IVAN Maric will take on an expanded official leadership role in 2015 after being appointed as a joint Richmond vice-captain with Brett Deledio.

 

The Tigers' leadership group was announced in December with defender Steve Morris named as retired Dan Jackson's replacement.

 

Maric, 29, is highly respected by his teammates and has been in the Tigers' leadership group since the end of 2012.

 

In July last year, the former Adelaide ruckman was critical of the Tigers' training standards, labelling them as "so poor" and the reason the team had slumped to 10 losses before round 15.

 

He also spoke candidly about the leadership group taking charge of righting the wrongs of the first half of the season, which led to the team's nine wins that took them into an unlikely finals berth.

 

"We focused a lot on policing and driving the standards and making sure that everyone was doing it, no matter if you're a captain or a first-round draft pick or whatever," Maric said then.

 

"We've made sure that everyone is doing the little things correctly, attention to all the details, and it shows in games. We're doing it."

 

Deledio has been vice-captain for the last two seasons and will hold the role again this year.

 

Skipper Trent Cotchin and defender Troy Chaplin make up the rest of the five-man leadership group.

 

"It is a terrific reward for Ivan, and highlights the positive impact he has had on the club since arriving from Adelaide," said football manager Dan Richardson. 

 

"Ivan, Brett and the other members of the leadership group will no doubt provide Trent with terrific support in 2015."