2014 Melbourne Skipper...who should it be??

[Deemolition 5]

For me, a good football club's captain should...

• warrant selection on form every week
• be largely, injury free
• not be type to be in the headlines for all the wrong reasons
• be respected amongst his teammates
• have almost hit their performance ceiling so the captaincy will not affect their development
• does the little things that can lift a team when the chips are down
• be willing to bleed for the club

Taking all of these factors into account, you can eliminate the following key candidates...

• Trengove
• Grimes
• Jamar
• Clark
• Dawes
• Sylvia
• Viney

So this leaves three players that should be considered..

• Jones
• Frawley
• Garland

For me, there's one player that stands out and that is Jones but I would not be surprised to see all 3 combine to share the captaincy as he used formula this well in his time at Sydney with Hall, Kirk & Barry when he took the Swans to a flag.

Thoughts?

[Bedraggled Dee 336]

I have no problem with Jones but I dont think Grimes has done anything wrong this year to warrant a change. There is an argument that Trenners may benefit from being freed from the captaincy. There are plusses and minusus here, Maybe Jones would not handle the captaincy and that Grimes is the best man for the job. I think stability is a good thing right now and sacking our current captains and installing Jones would have little effect on performance and could be detrimental to Jones and potentially Grimes. My preference would be to discuss with Trengove and if he is comfortable get him to focus on his own game and maybe just have Grimes as skipper and retain Jones as VC.

[CBDees 3,167]

I go for the injury-free line. The captain should be on the field every week and playing in the thick of it so that he can inspire: it is a no-brainer > Jones! Hopefully with a few midfielders injected and a new coaching regime, Frawley and Garland may not see as much down there end!

[rpfc 28,527]

Injury free?

"I am sorry Nathan - you should be captain, but you just broke your left arm diving on the footy. We have an injury free Captain policy because we make bad decisions."

Leading Teams will help them pick a Leadership Group that reflects the players that the majority of the group look up to and they will appoint a captain for that year that embodies the best leader of the group.

They should do it every year and it will most likely be Jones.

There is no need to create long lists of things players "should or should not" be.

[McQueen 17,865]

Co Capatains: Jones/Grimes

VC: Garland

[Bluey's Dad 3,419]

Someone told me Dawes is paying for some of the players to go to Arizona for altitude training.

If true that shows some good leadership in my book.

I hope he stays on the park next season.

[Ted Lasso 19,521]

If Dawes and Chippa were able to stay fit more of the time they'd be right in the mix for mine,

but because they can't a stand alone captain of Grimes, Jones or Garland sounds good,

Trengove needs/deserves the right to develop like any young player.

[beelzebub 23,380]

Whoever Roos wants is fine by me.

[pm24 451]

I'm starting to think that Garland may be a good captain. He actually one the leadership award from the best and fairest, now has 100 games under his belt, came 2nd in the B&F voting, and seems to have a great temperament. He or Jones as captain, I would be perfectly happy with.

With that said, I've not been dissatisfied with Grimes and Trengove, particularly given how Trengove's performance improved over the second half of the year. I reckon missing most of the preseason really hurt his form early on.

[dl4e 5,851]

Jones.

[demonchris 162]

I have no problem with Jones but I dont think Grimes has done anything wrong this year to warrant a change. There is an argument that Trenners may benefit from being freed from the captaincy. There are plusses and minusus here, Maybe Jones would not handle the captaincy and that Grimes is the best man for the job. I think stability is a good thing right now and sacking our current captains and installing Jones would have little effect on performance and could be detrimental to Jones and potentially Grimes. My preference would be to discuss with Trengove and if he is comfortable get him to focus on his own game and maybe just have Grimes as skipper and retain Jones as VC.

Agreed. I heard It was likely Jones would co-captain with Grimes. We all know Paul Roos rates co-captains... The Sydney model is still running with them today.

[P-man 13,366]

Jones. Grimes as Vice.

[P-man 13,366]

I have no problem with Jones but I dont think Grimes has done anything wrong this year to warrant a change. There is an argument that Trenners may benefit from being freed from the captaincy. There are plusses and minusus here, Maybe Jones would not handle the captaincy and that Grimes is the best man for the job. I think stability is a good thing right now and sacking our current captains and installing Jones would have little effect on performance and could be detrimental to Jones and potentially Grimes. My preference would be to discuss with Trengove and if he is comfortable get him to focus on his own game and maybe just have Grimes as skipper and retain Jones as VC.

I can see the logic to this argument. I'd be happy with this, but I think there's very little doubting who this club's prominent, and sometimes sole on-field leader is. Nathan Jones is the MFC to me.

