Opinion Bloods' leadership - 2024 and beyond

[Kiama Chris]

It's not that there's a case against McLean's leadership potential. I'm just not really sure what the case for it is.

Take that piece you linked, which was an interesting read. I think we can say with reasonable confidence that McLean checks only one of those five boxes. That being passion & commitment, from all accounts (Dermott Brereton right through to Horse & co's words on him. His journey onto an AFL list is itself a testament to that.)

The rest - how effective he is at communicating, how positive his attitude is, how self and socially-aware he is - is really just guesswork from our vantage point, not being within the four walls of the club or knowing the guy personally.

I get the "vibe" that he's decent at those last 4 though not necessarily outstanding. Communication is the thing we see least. The others I think we have seen some evidence.
I'm not pushing his trolley as a captain and with two or three captains I'm not in favour of vice captains but I think he could be a good addition to the leadership group, depending on who else there is.

 

[The King!]

Mcleans last game was outstanding and his season built nicely but he is like 2-3 dud performances from being dropped. Hardly cemented yet.

That makes it hard to be a leader, but if he has the 2024 we expect then it's a different story

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

To me McLean is a solid role player at the top of his game. He is inspiring to his team mates because he continually delivers. Every game. Love the bloke. I think he is still improving. He has traits that help captaincy.

Leadership material? I think we have better. And that is not diminishing his input to the leadership, nor his leadership around the club as an example of what it takes and what you can achieve. He is a walking talking example of leadership.

Lots of potential captains at our club. We are a club that is stable. That means we pick captain/s and they stay captain until a suitable captain takes over. We have just added huge experience in the ruck and Midfield that are also potential captaincy material. I don't think we lack leadership or potential captains.

I think having leadership potential in lots of players is more important than trying to identify your next captain/s.

He has set high standards for himself … I want leaders who walk the talk. McLean and Gulden are both very hard trainers. Both are well placed to call out laxity. I am drawn to the notion of the vc’s being hard but fair. enforcers. I also like the idea of the white collar nob types having a VC while the blue collar guys can see how one of their own can continually improve.

Id add that both lads seem very smart players. Errol of course also happens to possess great ability.

 

[Millky95]

Based on the training video the Swans put out recently with the footage from the team photo day, Mills, Parker and Rampe were the closest to Horse in the photo which is usually where the captains sit so I suspect an unchanged 3-man co-captaincy again this season

 

[Kiama Chris]

It's not that there's a case against McLean's leadership potential. I'm just not really sure what the case for it is.

Take that piece you linked, which was an interesting read. I think we can say with reasonable confidence that McLean checks only one of those five boxes. That being passion & commitment, from all accounts (Dermott Brereton right through to Horse & co's words on him. His journey onto an AFL list is itself a testament to that.)

The rest - how effective he is at communicating, how positive his attitude is, how self and socially-aware he is - is really just guesswork from our vantage point, not being within the four walls of the club or knowing the guy personally.

McLean stays in Sydney to work on his craft instead of travelling. Going the extra mile.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

I thought they'd announce the new leadership group at last night's Guernsey presentation

Presumably it might happen next week in week leading into OR?

 

[Callipygian]

I learned something very interesting today....

I was at the Reserves and I took the opportunity to ask Jarrad McVeigh

Jarrad Mcveigh

Age

39

Ht

184cm

Wt

84kg

Pos.

Def

Career

Season

Last 5

D

19.3

5star

K

11.1

4star

HB

8.2

5star

M

4.0

4star

T

3.1

5star

MG

327.8

4star

No current season stats available

D

9.4

3star

K

6.0

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

1.6

2star

T

1.8

4star

whether we've named our leadership group yet. He said we had. I asked who were they? He said "we're keeping it under wraps". I thought he was joking and said, "why's that?" or something similar. He started saying something vague and then I realised he might be serious and I said "for real?" and he just said "yeah" and I didn't press it further.

In hindsight, I wish I had pressed further because it seems pretty strange. But when I'm talking to the people at the club and (hopefully) gleaning some intel, I try not to be too pushy because I don't want them to feel annoyed I got them to say more than they were comfortable with.

Why don't we want to announce our leadership group? Are there unexpected people there? Are we afraid of reaction - if so from who? Fans? Media? Are we afraid that it will advantage oppositions to know?? Just seems really strange to me. Do we even know who is captaining the team at the moment except that Rampe has been doing the coin toss? I think someone needs to ask Horse about this at the next presser.

 

[Kiama Chris]

I learned something very interesting today....

I was at the Reserves and I took the opportunity to ask Jarrad McVeigh whether we've named our leadership group yet. He said we had. I asked who were they? He said "we're keeping it under wraps". I thought he was joking and said, "why's that?" or something similar. He started saying something vague and then I realised he might be serious and I said "for real?" and he just said "yeah" and I didn't press it further.

In hindsight, I wish I had pressed further because it seems pretty strange. But when I'm talking to the people at the club and (hopefully) gleaning some intel, I try not to be too pushy because I don't want them to feel annoyed I got them to say more than they were comfortable with.

