Captaincy

[BW511 2,566]

I think Lever’s leadership credentials are strong but I’m not sure his football, since our flag, matches it.

Edited August 10 by BW511

[Superunknown 4,048]

Agree with this and have been thinking same

No idea on replacement though 

[Maldonboy38 6,379]

The saying "everything rises and falls on leadership" is so true of Max. He has influenced the entire club and supporter base and has a massive profile (in a psychological sense). When he does step down, it will be a monumental change of leadership and will ripple trough the club. There will be a void is his wake for some time.

I can't see Trac as our Skipper. Great player with leadership traits - yes, but not as Club Captain.

Lever looks a standout, but I would have Rivers. This is pure blind opinion because Rivers has done little publicly to show lots of leadership capacity. His footy is maturing, and when he has spoken on media, he is articulate and has a good understanding of the broader game. 

[ElDiablo14 4,875]

5 hours ago, Pirlo said:

An uncomfortable question - 

Max is the oldest captain in the league, with the next-oldest being Witts who works in tandem with another.

Most teams' captains are from the 2013-14 drafts, and Max is 4-5 years older than that.

I love the man. Best Demon since the 60s in my view, but could it be time to move on. I have absolutely no issue with him personally.

Four factors make me ask this question:

1. He's reaching the point in his career where most greats slow down significantly. He'll be 33 in December, and has now gone down with niggling injuries for weeks at a time on a number of occasions since the flag. He really is one bad knee injury away - and he did two ACLs years ago - from having to give it up. As it stands, he feels compelled to play through pain and return early because he's the skipper. 

2. Most great players give up the captaincy, and all that comes with it, in their mid 30s to focus on lengthening their careers - Cotchin, Fyfe, Walker, Pendlebury are all recent examples of this. 

3. The level of effort across the board this year has been uncharacteristic. I'm not talking results, I'm talking pure effort. Max not included in that, his standards are elite (reminds me of Jonesy during the bad years), but he's the guy who leads the others. Could a fresh voice at the top be an option? Max's comments after last week were telling - "I don't care about finals, I care about putting some pride back in the jumper". Some people felt he was being cavalier there, I didn't. I feel like he's struggling to deal with the poor showings from a number of our players who just don't look invested some weeks. Tonight's game will be telling - will they do what he's asked? If not, and they show up as they have against Freo x 2, the Pies, the Dogs...we'll know they're not listening.

4. This one is painful, because I think he's the best media performer of his AFL generation and has every right to both play and be a regular media personality, but I listen to Max every Monday and Friday on MMM. He's on there to have a laugh with Wil Anderson and get himself primed for what he'll do post-career, but there's now been multiple weeks where we get belted on Saturday/Sunday and Max is laughing on the radio on Monday. He never excuses poor efforts, he more says things like "oh we were terrible, yeah" before moving on, but perhaps its for the best he's doing regular segments like these whilst not also being the skipper.

I reiterate that I've got no issue at all with Max. I'm just wondering whether its time to look to the future and let Max just play footy, keep himself fit, and carry on his slow transition to his post-footy life whilst still dominating in the ruck for a couple of years to come.

I'd probably favour a Lever/ANB or Lever/Petracca ticket to replace him, but there's definitely no obvious candidate.

My candidates:

Petracca

Lever

Viney

[ElDiablo14 4,875]

4 hours ago, WalkingCivilWar said:

Ricky Lever. That’s all. 
 

😃

I thought he was more like the dad of the group 😆

[Skuit 9,890]

Take the Australian breakdancing approach and hand the baton to Koltyn. 

[Doug Reemer 1,154]

Petracca is the obvious next choice as captain.

[Little Goffy 13,940]

An curious smokey would be for Nibbler to be a James McDonald style humble captain, with a strong vice-captaincy and leadership group (unlike what McDonald had to manage with), including Gawn, Viney, Lever, Petracca.

It's an outside thought I had on the same moment I realised Nibbler is a likely 300-gamer and appears to be continuously, incrementally, improving over time.

He can neatly hand over the captaincy after our 2027 premiership, by which time a couple of our current young players will have developed and proven their credentials.

[DeeSpencer 24,673]

Jack should’ve been captain this year, Gawn has battled manfully but he’s paced himself even when not injured and hasn’t always attacked the contest with the intensity of a player in their prime. 

Can’t have Tracc next year after such a serious injury.

Can’t have Lever, don’t trust his body and don’t trust his play under pressure.

Honestly if they wanted to reward effort and being a great clubman they could give it to ANB for a year.

[DeeSpencer 24,673]

11 minutes ago, Little Goffy said:

An curious smokey would be for Nibbler to be a James McDonald style humble captain, with a strong vice-captaincy and leadership group (unlike what McDonald had to manage with), including Gawn, Viney, Lever, Petracca.

It's an outside thought I had on the same moment I realised Nibbler is a likely 300-gamer and appears to be continuously, incrementally, improving over time.

He can neatly hand over the captaincy after our 2027 premiership, by which time a couple of our current young players will have developed and proven their credentials.

Just saw this, we’re on the same page

[poita 3,874]

I prefer my captain to be in the team's best 22 players, so that rules out Lever. An AFL defender should be able to defend players 15cm smaller than them, but Lever would rather point and yell at teammates rather than being accountable for an opponent. Maybe that works when you are a top 4 side, or when a younger Steven May was able to do the work of two men, but we can't continue to carry Lever whilst we are struggling.

The leadership cupboard looks fairly bare to me, but Neal-Bullen looks the best short term option before the next generation comes through.