[DeeZee 7,418]

Dawes really impresses me everytime he speaks, something Jones does not do, although he does lead by example on the field.

[Pates 9,660]

I think most of us will agree that Trengove will be released from the burden of captaincy, I think it was a risky move to install two young captains and while it has failed it really does sound like at the time they were the best fit for it. I think that has changed, I reckon Roos will continue with the co-captains model and I think there are more candidates now then where we were two years ago.

Jones, Garland, and Grimes are my top candidates.

Grimes has copped a fair bit during his time as captain but I feel he has kept his head held high and early in the year was playing some good footy. He lost it when he came back from injury but I reckon he has the respect of many of the players for the way he has conducted himself during such a rotten time.

Garland has been amazing this year, and over his career for that matter. He understands the benefit of hard work because that's exactly what he's had to do to get where he is, through really serious injuries that have threatened to end his career he has managed to become our leading defender for the year.

Don't need to say much about Jones. Everyone knows he gives everything when he's out on the park and just when you think he's cooked he finds a little more to carry the boys out there.

I would actually be quite happy if all three were made co-captains, but reckon the most likely options will be Grimes and Jones, for consistency with keeping one of the previous captains and because I think Jones has earned the respect of every player at the club and probably every player in the competition. Garland to be VC.

Frawley, Dawes, and Clark are all very capable leaders but the latter two need to focus on staying out on the park. Chip I feel needs to refocus on being one of the competitions elite FB, and I feel he'd be better suited to taking a back seat. All three make the leadership group and I reckon you throw one of Trenners or Jordie to top the group off.

[Pirlo 813]

Jones is the obvious candidate.

He fits all the criteria, and is easily our most respected player, in the eyes of the football media.

Garland would be my pick for VC, he was very good when he stepped up to the plate earlier in the year.

I have no problem with Grimes, but I feel like he has outstanding potential as a player and simply isn't fulfilling it.

Edited September 10, 2013 by HFF

[P-man 13,366]

Dawes really impresses me everytime he speaks, something Jones does not do, although he does lead by example on the field.

And this is what it boils down to. It's well overdue for this club to make its first, second and third priority, that which happens ON the field, and the selection of captain needs to reflect that.

I actually think Jones has improved quite a bit in the other components. He may not be as eloquent as Dawes, or Grimes, but he speaks with passion without speaking out of turn, and he clearly loves this club. I think he'd be a fine captain. One to be proud of as a supporter.

[Guest]

This is an easy one.

Nate Jones. He is the best on-field leader we have now. If the last seven years taught us anything is that we need to pick the best people for now, not what might be the best decision in 5 years time. Grimesy and Trenners might be captain material in 4 years time (if they've established themselves as players) but for now, Jonesy is the man.

[Older demon 2,741]

Garland is my Tom Harley, the man who led Geelong on and off the field. I expect leading teams to clarify who or whom will be the leaders. Grimes, Garland and Jones are all good candidates

[DeeSpencer 25,721]

Roos has long been a fan of the shared captaincy and I expect that to continue. Look for Jones to join Grimes and probably 1 more of Dawes or Garland. I'd be very happy with Dawes, Grimes and Jones as a combination.

Grimes back on the half back flank where he should be will see him return to top form and I have no questions about his leadership on and off the field.

Trengove could even be retained as captain but I think it's best for him to just be a leadership group member and work on his own game.

They'd be a lot of clubs who would envy a leadership group of Trengove, Grimes, Jones, Frawley, Garland, Clark and Dawes, possibly Viney as well. The problem is we don't have a standout captain. So let's not try and force one.

[ignition. 1,466]

It's really hard to say, on one hand (long term) I would love it to be one of the Jacks, although if it hinders their game or their development its not a wise move. On the contrary Jones seems like the best fit but will all this chopping and changing be wise?

In Paul Roos we trust (^^,)

[Carrot Top 947]

Hogan.

[Pata 16]

Maybe they can make Jack Vinney & Jimmy Toumpas Co Captains

[Coup Cooper 610]

Surely the skipper in 2014 has to be Nathan Jones. Make Grimes the vice leadership group. Garland Clark Dawes Frawley. And lets key Trengove get back to just playing footy hey?

[La Dee-vina Comedia 16,816]

For me, a good football club's captain should...

• warrant selection on form every week
• be largely, injury free
• not be type to be in the headlines for all the wrong reasons
• be respected amongst his teammates
• have almost hit their performance ceiling so the captaincy will not affect their development
• does the little things that can lift a team when the chips are down
• be willing to bleed for the club

I like all the above dot points but want to add three more:

• must not be an introvert
• must be a confident public speaker, particularly in the media
• must be capable of representing the MFC well off field, such as in meetings with sponsors

I don't know who meets all the above.