Why don't we want to announce our leadership group? Are there unexpected people there? Are we afraid of reaction - if so from who? Fans? Media? Are we afraid that it will advantage oppositions to know?? Just seems really strange to me. Do we even know who is captaining the team at the moment except that Rampe has been doing the coin toss? I think someone needs to ask Horse about this at the next presser.

Curiouser and curiouser. In the absence of facts conspiracies flourish.

 

[Callipygian]

Curiouser and curiouser. In the absence of facts conspiracies flourish.

I'm going to write and ask a journo or two to put the question. Hopefully we'll find out more on Wednesday or later this week. I'm slightly hesitating to put heat on our own club but I figure they can deal with the questions and they either will or won't give some answers.

 

[Kiama Chris]

I'm going to write and ask a journo or two to put the question. Hopefully we'll find out more on Wednesday or later this week. I'm slightly hesitating to put heat on our own club but I figure they can deal with the questions and they either will or won't give some answers.

Hopefully not at the post match. That would not be good.

 

[Callipygian]

Hopefully not at the post match. That would not be good.

I'd expect it to be at the mid-week post-training presser. But it's out of my hands now. I have made the suggestion.

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Curiouser and curiouser. In the absence of facts conspiracies flourish.

Possibly protecting one or two removed or Errol being elevated. May have moved from popularity contest elections or reduced the numbers.

 

[Adnico26Parker]

Hayden name dropped one or 2 names in this interview a couple of weeks ago

Hayden McLean says new teammates will be a massive help at the Swans - Breakfast with Harf

Sydney ruckman Hayden McLean said the new additions of Brodie Grundy and Taylor Adams will be massive helps.

omny.fm

 

[Adnico26Parker]

Very interesting that Caleb Mitchell was the game day captain of the VFL team yesterday, giving him some leadership experience.

 

[the hypnotoad]

i assume mills is captain for the foreseeable future
from what i see on the field, gulden is already a natural leader and mclean, in different ways, shows the same leadership, in that there seems an air about him the players respond to
and he seems to point well
the bloke i've been talking up for a while as a potential captain is campbell, and i think as he grows in confidence and stature in the team that leadership potential will emerge more clearly

 

[Kiama Chris]

i assume mills is captain for the foreseeable future
from what i see on the field, gulden is already a natural leader and mclean, in different ways, shows the same leadership, in that there seems an air about him the players respond to
and he seems to point well
the bloke i've been talking up for a while as a potential captain is campbell, and i think as he grows in confidence and stature in the team that leadership potential will emerge more clearly

Agree with the first three but I think Tom McCartin is showing more leadership potential than Campbell.
He captained the team in the preseason game against Brisbane and I've been watching closely. Had a poor one Saturday but otherwise his behaviours have been top notch.
Still wondering why we haven't seen the new leadership group.

 

[robbieando]

Agree with the first three but I think Tom McCartin is showing more leadership potential than Campbell.
He captained the team in the preseason game against Brisbane and I've been watching closely. Had a poor one Saturday but otherwise his behaviours have been top notch.
Still wondering why we haven't seen the new leadership group.

It’s related to the injuries to Mills and Parker, as we are basically running with half our leadership group currently. They are getting those dropped from the leadership group for this year to step up on match day until the injured group are all mostly back as it contains most of our leadership group.

The group size has dropped from 8 to 7 and Buddy is an absolute out from last years group.

 

[the hypnotoad]

Agree with the first three but I think Tom McCartin is showing more leadership potential than Campbell.
He captained the team in the preseason game against Brisbane and I've been watching closely. Had a poor one Saturday but otherwise his behaviours have been top notch.
Still wondering why we haven't seen the new leadership group.

yes, i thought about mccartin, and he does have those on-field qualities
but watch campbell closely, it's there ... he's a leader of this group, or is becoming one ... whether he gets the 'c' is not really relevant

 

[The King!]

We know who the captain is.

If they want a secret leadership group then good luck to them I say.

 

[the hypnotoad]

We know who the captain is.

If they want a secret leadership group then good luck to them I say.

i wonder if it's so secret the players themselves don't know ... only "the chosen few" ... and they have a secret handshake

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

i wonder if it's so secret the players themselves don't know ... only "the chosen few" ... and they have a secret handshake

Lol. Masons v Knights of the Southern Cross!

Sixty odd years ago some intra club scratch matches pitted Prods v Micks. Of course some Clubs were not keen on having Catholics on their list so they could not do this.

Happily South was not a hotbed of sectarianism.

 

[The King!]

I didn't realise the secret was kept from the players as well

 

[Callipygian]

Reckon Rampe might get a rest for Gather Round. Who will toss the coin? Heeney?

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

Reckon Rampe might get a rest for Gather Round. Who will toss the coin? Heeney?

Lloyd, McLean or Gulden

 

[Grand Uncle Horace]

I get the "vibe" that he's decent at those last 4 though not necessarily outstanding. Communication is the thing we see least. The others I think we have seen some evidence.
I'm not pushing his trolley as a captain and with two or three captains I'm not in favour of vice captains but I think he could be a good addition to the leadership group, depending on who else there is.

Has been carrying plenty of media load and doing it well.