output in "heavy traffic" was of great concern. What is it exactly about this part of his game that concerns you? I'm really interested to hear your reasoning as i think Brent's work in traffic is probably best at the club (although he is soon to be usurped by the two young guns Scully and Gysberts).

You make a valid point that he will soon be usurped by Scully and co. As a conseuqence I am not sure where Beamer will be fit into our side in 2 to 3 years. I am not sure there is alot of improvement for Moloney while I see quicker, more skillful players squeezing him out.

They will embalm Junior before they give it to someone who doesn't deserve it!

And so they might. However I really doubt the Club and Junior will continue another year. I think Junior is astute enough to know that at his age in the fast pace of the AFL the end comes quickly without consideration of the player. I think Adelaide have persevered too long with McLeod, Edwards and Burton and are now paying the price. Grewt players in their peak but the AFL is savage these days at exposing players quickly. I think this will be Junior last year of a great underrated career.

[demonglory 70]

I would be disappointed not to see Junior go around for another year.

To me it would be between Moloney, Davey, Green and Rivers. I have heard Dean mention several times how well respected Rivers is around the club.

If Brad Miller was more consistent across the forward line then I think he could be in the running as well - very well respected.

I would love Aaron Davey for sentimental reasons and I think his leadership and interpersonal skills have increased over the years. I would be very proud to have Aaron as the first indigenous leader of the MFC. He just needs to learn to break the tag. As our team develops and our young guns start to fire consistently this should become easier for him.

As for Brent he appears to tick all the right boxes. My only concern is that under pressure he tends to revert back to poor decision making and his disposal efficiency drops.

I am not sure of Greens leadership off the field. On the field he is one of the few week in and week out that always stand up.

Not really sure about Rivers. Has missed a lot of football over the years, but looks like he is starting to find the pace of the game again. He could be a smokey...

Irrespective of what we all think here a new leader will emerge and maybe that person could come out of left field !!

[Nasher 33,607]

In my eyes there are no candidates waiting in the queue that tick every box. The most likely candidates - Davey, Moloney, Green and Bruce (yes, blah blah blah, but I bet he's still in the picture for the FD) all have their pros and cons, when ideally you'd like the captain to pretty much choose himself.

I'm hoping Junior keeps playing until one of the young division is ready to step up, but that seems pretty unlikely.

[Kit Walker 225]

You make a valid point that he will soon be usurped by Scully and co. As a conseuqence I am not sure where Beamer will be fit into our side in 2 to 3 years. I am not sure there is alot of improvement for Moloney while I see quicker, more skillful players squeezing him out.

With the number of midfielders who need to rotate through the centre these days, and the immaturity (body-wise) of our prospective inside midfielders, I think until about the end of 2013 he is pretty much a guaranteed first 18 player. After that it is too hard to tell because he hasn't been the most injury free player in his career and projecting further is a mug's game.

As for the captaincy, on current form Junior is likely to go around again and would almost certainly retain the captaincy for next year. After that, Moloney is probably the most credible alternative at the moment. Anytime you hear about leadership in the off-field sense, players are always talking about either Junior or Moloney. I like Green, but it's not really practical to captain a side from the forward pocket where he'll be spending most of his time 2012 onwards.

[Nasher 33,607]

After that, Moloney is probably the most credible alternative at the moment. Anytime you hear about leadership in the off-field sense, players are always talking about either Junior or Moloney. I like Green, but it's not really practical to captain a side from the forward pocket where he'll be spending most of his time 2012 onwards.

I agree with that, I'd (reluctantly) choose Moloney at the moment as well if we lost Junior.

[trudders 0]

Something tells me that junior wont retire until we have the premiership. I hope he keeps playing, he has been such a great captain that he deserves a premiership medallion next to his name

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

Something tells me that junior wont retire until we have the premiership. I hope he keeps playing, he has been such a great captain that he deserves a premiership medallion next to his name

He deserves all that and more. Unfortunately at 34 this year, age and the fast and increasing pace of the AFL will thwart his due reward.

With the number of midfielders who need to rotate through the centre these days, and the immaturity (body-wise) of our prospective inside midfielders, I think until about the end of 2013 he is pretty much a guaranteed first 18 player.

I dont think anyone has that guarantee. Selection is not based on body mass alone. He is safe into early 2011 at this point. From there he will have to work to consistently perform at AFL level and not be overtaken by more talented players.

[Demons 32 235]

Bailey did recently say that he sees Beamer, Davey and Rivers as possible captains, and for the future he could see Grimes, Watts, Trengove and Scully being leaders as they have been in their junior careers.

