in 2020 we rolled with a flat Captain/VC set up with no additional support which is quite a ballsy move and is only replicated by Richmond (a side with 22 leaders as they'll tell u) and port. with the whispers around goody and yze/chocco going forward and into '22 i think this year we will see a return to a structured leadership group set up with 2/3 moving into those positions.

Also on the Gus and Gawny poddy this week brayshaw appeared to let slip that lingerz (langdon) was a member of this leadership group. is that the impression everyone else got too? and who else do we see making that step up. for mine its 

Capt: Gawn

VC: Viney

L'ship Group: May, Langdon, Melky 

and my other smokey which i would see as a bad idea at this stage but not opposed to going forward is Trac/Lever. i think both need another season of footy based focussed before they move in

Gawn - C - needs to make huge strides but we have to stick with him
May - VC - the best on field leader
Viney - VC - effort is never questioned, hopefully has more levels to develop

Leadership group:
At least one of Oliver/Petracca/Salem - the time is now for them to be given authority, they should all have been given leadership targets over summer to reach in order to be trusted in the group.
Langdon - solid role player and citizen
Lever - take him on trust that his footy will stack up

I like the simplicity of a single Captain, Vice-Captain and a deputy Vice-Captain.

I don't like Leadership Groups because I believe it alienates all those who aren't chosen to be in it thereby causing more harm than good. I know that's how I felt as a schoolboy many, many years ago. (I realise that says more about me and my then fragile ego.)

I'd have May co-captain alongside Gawn.

Think it will be the following >

Captain: Gawn

Vice captain: Viney

Leadership group: May, Lever, Petracca

Gawn won’t be dumped as captain, but needs to improve.

Viney won’t be dumped, despite some players not liking him. Coaches and board love him.

May proved himself as a player and leader.

Lever is a born leader that needs to improve further as a player.

All the talk coming out of the club is Petracca is impressing as a leader the last 6-12 months, especially over the offseason. Seems to have matured, as as a gun player last year will likely be added to the leadership group.

What I would like it to be:

C: May, Gawn
VC: Viney
Rest: Trac, Lever

What I think it will be (if they change it to a group again):

C: Gawn, Viney
VC: May, Lever
Rest: Langdon, Melksham

Trac is in 

9 minutes ago, Dannyz said:

Trac is in 

Have they already done the vote mate? (Did they even do it that way this year?)

Thanks for the intel.

27 minutes ago, Lord Travis said:

Gawn won’t be dumped as captain, but needs to improve.

Not an argument. Genuinely asking. Interested to know why you think this. What did you see him doing wrong last season and what do you think he has to do to improve. 

I don't know how he operates within the playing group but his B & F speech in 2019 was the best speech by an MFC player I've ever heard. Covered the club's history, connections to past players, his journey as a player, current culture and going forward. His commitment to his own improvement and training and playing standards can't be faulted from what I've seen. Seems to have a way more engaging personality one on one than many of the past Captains of the club and an excellent spokesman for the club and media performer. 

Gawn, Viney and May clearly our 3 best leaders. 

2020 proved melksham shouldn’t be anywhere near the LG. Favourite or not he needs to play at the level and chase, then think about leading 

1 hour ago, Turner said:

in 2020 we rolled with a flat Captain/VC set up with no additional support which is quite a ballsy move and is only replicated by Richmond (a side with 22 leaders as they'll tell u) and port. with the whispers around goody and yze/chocco going forward and into '22 i think this year we will see a return to a structured leadership group set up with 2/3 moving into those positions.

Also on the Gus and Gawny poddy this week brayshaw appeared to let slip that lingerz (langdon) was a member of this leadership group. is that the impression everyone else got too? and who else do we see making that step up. for mine its 

Capt: Gawn

VC: Viney

L'ship Group: May, Langdon, Melky 

and my other smokey which i would see as a bad idea at this stage but not opposed to going forward is Trac/Lever. i think both need another season of footy based focussed before they move in

I’m hoping Trac and Clarry are put into the leadership group 

36 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

What I would like it to be:

C: May, Gawn
VC: Viney
Rest: Trac, Lever

What I think it will be (if they change it to a group again):

C: Gawn, Viney
VC: May, Lever
Rest: Langdon, Melksham

Lever just needs to focus on footy and find form again.   I thought he was very disappointing last year 

19 minutes ago, It's Time said:

Not an argument. Genuinely asking. Interested to know why you think this. What did you see him doing wrong last season and what do you think he has to do to improve. 

I don't know how he operates within the playing group but his B & F speech in 2019 was the best speech by an MFC player I've ever heard. Covered the club's history, connections to past players, his journey as a player, current culture and going forward. His commitment to his own improvement and training and playing standards can't be faulted from what I've seen. Seems to have a way more engaging personality one on one than many of the past Captains of the club and an excellent spokesman for the club and media performer. 

I believe he is quite polished off field and his natural charisma is good for the public to see.

On field, I’d like to see him take charge when momentum shifts. Get everyone organised and keep them focussed. Or get someone under him that will do that in tandem, my choice would be May

28 minutes ago, Demons11 said:

Lever just needs to focus on footy and find form again.   I thought he was very disappointing last year 

I thought he was quite good in 2020, but we all see it differently I guess.

