Retirements.

[liz]

Good point, has all the qualities needed. Has been consistent with form this year, which could benefit from the added responsibility of captaincy, as well as making him stay longer...

He's just signed on for another five years. Not sure he needs any inducement to stay longer.

I don't think Hanners is currently even in the leadership group, suggesting he's not an obvious choice for the next captain.

[stevoswan]

And what about Dan the Man ?

Good point, has all the qualities needed. Has been consistent with form this year, which could benefit from the added responsibility of captaincy, as well as making him stay longer...

[111431]

And what about Dan the Man ?

[MattW]

I agree that there should be one captain, that the current captains haven't worked out, and that whatever happens McVeigh can't be a captain next year. McVeigh's grappling with mortality is bringing the team down - you need a captain at the peak of their powers. It's foreseeable that McVeigh's place in the team could come under threat next year.

I'd be happy with Parker - he's team-focussed, inspirational, reliable, and steps up at every opportunity. I'd be equally happy with Joey. He's performed in big games since his first year here and continues to perform in games where the other mids don't. He'd bring an understated gravitas to the role, a determination - no bombast, just get the job done. At least he'd lead by example.

[Gary]

Here's a wacky idea - how about just one captain?

Agree ... sick of this co captain foolishness ... trouble is neither of the existing captains are what we need ... Parker would be fine by me ... we need someone without fear who can set an example in tough situations and then also produce brilliance. He is not too young for the job. I love what Kieran has done as a player ... but his contributions have become occasional rather than constant / electric ... Kennedy is an example in terms of commitment but opposition tactics and poor disposal are blunting his effectiveness ... not a captain IMO.
On another subject, more people seem to be picking up on the Lloyd "slide" ... I wonder if the coach has even noticed what is apparent week after week.

[Ludwig]

I don't understand the hate-fest for Tom D - yes he is 27, but has only played 12 games.

He held the ruck on his own last year for those games where Pyke was injured and did a bloody good job.

He isn't that slow, he has a big body and can make a contest around the ground.

Overall his stats aren't too bad for his inexperience.

Agree he ain't a world beater, but he can provide a good back up when needed.

I would have had him in the team for an extended period this year as soon as Pyke was injured.

By his efforts last year he plays with a damn lot of heart, which is missing from a few players this year.

EoR

It's not really a hate fest, it's just me. I've made so many negative posts about Tom that it seems like a hate fest.

My theory on Tom is that we gave him another 2 years at a minimum salary plus a promise from Jesinta to get him a few dates with her friends. Tom is helping us get through the salary cap transition. If we replaced him with a qualified player the salary would put us over the cap. (I don't mean this as a negative as I think we are keeping AJ on the senior list on a similar basis even though he probably could be rookied without a problem). We were forced to lose a few players when we got Buddy and that was before we had to trim around 700k off the salary tab, so we have to keep a some players on the senior list that we might otherwise drop except that they are happy to be on an AFL club roster; even the minimum salary is better than they would do otherwise.

Tom's stats look better than they are because Champion Data don't have a category for hitouts to disadvantage or the number of times a player falls over by tripping over his own feet.

[liz]

Obviously the coaching staff have a different opinion as they picked Nankervis ahead of him and I suspect, had he been fit, Naismith would have also been picked before him.

Not necessarily. Derrickx himself has been struggling with injury and has been in and out of the reserves team all year. I don't think we know the pecking order in the coaches' minds.

[chalbilto]

I don't understand the hate-fest for Tom D - yes he is 27, but has only played 12 games.

He held the ruck on his own last year for those games where Pyke was injured and did a bloody good job.

He isn't that slow, he has a big body and can make a contest around the ground.

Overall his stats aren't too bad for his inexperience.

Agree he ain't a world beater, but he can provide a good back up when needed.

I would have had him in the team for an extended period this year as soon as Pyke was injured.

By his efforts last year he plays with a damn lot of heart, which is missing from a few players this year.

EoR

Obviously the coaching staff have a different opinion as they picked Nankervis ahead of him and I suspect, had he been fit, Naismith would have also been picked before him.

[sprite]

I don't understand the hate-fest for Tom D - yes he is 27, but has only played 12 games.

He held the ruck on his own last year for those games where Pyke was injured and did a bloody good job.

He isn't that slow, he has a big body and can make a contest around the ground.

Overall his stats aren't too bad for his inexperience.

Agree he ain't a world beater, but he can provide a good back up when needed.

I would have had him in the team for an extended period this year as soon as Pyke was injured.

By his efforts last year he plays with a damn lot of heart, which is missing from a few players this year.

EoR

[Ludwig]

I think we should make Tom Derickx captain.

He loves doing that media stuff that captains have to do. He talks a lot of crap, but it's not the same boring sort of crap coming from our current captains. And Macca and Kizza can concentrate on playing football again. Tom is the only one at our club that can converse with Eddie McGuire on the the same level.

In due course, Tom would drive everyone crazy and Mike Fitzgerald will offer us 2 priority draft picks and reinstate the COLA if we agree to delist him.

[aardvark]

Here's a wacky idea - how about just one captain?

and how about one that leads by example?

[jono2707]

Here's a wacky idea - how about just one captain?

[RogueSwan]

... Nankervis is not up to AFL standard yet and we have to bank on Naismith getting a full preseason...

Just thought I would fix that for you :-)

I'd be wary making Parker captain so young...

Joint captain with Smooch? Is he still in the leadership group? Actually, who is in the Leadership group ATM? You would have to assume any Captain options would have to come from this group.

[swansrob]

I'd be wary making Parker captain so young. He's a future captain, for sure, but I wonder if we should let him ply his trade for a couple more years and keep learning from the other leaders before he takes on that extra burden.

[MattW]

If he goes around again he should stand down from the captaincy.

Totally agree. His grappling with mortality is affecting the team, and his place in the team is likely to come into question next year.