Analysis Captain O' My Captain - 2025 Captain + Leadership Group

[viccles]

Xerri captain, Sheeze vice

 

[Makeshift Park]

I agree with Ichiro #51 that captains aren't much more than mascots nowadays, and its the overall squad leadership that matters more.

But if I had to guess today... I'm going with

C- Parker
V - Jy and Sheezel

 

[nj23]

I’d be interested to see C: Sheezel and VC: Parker and Jy. New era. Sheezel is young but put two good VC’s at his shoulders and it would see him reach new heights.

 

[The Nostradamus]

I agree with Ichiro #51 that captains aren't much more than mascots nowadays, and its the overall squad leadership that matters more.

But if I had to guess today... I'm going with

C- Parker
V - Jy and Sheezel

I think we will keep co caps and 2 out of those 3

 

[Chadwiko]

I could see Jy and Sheezel co-captains this year, yeah.

I trust the club could handle the "demotion" of McDonald sensitively enough as to not embarrass him. He is, after all, a loyal stalwart of the club we all love.

 

[Chadwiko]

The fact that Sheezel was the one to give this speech on behalf of the men's team, and not Jy, or Luke, or any of the other veteran leaders... is the clearest indication we have to-date that he's potentially primed to take over the Captaincy in 2025.

 

[Marksup]

The fact that Sheezel was the one to give this speech on behalf of the men's team, and not Jy, or Luke, or any of the other veteran leaders... is the clearest indication we have to-date that he's potentially primed to take over the Captaincy in 2025.

He’s ready for it. I reckon it’s just a cop out to say he’s too young.

The standards you walk past are the standards you accept. No one sets better standards than Sheez.

 

[Better Loosen Up]

Chose Sheezel, LDU, Xerri, Simpkin and Larkey. Add Parker to that group.

Luke (Barry Davis) Parker (C)
Sheezel (VC)

Sheezel to become Captain at the age of 22 in 2 year's time which sounds about right to me.

 

[Scottroo]

Harry is clearly the best speaker, the hardest worker and such a great advertisement for our club, rip the Band-Aid off and announce it.

New era, new captain!

 

[Chadwiko]

For those that say he's 'not ready' or 'it's too much pressure'... explain what having the captaincy would change?

1. He's already the player who acts as the face of the club
2. He's already the player who talks to the media the most
3. He's already our best player
4. He's already (arguably) our standard-setter at training and with his off-field preparation
5. He's already got the undisputed respect of our entire club
6. He's already got the undisputed respect of his peers around the AFL

Not sure what the fear is, to be honest.

 

[zoomba23]

For those that say he's 'not ready' or 'it's too much pressure'... explain what having the captaincy would change?

1. He's already the player who acts as the face of the club
2. He's already the player who talks to the media the most
3. He's already our best player
4. He's already (arguably) our standard-setter at training and with his off-field preparation
5. He's already got the undisputed respect of our entire club
6. He's already got the undisputed respect of his peers around the AFL

Not sure what the fear is, to be honest.

I think the fear is that the added pressure and responsibility (carved into stone rather than informal) could lead to a drop-off in his footy. But if I'm honest I'm coming round to the idea. The only arguable point of those six is number 3, and that's a marginal call anyway. We're probably at a stage where we need to be trying extraordinary things just to attain normal results. F1 for pick 27 and a second rounder was optimistic to the point of recklessness, another bold move to give a 20 year old the captaincy could just start the team's long-dormant motor

 

[Only Forwards]

Not sure what the fear is, to be honest.

He is everything and if we break him we go back to square 1.

That is the fear.

Founded or not.

Rational or not.

Ain’t a single one of us that ever wants to trudge through the shit we’ve just trudged through ever again.

IMHO there are 3-4 options I rank them as follows:

Make Parker captain

Make Sheez captain with Parker Vice

Make Jy standalone captain

Maintain the current captains.

I rate the top one the top one because I think a year or two under Parker may do Sheez the world of good.

 

[Uncle_Leo]

Larkey and Sheezel makes the most sense. I’m not against Parker and Sheezel either

Therefore it will be Zurhaar and Logue

 

[Chadwiko]

IMHO there are 3-4 options I rank them as follows:

Make Parker captain

Here's my issue with the "make Luke Parker captain" option;

(And do not get me wrong, I hope that he has a really great season).

He is 32 years old right now and just had an AFL season where he did not play every single game in the 1s. There is a very realistic scenario where Luke Parker (in terms of his playing ability) falls off a bit of a cliff this year.

We have just suffered through a few years where our onfield leaders have struggled with their own personal form, and we've seen a huge cost associated with that.

We need strong on-field leadership and I think giving it to a guy who has never played a game for the North Melbourne kangaroos at age 32 is a big risk. Personally, I see it as a bigger risk than giving it to a 20-year-old guy who for two consecutive seasons has established himself as our clear best player and the best thing to happen to this club in 20 years.

 

[ChopChopDigDig]

He’s ready for it. I reckon it’s just a cop out to say he’s too young.

The standards you walk past are the standards you accept. No one sets better standards than Sheez.

