COLLINGWOOD will not be making a leadership change and moving on from skipper Scott Pendlebury, vice-captain Steele Sidebottom says.
It comes after Melbourne legend and commentator Garry Lyon queried earlier this week whether the Magpies would be better off with a change of captain.
And Pendlebury himself says he wants to remain as skipper.
Lyon referenced the rotating captaincy policy former St Kilda coach Grant Thomas employed between 2001 and 2006, and suggested it should be a model the Magpies look to adopt.
Pendlebury, 30, has captained the Magpies since 2014 after taking over the position from 2010 premiership skipper Nick Maxwell.
"Yep, I definitely expect Scott to still be captain," Sidebottom said when asked about the situation on Wednesday.
"I wouldn't see any change in our captaincy, not only this year but probably the next couple of years as well."
Speaking from a Gold Coast training camp, Pendlebury said he wanted to stay on.
"Absolutely. If I could do it my way, if I could do the whole vote I would stay captain," Pendlebury told News Corporation.
"I love the job ... I love the group of guys, we've got a great bunch and I think we're capable of something pretty special."
Lyon said Collingwood should look at handing the captaincy to either Sidebottom or fellow vice-captain Taylor Adams.
Sidebottom, 27, is the club's reigning best and fairest, while Adams is the Magpies' best young leader.
Collingwood is yet to officially name its leadership group for the 2018 season.
"If he is captain or not, he is still going to be Scott Pendlebury the great player and great leader," Lyon said on SEN radio.
"Therefore, is there benefit in saying 'OK, while you're 30 years of age and still got two-to-three years there, it is going to be beneficial for us to give the title to Taylor Adams, Steele Sidebottom or someone of that ilk, and then have the dual benefit of having an old and new leader.' I would be leaning that way.
"I reckon it's a really critical stage for them."
High-flying defender Jeremy Howe was also elevated to the club's leadership group halfway through last season after the initial three-man team was named before the start of the season.
Joining teammates for a week's training camp on the Gold Coast, Sidebottom told reporters it would be important for the Pies' leaders to work closely with leadership and culture manager Maxwell.
Maxwell took up the newly created role in September last year after working in leadership development with Greater Western Sydney and NRL club Melbourne Storm.
"We need to tap into 'Maxy' (Maxwell) as much as we can, myself, Tay (Adams), everyone on the list really," Sidebottom said.
"We need to grow with our leadership and I don't think you could get a better bloke than 'Maxy' to come along and share some of his ideas and really help us."
