Who is the best captain right now?

[Galaxy]

Are the posters nominating Nathan Jones being serious?

Jones is one of the better captains. Massively underrated due to being at a club that is beyond awful.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

Jones is one of the better captains. Massively underrated due to being at a club that is beyond awful.

A club that has turned in so many poor performances over the last few years, is lead well?

Nah, I can't really buy that.

Yes, he tries hard and can be a good player on his day, but he's not one of the better captains(an earlier poster had him top 3 and perhaps by "better" you agree) in the comp when you look at those who inspire and lead their teammates.

Selwood, Pavlich, Riewoldt, Boak, Walker, Pendlebury....if Jones was above all those guys would Melbourne meekly fall in a heap 2 or 3 times a season?

 

[Back One Out]

most BigFooty posters wouldn't have a clue

EFA

 

[Lyyynnnchy]

I think Hodge is one of the best players in the comp and would be one of my favourite players outside of Sydney.

Though, the best captain I would have to say is Watson. Yes, he needed time off at the later end of this season, but what he has done for Essendon, there group, i dont think many people could have done as well.

Doesnt look like theyre doing very well to me...

 

[Randomizor]

Doesnt look like theyre doing very well to me...

Plus he absolutely dropped his head this year and played absolutely putridly before abandoning the club to watch the cricket. Also admitted to taking a prohibited substance on air.

One of the worst captains who was playing under one of the worst coaches.

 

[Mike Williamson]

Jones is one of the better captains. Massively underrated due to being at a club that is beyond awful.

He's had the benefit of playing for some shit captains t Melbourne, so he knows what not to do

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

Has anybody mentioned G. Ablett yet? GC is a finals contender in 2014 till he did his shoulder, turn into also rans without him, look uncompetitive at the start of this year, returns to lead his side to a 50 point thumping of the roos (prelim finalist) and and the next 2 weeks are overrun by bulldogs and gws in the last quarter after leading at 3q time. Does his knee against the crows and the suns look a shadow of the team they were with him. Either he is the best player we will ever see or he inspires those around him to grow another leg and be much better footballers like a good captain should

ablett is the best player we will ever see. i see him trying to be a good captain, encouraging, directing other players etc but i really don't think that's his natural personality to do that. it seems kind of forced. but just by his ability any side is a 5 goal better side for him being on the park and healthy.

 

[Mike Williamson]

ablett is the best player we will ever see. i see him trying to be a good captain, encouraging, directing other players etc but i really don't think that's his natural personality to do that. it seems kind of forced. but just by his ability any side is a 5 goal better side for him being on the park and healthy.

GAJ is a shit captain. Just ask his teammates, and ask him why he wouldn't go on the documentary about captains

 

[Procrastinator35]

Is mitchell in the leadership group

Was brought back in for finals, along with Burger. Plus Smith & McEvoy for the experience.

During the H&A it's Hodge, Lewy, Roughy & Gibbo i'm pretty sure.

 

[TBoyleSuperstar]

Is mitchell in the leadership group

I dont think so

 

[JackOutback]

Are the posters nominating Nathan Jones being serious?

Are people nominating Hodge being serious? Great player who can lead by example on the field, but also ill-disciplined, lets his teammates down when he gets suspended and got caught drink driving on the eve of finals.

As pointed out, we casual observers will never know what goes on behind the scenes. But on the things we can judge them on (leading by example, setting the tone for the club on and off the field, not creating distracting issues), then guys like Reiwoldt, Pav and Selwood are probably out front.

 

[Plugger35]

Pretty hard to go past Hodge when he has captained Hawthorn to 3 flags in a row.

I don't think any off field issues he's had are enough to say he isn't one of the best captains in the game.

He seems pretty well respected by his teammates and by opposition players.

 

[The King!]

Are people nominating Hodge being serious? Great player who can lead by example on the field, but also ill-disciplined, lets his teammates down when he gets suspended and got caught drink driving on the eve of finals.

As pointed out, we casual observers will never know what goes on behind the scenes. But on the things we can judge them on (leading by example, setting the tone for the club on and off the field, not creating distracting issues), then guys like Reiwoldt, Pav and Selwood are probably out front.

One mistake
Doesnt undo the good work surely?

 

[JackOutback]

One mistake
Doesnt undo the good work surely?

He's been suspended more than once. A lot more than once.

I think the role of captain in the AFL is probably overstated anyway. For the most part, it generally means you're one of your team's better players, that's all.

 

[Thats Wright]

Ziebell?


Too soon?

 

[JohnnyFontane90]

Are people nominating Hodge being serious? Great player who can lead by example on the field, but also ill-disciplined, lets his teammates down when he gets suspended and got caught drink driving on the eve of finals.