Either way I think Bailey would love Mcdonald to play on and not worry about the decision just yet.

[dee-luded 2,959]

I would be disappointed not to see Junior go around for another year.

To me it would be between Moloney, Davey, Green and Rivers. I have heard Dean mention several times how well respected Rivers is around the club.

If Brad Miller was more consistent across the forward line then I think he could be in the running as well - very well respected.

I would love Aaron Davey for sentimental reasons and I think his leadership and interpersonal skills have increased over the years. I would be very proud to have Aaron as the first indigenous leader of the MFC. He just needs to learn to break the tag. As our team develops and our young guns start to fire consistently this should become easier for him.

As for Brent he appears to tick all the right boxes. My only concern is that under pressure he tends to revert back to poor decision making and his disposal efficiency drops.

I am not sure of Greens leadership off the field. On the field he is one of the few week in and week out that always stand up.

Not really sure about Rivers. Has missed a lot of football over the years, but looks like he is starting to find the pace of the game again. He could be a smokey...

Irrespective of what we all think here a new leader will emerge and maybe that person could come out of left field !!

'demonglory' Hah, 'tis good to see you here. I hope your well.

Nice post dg, good luck on the W/End.

[45HG 1,539]

I think Adelaide have persevered too long with McLeod, Edwards and Burton and are now paying the price.

On the other hand, I think what's hurt Adelaide is persvering with a surplus of quality players who were/are over the age of 30.

We don't really have that problem, especially players with great leadership qualities.

[stuie 7,374]

I'm a massive wrap for Junior and the way he goes about his footy and the respect he has around the club, but I would be VERY surprised if he goes around again. Last year he struggled in the middle of the season, and that could happen again, this would be due to age not fitness, so I don't see him making it through another year at the standard he would expect of himself. Would love to see him go out pretty much on top of his game, playing every week, rather than just keep riding him til he starts to miss games.

Maybe we need to think about the next captain in a more open minded way. I was 50/50 about both McDonald and Neitz when they were first selected, not because I had doubts about them but purely because I wasn't that excited by them as captain, but both turned out as fantastic leaders in their own right. So while we may be unsure about Moloney right now, I think he is the best option out of what we have and our current situation. He doesn't have to be a perfect player, he doesn't even have to be our best player, but he's a strong mind and body and more than willing to do the things a captain needs to do. More importantly, he strikes me as the kind of guy that because of his red and blue blood would gladly step aside as captain when the time is right for any of Grimes, Trengove, Scully, Frawley etc to lead our (strongly bonded by then) emerging team.

[dee-luded 2,959]

I'm a massive wrap for Junior and the way he goes about his footy and the respect he has around the club, but I would be VERY surprised if he goes around again. Last year he struggled in the middle of the season, and that could happen again, this would be due to age not fitness, so I don't see him making it through another year at the standard he would expect of himself. Would love to see him go out pretty much on top of his game, playing every week, rather than just keep riding him til he starts to miss games.

Maybe we need to think about the next captain in a more open minded way. I was 50/50 about both McDonald and Neitz when they were first selected, not because I had doubts about them but purely because I wasn't that excited by them as captain, but both turned out as fantastic leaders in their own right. So while we may be unsure about Moloney right now, I think he is the best option out of what we have and our current situation. He doesn't have to be a perfect player, he doesn't even have to be our best player, but he's a strong mind and body and more than willing to do the things a captain needs to do. More importantly, he strikes me as the kind of guy that because of his red and blue blood would gladly step aside as captain when the time is right for any of Grimes, Trengove, Scully, Frawley etc to lead our (strongly bonded by then) emerging team.

I think Beamer would rise to another level of maturity with the role, but would love to see a dual captain year as a handover, & to see Junior retire as Captain as well.

[Mad_Melbourne 877]

junior has had an unbelieveably good season, winning our best and fairest at the current time.

but i could see at the end of the year captaincy being handed over? this due to his age, he will still have a spot in the team but it is unlikely he will have to many other seasons, so it just takes a bit of pressure off him.

but having said that i still think he has taken really well to the role of captain.

would love to see moloney as captain, or davey or green, i still remember the one match that green captained a few seasons ago and dominated, could be the player to lift a team, and really could be pivotal in our chase for finals over the next few years. maybe even rotating captaincy system? very unlikely though

[Adam The God 30,126]

Ah no.

Even if he actually did bleed red and blue.

Like his spirit and his passion. I question his output and decision making under pressure.

I don't need to say it now.