Spirit captain

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Gadzorks

Gadzorks

Norm Smith Medallist
Veteran Brisbane Lions - Charlie Cameron Player Sponsor 2020 Brisbane Lions - Charlie Cameron Player Sponsor 2019
Oct 23, 2015
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I would like the club to create a new player role.

The captains role has undergone a renovation in the post decade, just like the coaching role has.

It's less about the fierceness at battle aka voss, and more about personal ability, teammate inclusiveness and management. The Chris Fagan speciality stuff.

Edit: Sorry for the multiple posts. Phone screen is cracked. Can the moderators change these to a single post?

I would like us to create a new role - the spirit captain.

This is the person who is energetic, maybe not always calm under pressure but always showing immense intensity in games that we both win and lose.

These players may not be the most skilled prettiest too watch, but their charisma is so great it dragged other players to match their intensity.

We have them on field already, but by making the position a formal one it allows them to lean into their intensity and encouraged them to drag the team with them

The quiet player will of course always have our even temperament, calm under pressure captains to follow.

But the spirit captain can release the berserker side of those players that have the ability to go supper intense but needed ignition.

My vote is Wilmot. Let him be the side kick to Neale and Andrews.

Give him the opportunity to develop and apply his ability to use his energy and enthusiasm to help other players lift.

Lester could be another candidate - he clearly has the respect of players, staff and given his difficult pathway to best 22 he has mongrel determination in spades.
 
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Gadzorks said:
My vote is Wilmot. Let him be the side kick to Neale and Andrews.

Give him the opportunity to develop and apply his ability to use his energy and enthusiasm to help other players lift.

Lester could be another candidate - he clearly has the respect of players, staff and given his difficult pathway to best 22 he has mongrel determination in spades.
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The ones who have shown the most genuine on field leadership in trying to lift the team or defend like crazy when things haven't been going our way have been Ah Chee , Dunkley ,Wilmot and McKenna.
 
joe daniher

  • joe is really tall so when the players need to 'look up to' someone they can see him from anywhere on the field
  • on the 'roar deal' podcast michael whiting said that joe was one of the most popular players in the playing group; everyone loves joey
  • nothing revs your teammates up like kicking a few sausage rolls from 55 out
  • can play forward, ruck, and on ball so can get around the boys from everywhere on the ground
  • very eloquent so could give the team a big motivational speech as needed
 

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Tom14 said:
Gadzorks Is this a way for you to sneakily argue that we should get robbo back on the list ;)?
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Absolutely not, his day is done. Though I understand why you asked the question.

i was thinking about voss and his fearless ferociousness and how that lifted the team.

I don't think we will ever see the likes of him again, and even if we did in today's world he would be tamed.

I value the people who I would want at my side when things get tough. Not always the easiest to coexist with, but in the heat of battle worth their weight in gold.

Ps the whole support Mitch thing started when I got pissed that the club continued to give him one year contacts after he had proved his worth many times over. It wasn't fair.
 
Gadzorks, your post count has certainly received a boost. Are yo on some kind of bonus reward scheme?
 
I like the idea. As a supporter, I have been privileged to see four of the best ever Club Captains - Gary Wilson, Paul Roos, Michael Voss and Jonathan Brown. These four were remarkable footballers in their own right and their performance as Captains was enhanced by their capacity to do extraordinary things on the field. Amazing, inspirational, team lifting acts of skill and heroism. Each of them also had a number of others who were also gifted footballers and who showed others how to follow and what teamwork was all about.

It is also no surprise that the Captain who won the most accolades was also the Captain with the most “spirit captains” as you call them. Michael Voss was the greatest Team Captain to ever play the game in my estimation, in part, because of the ‘buy in’ of the champions he had to lead.

Gary Wilson - Fitzroy Captain 1981 to 1984
Lieutenants: Bernie Quinlan, Laurie Serafini, Billy Lokan, David McMahon, Matt Rendell, Grant Lawrie, Michael Conlan, Gary Pert.

Paul Roos - Fitzroy Captain 1988 to 1990 / 1992 to 1994
Lieutenants: Ross Lyon, Matthew Armstrong, Jimmy Wynd, Paul Broderick, Richard Osborne, John Blakey, Alastair Lynch, Gary Pert.

Michael Voss - Brisbane Lions Captain 1997 to 2006
Lieutenants: Simon Black, Nigel Lappin, Jason Akermanis, Luke Power, Marcus Ashcroft, Shaun Hart, Jonathan Brown, Alastair Lynch, Chris Scott, Brad Scott, Justin Leppitsch.

Jonathan Brown - Brisbane Lions Captain 2009 to 2012 / Co-Captain 2007 to 2008 and 2013
Lieutenants: Simon Black, Luke Power, Jed Adcock, Tim Notting, Joel Patful, Jamie Charman, Tom Rockliff, Ash McGrath

The bottom line is that you can be a great and inspirational Captain, but ultimately, team success comes from how many and the quality of the ‘spirit captains’ you have to lead.
 
When I saw the subject of this thread I assumed you were referring to the likes of Ben Cousins (2006) and Luke Hodge (2008), who weren't officially captains but were the guy everyone on the team looked up to most.

Having read your post I'm not quite sure if that was your intention, but I like it in principle anyway.

Certainly in Vossy and Browny we had that "come with me boys" attitude where they would put the team on their backs when they needed to. I haven't really seen anyone do that in our group. Dunkley has the potential but I guess that's not so straightforward for a first year player.

martinson said:
The ones who have shown the most genuine on field leadership in trying to lift the team or defend like crazy when things haven't been going our way have been Ah Chee , Dunkley ,Wilmot and McKenna.
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The first 3 I would endorse. Not so sure about McKenna. I've seen him pull out of contests multiple times this year when it's been his turn to put his head over it and take one for the team. Quick and skillful player. Question mark on his courage as far as I'm concerned.

I think if not for his shoulder issue(s) Jarrod Berry would have been well suited to this role. Hard to lead by example like Voss/Brown/Cousins/Hodge when you're out on a wing.

Starcevich too, altho it would be hard to have the necessary level of influence when you are occupied with the opposition's best small forward.

Ultimately I don't think we really have anyone who fully fits the mould right now, and that's why we get blowouts like Saturday, and the Port game in Round 1.

Cam Rayner SHOULD be the guy. To me this is the most obvious option. But he needs to demonstrate a minimum level of consistency before we get anywhere near having this conversation.

Possibly Jack Payne in future if he can develop a bit of mongrel. Certainly has the build for it.
 

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