GAZZA'S space dreams
GARY Ablett is obviously relaxed in his new role as captain of the Gold Coast Suns. In an interview with Robert Craddock in the Sunday Herald Sun, he was happy to describe all parts of his life, including childhood dreams of becoming an astronaut, and then an actor.
He revealed that he was keen on social media, he loved the fact he was playing with his younger brother Nathan, and that he constantly had jousts with his father, Gary senior, as to who was the better player.
He did say that was one battle he never won.
His view of captaincy was that he would lead by example.
"Captains lead in different ways and my way will be by example," he said.
"I have been doing this for nine or 10 years now and give 100 per cent to everything I do, whether it is playing or training.
"I want to help the young kids. That's my aim and that's what the club wants from me."
And the player he would have like to bring with him from Geelong? No real surprises here - it would be Joel Selwood.
Campbell Brown's promise
And while on the Gold Coast, we must reveal that Campbell Brown, a member of the club's leadership group, is doing his best to promote the club's two clashes with local rival Brisbane this season.
The two Queensland clubs will meet on Sunday in the final NAB Challenge clash, and will have two AFL meetings this season, in rounds seven and 21.
Wrote Brown, in his column in The Sunday Age: "I attended a Queensland captain's luncheon … and got involved in the healthy banter by promising that if we lose to Brisbane this year I will dress up as a meter maid for the day and walk up and down Cavill Avenue filling up meters."
Bickley to coach Crows - eventually
Former Adelaide captain Chris McDermott, writing for Adelaide's Sunday Mail, has poured praise on his old club for creating the foundations of a quality coaching succession plan.
The plan was revealed earlier in the week when the club announced that coach Neil Craig had agreed to become a staff member, rather than a contracted person.
McDermott noted that just as the football department was responsible for list management, so too the club's executive had to ensure the club had the best coaching staff, and the best succession plan.
"Craig has turned this club into one of the most professional establishments in the game and almost singlehandedly given it unconditional respect, regardless of the scoreboard.
"There can be few greater compliments to any team in sport."
The coach on staff plan, he wrote, was the club's method of ensuring that Craig's character and influence would never be lost to the club.
He believed the next coach of Adelaide was already in the coaching group - Hall of Fame member, and premiership captain Mark Bickley: "
As with great coaches Kevin Sheedy, Mark Thompson, John Worsfold and Mick Mathouse, Bickley cut his teeth as a hardnosed half-back flanker.
"The former skipper has also taken a much-needed step out of the game, viewed it from the eyes of the media, broadened his knowledge of the game, then stepped back into it an even wiser man."
Geoff Slattery is the managing editor of AFL Media. The views in this piece are his and do not necessarily reflect the views of the AFL or its clubs
