It's been a pretty long haul to the official announcement yesterday, with the process starting two months ago. As we have done in the past, we asked the players to nominate themselves for the leadership group. In all, we had 13 players nominate – the most we’ve had in years.
This was all done on the first day of pre-season, and after three weeks of gruelling training (two of those in Arizona), we asked the players to vote for six players of the 13 nominees to make up the leadership group.
At this point, me, Josh Fraser, Scott Pendlebury, Shane O’Bree, Dane Swan and Tarkyn Lockyer had the most votes and made up our leadership group. That's not to say we don't expect the other seven guys to be strong leaders around the club – we've got a young list and we need all our older guys to be leaders in their own right.
Having formed our leadership group, Mick Malthouse then requested that all players choose a captain, vice-captain and deputies to help him with the process of selecting our captain. The coach then met with the match committee and other staff to get their opinions, before making a recommendatrion to the board.
Yesterday, the leadership group was then called in to meet the coach and the president, before they informed us of the leadership positions in 2009.
The overwhelming feeling is that I am very humbled to be selected for the position, particularly considering the calibre of players, people and leaders that I have supporting me.
Josh Fraser and Scott Pendlebury are the vice-captains, with Shane O’Bree and Dane Swan deputy vice-captains. Any of these guys could have taken the role, and all are very strong leaders who will be great in their roles. I can't wait to run out with them in front of thousands of screaming Collingwood fans in round one next year.
Each of us now know that we have a job to do. Although we have 27 players under the age of 23 years of age, we are definitely not rebuilding. We have participated in the finals over the past few years, but have yet to bring home that elusive premiership cup.
It's an exciting time for the club, but it is time to get to work – we’ve got games to win!!!
