Melbourne Weekly Bayside Newspaper has a special feature interview with Demon skipper David Neitz in this week's edition.

The interview was conducted by David Bonnici who asked whether Neitz ever dreamed that he would be up there with some of the game's greats. "Not really," he replied. "As a kid you just hope that you're good enough to get a game, but I can look back and say that I've been pretty happy with my career up until this stage."

Neita doesn't really compare himself with other Demon greats like Robbie Flower and Garry Lyon but "the thing about football and leadership is that you bring your own unique abilities, and failings, to the table, so you've got to do it in your own way."

The best thing about being skipper of the club has been "having to confront things about yourself that make you grow as a person and enable you to lead the team better," he said. Neitz is not sure whether he will remain in the captaincy role much longer and has every confidence in the younger up and coming members of the leadership group who will follow in his footsteps.

Neitz believes that the difference between this year and the past few when the club has made the finals only to be beaten is "a combination of belief and the spur of our recent disappointments," and adds that the team relies on an even contribution from all players.

Of the young guns likely to burst onto the scene, it's a case of "who knows? No one really predicted Clint Bartram last year." He hopes that players like Matthew Bate, Nathan Jones and Lynden Dunn can take the next step in 2007.

Having finished a PR degree, Neita is looking to do something in the communication/branding/leadership field after football.

Melbourne Bayside Weekly readers can also enter a competition to win a free MFC membership.

Thanks for posting that alpha.....

It is greatly appreciated, especially for those of us who have absolutely no chance of ever reading the piece.

And Neitz always seems to come across as a complete class act.

Agreed.

Neitz is a champ on and off the field

Neitz the nobleman!