FOUR weeks after being appointed Hawthorn captain, Ben McEvoy remains uneasy with the status.
"It is still a really unusual thing to hear, and still makes me a feel a little bit uncomfortable," McEvoy said.
"I'm starting to get used to it. It's not been my style. I'm a low key guy, a country guy, I like things pretty simple. I've never gone looking for the limelight, but this is a huge privilege … I am so humbled, so privileged to be in this position and really excited about throwing myself into it."
After 13 seasons and 222 matches, McEvoy in 2021 will take over leadership of the club from the retired Ben Stratton, his trademark selflessness – evidenced strongly last year in his preparedness to embrace coach Alastair Clarkson's unusual request for him to play at centre half-back - convincing his teammates to endorse him as skipper.
In an interview with AFL.com.au, McEvoy acknowledged the Hawks were this season coming off a poor 2020 but he promised that improvement would come and be based on the team doing the "little things" right every single time.
>> LISTEN TO THE FULL INTERVIEW IN THE PODCAST BELOW
He also reflected that he did not enjoy playing under his first coach in the AFL, Ross Lyon when at St Kilda.
"Ross was very unlucky, and the thing that I say now but probably not at the time - I didn't enjoy playing under Ross too much," McEvoy said.
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"I found him hard to deal with, and I was a young, naïve kid. I am absolutely sure he would've found me just as frustrating to coach. But the thing I loved about Ross' teams was that there was no ego attached. Everyone played their role."
