Demons pick two captains, North one
MELBOURNE, Feb 3 AAP – North Melbourne might have found the decision to appoint a new AFL captain clear-cut, but Melbourne found the task impossible.
And so the Demons went for co-captains on Friday – and two of the youngest in the sport’s history.
Jack Trengove, 20, and Jack Grimes, 22, will lead the league’s oldest team when their season begins against the Brisbane Lions on March 31.
The Kangaroos’ new skipper will be midfield star Andrew Swallow, who is not much older at 24.
Grimes and Trengove have played just 69 games between them – Grimes has lined up in 32 matches and Trengove has appeared in 37.
Swallow will replace veteran Brent Harvey, captain for the past three seasons, but the 33-year-old will remain in the leadership group at North and act as a mentor.
North named Jack Ziebell, 21 later this month, as vice-captain alongside Drew Petrie.
Melbourne coach Mark Neeld said that Trengove and Grimes were the only two left standing when the decision to usher in a new young generation of leaders was made.
“When I first started four months ago I was absolutely certain I only wanted one captain,” Neeld said.
“After four months I arrived that we needed two – I couldn’t split them and their team-mates couldn’t split them.
“They both have outstanding leadership qualities”
Trengove said it was a great privilege to “take this opportunity and try and do something with it”.
“I’ve got full confidence in the whole group that they’re going to be doing everything possible to get this club back to where it needs to be,” he said.
Trengove said the key plank of his leadership with Grimes would be to “care for your team-mates”.
Neeld said that telling Brad Green he would no longer be captain or in the leadership group was tough.
“That’s the hardest thing I’ve had to do so far, to sit down with a player who has nearly played 250 games and is a captain of an AFL club, and tell him he wasn’t going to be captain,” Neeld said.
“But that’s part of the job and I’ve been put here by the board and ultimately by the supporters to do what I think is the best thing for the Melbourne footy club.”
North coach Brad Scott said the Kangaroos had several players who could have filled the captaincy role but Swallow had been a standout.
Swallow, who has played 56 games and was recruited from East Fremantle, admitted to being “a little bit surprised”.
“I think Brad had been throwing a few curve balls in there so I wasn’t quite sure what was going on but I was really thrilled to be able to have this opportunity,” Swallow said.
“And still to have Boomer (Harvey) here – to have him as a mentor and work with him really closely, I’m really excited about that.”
He said his leadership style would evolve over time.
“I don’t think the captaincy will change me as a player or leader,” Swallow said.
“I like to lead by the way I play. I’m really looking forward to the future at this club with the great young list we’ve got.”
Publisher: AAPNewswire
03 Feb 7:27 PM
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