 

[berniemccarthy]

The fact that Sheezel was the one to give this speech on behalf of the men's team, and not Jy, or Luke, or any of the other veteran leaders... is the clearest indication we have to-date that he's potentially primed to take over the Captaincy in 2025.

First thing I thought as well

 

[Dan]

For those that say he's 'not ready' or 'it's too much pressure'... explain what having the captaincy would change?

1. He's already the player who acts as the face of the club
2. He's already the player who talks to the media the most
3. He's already our best player
4. He's already (arguably) our standard-setter at training and with his off-field preparation
5. He's already got the undisputed respect of our entire club
6. He's already got the undisputed respect of his peers around the AFL

Not sure what the fear is, to be honest.

More media, more meetings, more commitments to members, coterie groups, sponsors.....

More everything.

He doesn't need to have the offical title to be viewed and respected as a leader.

 

[Makeshift Park]

Here's my issue with the "make Luke Parker captain" option;

(And do not get me wrong, I hope that he has a really great season).

He is 32 years old right now and just had an AFL season where he did not play every single game in the 1s. There is a very realistic scenario where Luke Parker (in terms of his playing ability) falls off a bit of a cliff this year.

I don't think that's a particularly generous reading of where Parker's at.

After he broke his arm in the preseason, he probably did need to have a couple games in the magoos to build up match fitness.

And remember, in those games, he was dominant.



What doesn't make sense is why Horse kept him there for another couple after then.

Third week he backed it up with a good performance against us.



(The Swans won that game by a goal thanks to that)

And then he followed it up with a 9 tackle 26 disposal effort against Frankston, where he had the brainsnap and concussed that bloke, leading to the 6 week suspension.



I don't really understand what Horse was doing for those two weeks. Did he feel obligated to select Adams over Parker because he was a new recruit? Did he need an extra spot to experiment with different squad make-ups? I dunno. It seems many Sydney BF posters were as confused as me too.

We need strong on-field leadership and I think giving it to a guy who has never played a game for the North Melbourne kangaroos at age 32 is a big risk. Personally, I see it as a bigger risk than giving it to a 20-year-old guy who for two consecutive seasons has established himself as our clear best player and the best thing to happen to this club in 20 years.

So, I can't really go full-throated endorsements when it comes to the C/VC stuff, because I don't know any of these blokes personally, and I reckon private leadership inside the four walls would be the lions share of why people get those kind of gigs.

But I'd just make the observation that if it was a real world job, I'd be hiring the bloke who's proven he can lead a team to the top of its field, and keep them there over a sustained period, over a wunderkind child genius who still hasn't reached his ceiling.

Parker was captain at the swans from 2019-2023, and for the past four years they haven't missed finals. That's real experience of what kind of commitment and game sense is required at the pointy end, and that can inform his team mentorship at Arden St in a manner than none of Sheezel, Jy and Lmac could.

So while I'd love the chutzpah of nominating a 20 year old, and while I'm sympathetic that Jy's presided over a tumultuous period, I can appreciate the opportunity to reset under Parker is compelling.

 

[Chadwiko]

Good post Makeshift Park

Still don't think Parker as Captain is the right move, personally.

But you made strong points.

 

[ChopChopDigDig]

Parker won’t be captain. His leadership will be invaluable of course, but he’s not yet a north Melbourne person.

 

[One Eyed Roo]

Simpkin Capt
Larkey VC
Sheezel & Xerri DVC

Transition of leadership year.

 

[Makeshift Park]

Good post Makeshift Park

Still don't think Parker as Captain is the right move, personally.

But you made strong points.

Fair enough.

TBH the only outcome I'll be disappointed in is one where Lmac returns as captain, particularly if he's sharing it with Jy.

Sounds a little mean, but its nothing against him personally.

Its just, if the past couple years are anything to go by, we can't demote our captains to the magoos even if they have a patch of bad form. And it'll be a very happy surprise if Lmac deserves to play exclusively in the seniors next year based on his game-day performances over the past couple years.

Locking a defence position to bloke who takes an eon to decide on which 50/50 contest he's gonna boot it 50m to seems like a counterproductive way to improve our diabolical rebound game.

 

[shinboner magic]

For those that say he's 'not ready' or 'it's too much pressure'... explain what having the captaincy would change?

1. He's already the player who acts as the face of the club
2. He's already the player who talks to the media the most
3. He's already our best player
4. He's already (arguably) our standard-setter at training and with his off-field preparation
5. He's already got the undisputed respect of our entire club
6. He's already got the undisputed respect of his peers around the AFL

Not sure what the fear is, to be honest.

My only worry I have is that he would be targeted - clubs with weak senior players are susceptible to this.
No need to risk our best player with captaincy at such a tender age.

Hope the coaching department take the captaincy decision out of the players hands

 

[Chadwiko]

Simpkin Capt
Larkey VC
Sheezel & Xerri DVC

Transition of leadership year.

Problem is, if we're all assuming we want Harry to be Captain sometime within the next 1-3 years, it's kind of a dick move to have Larkey as VC above Sheezel, and then have Sheezel leapfrog him to Captain.

 

[Dan]

I'd rather keep McKay in the leadership group than have Sheezel as Captain.