Western Bulldogs captain Bob Murphy will return in 2017, but will he remain captain? To lead an AFL club is so important; no Hawthorn supporter could properly describe the influence Luke Hodge has had, not just as a player but as the skipper of that team.
Here are predictions for the next captains at all 18 AFL clubs.
Adelaide
Incumbent: Taylor Walker – the big Texan has been an imposing presence after initially being a somewhat surprise choice by the late Phil Walsh.
Seen as more interested in enjoying a pot of West End with his Broken Hill mates in the stands than anything else, he has impressed massively in the role and looks a natural fit in hindsight.
Next captain: Daniel Talia – other than the Chinese whispers that surrounded he and his brother Michael around the finals two years ago, he has been mega as the leader of the Crows backline of late.
Not only does he take the best tall every week, he is excellent rebounding the footy for his size and is a strong, vocal organiser of the defence.
Brisbane
Incumbent: Tom Rockliff – gives 110 per cent every week for let’s be honest, a dud footy side. Gets possession after possession and the team’s lack of success has no correlation to the effort Rockliff brings and the example he tries to lead by.
Next captain: Rhys Mathieson – a left-field selection, but it comes down to two things here: Rockliff is still young at 26 and will be asked a lot of given the lack of talent coming through underneath, and Mathieson is the right age to be blossoming when Rockliff hands the reigns over. Plus his nickname is ‘Beast Mode’, that’s enough as is.
Carlton
Incumbent: Marc Murphy – a lot conjecture over the former No.1 pick’s choice at the time, given there were less credentialled but better leaders like Andrew Carrazzo and Kade Simpson. In hindsight not the best pick, however he is doing well with the abilities he possesses.
Next captain: Jacob Weitering – a surprise this isn’t Patrick Cripps, but Weitering will leapfrog the gun midfielder given the outstanding contribution he has made already.
Yes, it’s a very small sample size to make after only half a season of senior footy but if there’s ever anyone oozing ‘next captain’ it’s the unflappable, highly skilled defender. If Murphy relinquishes the role earlier than expected Cripps might be again a chance, but the Blues have an absolute winner with last year’s No.1 pick
Collingwood
Incumbent: Scott Pendlebury – has come under fire for his leadership style – not overt on the field and leads by his actions – but the obvious choice at the time and doing a satisfactory job at worst.
An unquestionable superstar of the league, he performs at his best on the big stage: a key criterion for any captain of Collingwood.
Next captain: Taylor Adams – the trade of Adams for Heath Shaw looks a win for Greater Western Sydney right now, and yes, the Giants are enamoured with the form and output of the ex-Pie. However, Collingwood are just as excited with the service Adams will give them.
He is eight years younger and plays a pivotal role, one the Pies were lacking. He is a bull at the contest and possesses such a strong desire to get the club back into finals, he will be an accomplished successor.
Essendon
Incumbent: Brendan Goddard – by default after a dozen of his teammates took an imposed sabbatical after a prescription mix-up at the chemist, Goddard will hand the job back after this year. Hasn’t been a horrible leader by any stretch, but this has been always a 12-month secondment.
Next captain: Dyson Heppell – this was not whether he would be the next skipper, but whether he would stay at the club. Quite in his rights to feel aggrieved, Heppell has now announced his loyalty to the Bombers, which in turn lines up the captaincy in 2017.
Jobe Watson, whether he decides to go on in 2017 or not, won’t be captain next year, or more than likely would be invested in finishing his career out of the spotlight after such a tumultuous time for him personally.
Fremantle
Incumbent: David Mundy – after Matthew Pavlich handed it in, all eyes went to superstar Nat Fyfe. But in a bold, yet not overly surprising move, the thought was to give Fyfe a little more time, allowing Mundy the brief, but wonderful opportunity to lead the club he has given ten years of great service.
Next captain: Nat Fyfe – it was almost his when Pavlich stepped down, but another couple years focusing on his own form and recovering from injury will only do him good in the long run.
He might not be the quintessential leader, but he is by far the best player.
Geelong
Incumbent: Joel Selwood – great servant, one of the Cats’ greatest ever captains and one of their most storied players. Leads by example, gets his hands dirty, the players all play for him and he is an accomplished media performer too; pretty close to the ideal leader for the modern game.
Next captain: Cam Guthrie – another slightly left field choice, but Geelong fans have been overwhelmed by the performance of the man who took over their favourite son’s number 29.
Guthrie has made massive improvements to his own game. Where once a tagger or back pocket player, he is now bordering on elite status in the midfield.
Is a natural leader, fits the right age profile to take over from Selwood, and will be a more than serviceable replacement.
Gold Coast
Incumbent: Gary Ablett – was always going to be captain, whether he is a natural captain or not. Whether he will hand it over before or once he retires is the question, but for his benefit and the club’s there are certainly positives in doing it before.
Next captain: Tom Lynch – cynically he looks to be the only Gold Coast player capable of driving this team culture where it needs to get to, which is a long way off.
A gun forward who already visibly shows the leadership that place badly needs; if only he could have a few mates step up to become his lieutenants.
One of the most valuable commodities in the league, this kid.
Who’s in your ultimate team? Pick the best team and compete with other fans for daily prizes on Draftstars. For the best odds on the game try out Aussie bookmaker PlayUp. Think. Is this a bet you really want to place? Set a deposit limit.
The Collingwood supporter who touched West Coast debutant Harvey Johnston during Sunday's match at Marvel Stadium has been handed a 12-month suspension. Johnston grabbed…
What a difference a month makes as the drums start to beat louder on whether Dustin Martin should retire at the end of the…
Kane Cornes was trying to highlight Adelaide's problem with intercept marks, but Hutchy saw it as another attack on Tex Walker.
The AFL should revive the State-based representative game and give players something to strive towards in addition to “All-Australian” selection, as part of a wider scheduling revamp.
The AFL is investigating an incident in the last quarter of Collingwood's win over West Coast, when a Magpies supporter leaned over the fence…
The fan leaned over the fence at Marvel Stadium and touched West Coast youngster Harvey Johnston.