As pointed out, we casual observers will never know what goes on behind the scenes. But on the things we can judge them on (leading by example, setting the tone for the club on and off the field, not creating distracting issues), then guys like Reiwoldt, Pav and Selwood are probably out front.

his physicality flows on to the rest of the team. for all of hawthorns skill and ball movement, what is always undersestimated about this hawthorn team is how ruthless and physical they are at the contest. and luke hodge sets the tone for all that. and that's how you judge a leader, not by his good citizen record. if it was marc murphy would be in this conversation lol

 

[Off The Couch]

Are people nominating Hodge being serious? Great player who can lead by example on the field, but also ill-disciplined, lets his teammates down when he gets suspended and got caught drink driving on the eve of finals.

As pointed out, we casual observers will never know what goes on behind the scenes. But on the things we can judge them on (leading by example, setting the tone for the club on and off the field, not creating distracting issues), then guys like Reiwoldt, Pav and Selwood are probably out front.

Whats your thoughts on Hurn

 

[Sprout]

A club that has turned in so many poor performances over the last few years, is lead well?

Nah, I can't really buy that.

Yes, he tries hard and can be a good player on his day, but he's not one of the better captains(an earlier poster had him top 3 and perhaps by "better" you agree) in the comp when you look at those who inspire and lead their teammates.

Selwood, Pavlich, Riewoldt, Boak, Walker, Pendlebury....if Jones was above all those guys would Melbourne meekly fall in a heap 2 or 3 times a season?

This is the first year Jones has taken on the sole captaincy. In that year, the club has gone from 17th in 2014 to finish 13th in 2015, with an eye to pushing towards the top 8 next season. That's called moving in the right direction, and it's under his captaincy.

If he is to wear the blame for the side "falling in a heap", which incidentally will happen from time to time when you're captaining a side that merely two years ago was statistically worse than Fitzroy, surely by that logic he can also take credit for any successes. First wins over Geelong and Collingwood for many years, for example. Jones the captain on both occasions.

It's very easy to praise Hodge as a captain. And he deserves it. But he has had some pretty handy cattle around him over recent years that the club is in the process of building around Jones.

Jonesy can't do it all himself. He might be a very good player, but he isn't superhuman. Although he did play the majority of this season, from Round 2 onwards, with a neck injury requiring painkillers to get through each game and post-season surgery: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-09-11/jones-to-undergo-neck-surgery

That meet your requirements for leadership?

 

[Rack Watts]

Watch the Captains Doco, the sheer pressure they were all under. It would have broken normal person. Jobe did a great job, everyone knew when WADA came in Essendon promptly went to shit. That's not on Jobe, that's on Essendon and Hird. People shouldn't forget that Essendon players were thrown under the bus by their own club.

Where do I find this? Cheers

 

[AstonSouffle]

Where do I find this? Cheers

It's on the main board, AFL captains doco thread and probably about 15-17 pages in there's a YouTube link. Whether it still works I'm unsure?

 

[Rack Watts]

It's on the main board, AFL captains doco thread and probably about 15-17 pages in there's a YouTube link. Whether it still works I'm unsure?

Thanks mate

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

This is the first year Jones has taken on the sole captaincy. In that year, the club has gone from 17th in 2014 to finish 13th in 2015, with an eye to pushing towards the top 8 next season. That's called moving in the right direction, and it's under his captaincy.

If he is to wear the blame for the side "falling in a heap", which incidentally will happen from time to time when you're captaining a side that merely two years ago was statistically worse than Fitzroy, surely by that logic he can also take credit for any successes. First wins over Geelong and Collingwood for many years, for example. Jones the captain on both occasions.

It's very easy to praise Hodge as a captain. And he deserves it. But he has had some pretty handy cattle around him over recent years that the club is in the process of building around Jones.

Jonesy can't do it all himself. He might be a very good player, but he isn't superhuman. Although he did play the majority of this season, from Round 2 onwards, with a neck injury requiring painkillers to get through each game and post-season surgery: http://www.melbournefc.com.au/news/2015-09-11/jones-to-undergo-neck-surgery

That meet your requirements for leadership?

Yes, but he's still not "one of the better captains", nor top 3 in the comp which was what I was saying.

 

[Sprout]

Yes, but he's still not "one of the better captains", nor top 3 in the comp which was what I was saying.

It's one thing to say he's not top three. It's another to question his leadership qualities outright, which is exactly what you did:

A club that has turned in so many poor performances over the last few years, is lead well?

Nah, I can't really buy that.

If you wish to backtrack, so be it. You should. Your post was ridiculous.

 

[Strapping Young Lad]

It's one thing to say he's not top three. It's another to question his leadership qualities outright, which is exactly what you did:

If you wish to backtrack, so be it. You should. Your post was ridiculous.

Jones is not one of the better leaders in the comp, and Melbourne are not well lead. I'll stand by that.

 

[Sprout]

Jones is not one of the better leaders in the comp, and Melbourne are not well lead. I'll stand by that.

As a whole? That's a separate argument to just Jones himself. Could he do with better leaders around him? Absolutely. Some have had to be brought in (Cross). Others are being developed. Again, that's a separate discussion.

Your basis for questioning his leadership appears to just be results, which is so obviously flawed when you consider the team he is leading and its recent history.

He's not the polished product as a captain. There may even be better future ones already at the club. But on field, he is a fine leader.