[Doug Reemer 1,154]

8 hours ago, Little Goffy said:

An curious smokey would be for Nibbler to be a James McDonald style humble captain, with a strong vice-captaincy and leadership group (unlike what McDonald had to manage with), including Gawn, Viney, Lever, Petracca.

It's an outside thought I had on the same moment I realised Nibbler is a likely 300-gamer and appears to be continuously, incrementally, improving over time.

He can neatly hand over the captaincy after our 2027 premiership, by which time a couple of our current young players will have developed and proven their credentials.

I don’t mind this. He has stepped up in the absence of Brayshaw, Petracca and a half fit Oliver.  

[No10 434]

Madness.

One thing we have is the best captain in the league.

Like Selwood, he retires as captain with the cup. Expect nothing less.

[layzie 32,689]

I'd he shocked if the conversation wasn't at least had this off-season, it's on a year by year basis at this point.

Lever is the heir apparent. 

[Ugottobekidding 1,044]

10 minutes ago, layzie said:

I'd he shocked if the conversation wasn't at least had this off-season, it's on a year by year basis at this point.

Lever is the heir apparent. 

Has been too inconsistent on the field the past two years. Tracc is the only one who ticks the box. On and off field, sets the standard. 

[The Jackson FIX 2,670]

Should be stripped of the captaincy for letting his son sing Good Old Collingwood Forever without immediately being sent to his room 

[The Jackson FIX 2,670]

Pretty much the face of the club through one of the more complex and difficult seasons in memory. 

He deserves that captaincy until he doesn’t want it anymore. 

[Ted Lasso 18,728]

Gawn is the best Melbourne captain i can remember so i would say it's his role until he doesn't want it anymore. 

I would have said Gus was a real chance to be the next captain if not for his concussions unfortunately, the guy was the heart and soul of the club. 

if Gawn decided to give it away i would say it'd be a co-captains situation with Petracca, Viney and Lever.

[IRW 1,377]

On 10/08/2024 at 16:35, Gawndy the Great said:

Hard call I think it really boils down to who has the trust and respect universally throughout the group. Trac in my mind is a bit like Coniglio and is probably not suited to the role. Not a huge fan of the Lever idea but it doesn’t appear that we really have anyone else. 

Given that the coach is inarticulate and the current captain is a comedian, Lever comes across very well.

Very Melbourne 

[Roost it far 7,331]

Petracca Captain

ANB Vice

 

[adonski 10,775]

McVee (c)
Windsor (vc)

Only players on the list who haven't disappointed once yet

[Dingo 1,007]

On 10/08/2024 at 17:23, Mickey said:

I've been thinking about this the last couple of weeks. The only problem I can see is that Max seems to like being the man. Whether he's happy to step aside or not, I'm not sure.

If he was, agree Rick and Trac are next cabs off the rank, ably supported by Nibbler.

Nibbler - great idea.

[dimmy 1,280]

"I reiterate that I've got no issue at all with Max. I'm just wondering whether its time to look to the future and let Max just play footy, keep himself fit, and carry on his slow transition to his post-footy life whilst still dominating in the ruck for a couple of years to come."

"I'd probably favour a Lever/ANB or Lever/Petracca ticket to replace him, but there's definitely no obvious candidate."

   Pirio   (Above on this thread)

• I made a suggestion in another thread re Max winding down and buying time for a young forward/ruckman to emerge or develop.   But the decision is his ......... because he has earned the right !!
• Please, please, please do not link a current players media performances to something serious.
• Np, definitely no ,no to Lever . A captain is a competitive beast . ANB for me or Daicos/Walsh/Bont in the mega trade for you know who !!!

[FreedFromDesire 567]

In light of recent events, I would honestly nominate Trac. My reasoning is thus (out of the likely candidates):

ANB - No better person at the club IMO. A gem of a bloke, our most authentic speaker, incredibly hard worker, consistent player. However, I think his skill lapses and knack for getting caught has the potential to deflate momentum at critical times as captain.

Lever - Probably our most 'Captain-like' speaker. A constant voice at training and on game days, and a super stable person on and off field (giving him a pass this year as I believe he's played through injury). He is, however, prone to over-emotional outbursts and brainfades on game day, which is not what you want from a captain.

Viney - Would think age precludes him from the start, but perhaps isn't the most adaptable of leaders in terms of relating to different personalities of players. Works with Max given his incredible relationship building style.

Trac - He's the guy IMO. Needs a bit more polish in the public speaking, but he's so naturally likeable that it doesn't really matter. Is miles ahead of anyone else on our list in terms of will to win. Exceptionally professional in his preparation. And (somewhat sadly) has a clear passion for the club to be better than it has been recently.

I think Trac, with ANB and Lever as co-vice captains, is the way to go. Max and Viney round out the group. May is probably my favourite player, just love him, but my opinion is his leadership style might not best suit our core group of youngsters coming through. I think you can be uncompoimising without yelling abuse after any small error. Personally, I would start this from next year - Alright Trac, we've made changes, you've spoken up, go out and make it happen!

(Sorry, bit of a long one!)

Edited August 12 by FreedFromDesire

[monoccular 17,305]

After all the BS spreading around tonight, maybe it is time for CP5?

But I must say I am OK with Max for another year.

ANB is an interesting option - he certainly is a guy who learns and gets the most out of himself every game.    Not sure if he would be able to inspire like Max does though.  But then, who could?

If Max does go for another year Rivers could become a realistic option too - not quite there yet but ....

Edited August 12 by monoccular