PORT Adelaide star Kane Cornes says he is ready to captain the club if called upon by his teammates over the coming months.
Cornes, 25, is in the running to replace former skipper Warren Tredrea, who stepped down from the role last week.
Cornes, who concedes he was once too focussed on his own game, was reinstated to the club’s leadership group last year and said he would love to captain the club.
"If I'm lucky enough to be given the position then I'd love to have it. I've got the skills now to be a good leader,” Cornes told the Adelaide Advertiser.
"It's a big vote of confidence to be voted in [to the leadership group] by the players.
"Two years ago I didn't receive too many votes at all. Now to be voted in again for next season is a big thrill so I'm looking forward to being able to push our behaviours with the way I go about things both on and off the field."
Cornes said perceptions that he was ‘too selfish’ when he was originally inducted into the club’s leadership group in 2006 were “fair at the time”.
But the dual All-Australian, who plays a mentoring role to young midfielder Travis Boak, said he’d worked hard on being less “single-minded”.
"Since then I've definitely changed the way I've gone about it," Cornes said.
"Where once I used to focus solely on my own game now I try to think about how I can get the best out of my teammates. That's probably the biggest difference from me from two years ago.
“I've still got a lot of work to do in that area but I'm trying as hard as I can and I feel I'm really improving."
Cornes is one of eight players named in the club’s leadership group for next year.
Headlining the octet are 2008 vice-captains Shaun Burgoyne, Chad Cornes and Brendon Lade and also emerging leaders Cornes, Dom Cassisi, Dean Brogan, Daniel Motlop and Steve Salopek.
Cornes agreed with suggestions there was no obvious replacement for Tredrea, which he said would place greater emphasis on the leadership group as a whole.
"I don't think there's a Matty Primus there, a player who stands out above the rest," he said.
"Whoever gets the job will need a lot of help and support from the other leaders. I'd be honoured to be given the nod but if one of my teammates gets it, I'd be very happy for them and happy to help them in any way I can."
The fourth Port Adelaide captain is expected to be announced by early next year.