ON THE eve of his third AFL season as Carlton skipper, Marc Murphy says he's become a better leader.
Murphy stepped into the role vacated by Chris Judd early in 2013 and led the team to the finals before enduring a torrid seven-win season last year.
The 27-year-old announced on Monday that Michael Jamison and Bryce Gibbs will be his vice-captains in 2015 and said he felt he'd matured as a leader.
"It's been a tough few years, but I think I've grown quite a bit," Murphy said.
"Mick (Malthouse) has been great for my development as a captain.
"I'm in as good a place as I've ever been to lead the club and I've got great support with these two guys.
"Their leadership over the last few years has been great."
Murphy said that he was looking forward to seeing how his side responded to the disappointment of missing out on the finals last season.
Both Jamison and Gibbs returned to the leadership group last year after stepping away in 2013 to concentrate on their own form.
Jamison was confident the Blues would be able to improve markedly on last year's 13th-placed finish that drew widespread criticism.
"We were whacked (by the media), in all fairness last year," Jamison said.
"We didn't perform in the way that (everyone) expected.
"(But) it's been a much more level pre-season this year. We're getting some younger guys who have come through and are really demanding excellence on the track.
"I think in the past it's been left to too few, but there's no doubt we have a large group more demanding of each other now."
Lachie Henderson and Sam Rowe complete the Blues' five-man leadership group.
In other news, Carlton's Princes Park headquarters will be known as Ikon Park after the cleaning services company replaced Visy as naming rights sponsor of the historic ground.
President Mark LoGuidice declined to offer any detail on the value or length of the deal.