He definitely has higher levels he should hit, but I think he's a clear leader either way.

It would be a bit of a tall ask (pardon the pun) given his short tenure at the ckub, but I think Big Ben Brown would be someone worth considering.  We could then have leaders at all major parts of the ground:

May back

Brown forward

Max & Viney on ball

Asides from Brown, the forward line is a bit devoid of experienced leadership.  There is possibly Melksham, but he hasn't necessarily impressed on me as a leader from my observations in the stands.  Jones is also the other obvious leader who could spend a lot of time forward, but he might not play all games and I think somewhat by virtue of the position, the full forward should carry the mantle that end of the ground.

Gawn and Viney stay as Captain and VC.

May (has to be in)

Lever (should be in)

Petracca (Has to be in from what i seen and heard of him, come a long way from an excited kid with ADHD, he will drive new standards)

Langdon( Leads by example and deserves to be there)

Ben Brown (humble bloke who will get the forward line organised and working as a group)

Melksham cannot be considered on what he showed all last year (Not leading by example)

Clayton Oliver should be close to leadership group (Needs to get have huge preseason much like Petracca last year.  He has been driving new standards since he got to the Club but can take his game to giddy heights, we all seen it in bits and pieces...When he gets to these new levels he will win games off his actions and could see him easily winning a Norm Smith or Brownlow.

34 minutes ago, Lord Nev said:

I thought he was quite good in 2020, but we all see it differently I guess.

He definitely has higher levels he should hit, but I think he's a clear leader either way.

?

If I am honest, I was not overly impressed with Gawn's captaincy  last season. iI my opinion he needs to drive the on field performance  lot more, not just by his actions but also by giving timely, critical feedback to the players. I hope that he is getting guidance in this area.

Having said that, I would still have him as sole captain this season but make sure that he had a strong and clearly defined support group under him.

In some ways I think we have made a rod for our own back by having Viney as a leader so early. It is a difficult thing to demote him without demotivating him. I would have him as a VC but as VC I would also include May. He is a general in defence and was in great form last season.

Three others to round out the formal leadership would be Lever, Langdon and Petracca.

I wouldn’t have May in. It was only 24 months ago he showed up fat and unfit. Let him prove himself a few more seasons before you feel the urge to reward him for his demonstrated leadership. 

1 hour ago, The Jackson 6 said:

I wouldn’t have May in. It was only 24 months ago he showed up fat and unfit. Let him prove himself a few more seasons before you feel the urge to reward him for his demonstrated leadership. 

We wanted to change the way he played if i recall correctly, we wanted a far fitter, more mobile May who was going to get to and impact more contests....he broke down with new loads he was not used to.  He has been the person who i would say shows more leadership than our actual captain, no sleight on Gawn but May is/has been  inspirational. Should have been All Australian last year.  He is an Ex- Captain who is in career best form and he is driven to have success before his career ends.  Why would you wait to have him in leadership group, you'd only be punishing the team!

Who would you have above him in the leadership stakes?

5 minutes ago, NeveroddoreveN said:

We wanted to change the way he played if i recall correctly, we wanted a far fitter, more mobile May who was going to get to and impact more contests....he broke down with new loads he was not used to.  He has been the person who i would say shows more leadership than our actual captain, no sleight on Gawn but May is/has been  inspirational. Should have been All Australian last year.  He is an Ex- Captain who is in career best form and he is driven to have success before his career ends.  Why would you wait to have him in leadership group, you'd only be punishing the team!

Who would you have above him in the leadership stakes?

Yep, thought this one had been put to bed already but apparently not.

GC wanted a big gorilla defender, he rocked up to MFC and they wanted a more lean rebounding one. Pretty hard to instantly change your whole body shape.

May for PM 

seriously he must come into our leadership group 

Gawn captain 

Viney vice captain

Leadership group - May Lever Trac and ...Melksham (Goodys pet)

1 hour ago, The Jackson 6 said:

I wouldn’t have May in. It was only 24 months ago he showed up fat and unfit. Let him prove himself a few more seasons before you feel the urge to reward him for his demonstrated leadership. 

if you exclude may who is obviously a strong leader and got past his injuries to play some seriously good footy in 20 then you need to have a next in behind him and from my POV i can't see who that is. lever's form whilst it improved was still patchy and not near what we gave up for him.

 

3 minutes ago, spirit of norm smith said:

May for PM 

seriously he must come into our leadership group 

Gawn captain 

Viney vice captain

Leadership group - May Lever Trac and ...Melksham (Goodys pet)

only one more year at best SONS! 

if the goody rumour mill is to be believed

Good leaders are those who can lead by bringing players with them by offering direction and encouragement when needed on field.

Whilst Maxie is a great figurehead for the club off the field,  I don't recall him offering the sort of leadership required on the filed. Neither has Viney.

The players who seem to offer on field leadership are Trac and May. Safe and steady when the team is under pressure and able to direct their teammates when needed and lead by example.

I keep coming back to the best leadership examples of recent years - they were not generally the most charismatic or best players but rather those who contributed in many ways such as Maxwell, Cotchin, Harley, Wood who are all premiership captains.