Worst Captain Ever

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Richie Vandenberg
There is not a single Hawk fan who would agree with this. When the tough calls needed to be made at Hawthorn, axing the pretty boys and rebuilding with kids after years of comfortable mediocrity, Vandenberg was the one who kicked a lot of arses to make the rest of the group accountable and work for success. He was past his best as a player, which apart from one year I can remember was never exactly great, but his example in training and in club discipline was superb, exactly what was needed at that time. He's not one of the worst - he's one of the best...
 

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I think they still love him.
and he remained the leader even while judd was the puppet captain.

I guess he was just a leader

But keep going - I am yet to read about a truely bad one.

Some have been disloyal which must be a strike against them. Colbert and judd.

Judd isnt a leader but he sets a good example - a big start
 
Sure it ended in tears, but Carey was the best on-field leader in memory in his prime.

Leading a club that previously had little success to 2 premierships is not a sign of a bad captain.
 

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Brad Green was a pretty bizzare appointment. No doubting that he could play, but just did not seem to have any leadership ability out on the field whatsoever. No inspirational acts, no protecting the young blokes, no defining speeches - as a player, I always perceived him to be out there doing what was best for himself. Now often teams need those kind of blokes with enormous confidence in themselves, but you wouldn't want one to be the captain.
 
Leigh Colbert takes the prize on this one - Was made Captain did his knee, walked out and went to North

I'd have to go with this. Didn't he have a quote along the lines of 'I want to be in a successful team' when he walked out?

People shouldn't confuse being an ordinary/average player with being an ordinary/average leader. So picking people like Maxwell is ridiculous. He's a premiership captain FFS, even though I don't necessarily rate him as a bonafide footballer, he has his role in the team and is obviously rated internally. Ditto Cameron Ling. Not the best player at Geelong by a fair way, but still rated as their best choice for leader and again, it's pretty hard to argue the point when he's on the dias with a big, silver cup in his hand in late September somewhere down Richmond way.

As for Vandenberg, I have a similar attitude towards him as I do Maxwell. Around the turn of the century, when Essendon were at or near the top, I remember clearly Darren Bewick kicking a goal v Hawthorn one day and running up to Ben Dixon mockingly brushing his own, shit-curly ranga do to take the piss out of Dixon. Now, Darren Bewick was a smartarse, but his point was still a valid one. Hawthorn had a pretty boy culture. Vandenberg changed that by instigating that infamous brawl in 2004 and not taking the shit Hawthorn had done for years at the hands of Essendon. It was well outside the rules, for which he was punished accordingly. But ask any Hawthorn supporter if they are glad Vandenberg did what he did, you'd be hard pressed to find one who says no.

Funnily enough, Matthew Lloyd repaid the favour in 2009. He was struggling for form and FAR from being the best player at Essendon at the time. But it changed that game in an instant and gave Essendon its first (albeit ultimately futile) finals berth for 5 years. Yet supporters of both sides were happy to laud their own man for 'doing what had to be done' yet were happy to scream 'dog!' at the other. Can't have it both ways without being a massive hypocrite, I'm afraid.

Ironically, Dermie, the man who took Vandenberg aside and told him he had to do something, also called Lloyd after his hit on Sewell and told him he should be proud of what he did, as he did it for his team. He was right. And for things like this, I'll always have a lot of respect for Dermie. He gave plenty out, but he showed he could take it too. And his hate for Essendon he doesn't try and hide, but he also had good reason to.
 
Whitnall for mine. Can't recall a Captain ever being Delisted before then.
 
Fairly well agreed on Big Footy that Colbert takes the prize as worst captain ever.

He was a disgrace.

Having said that, the club culture was terrible back then!

However, from the trade of that turncoat we got Cameron Mooney and a draft pick which resulted in Corey Enright.

Colbert Vs Mooney and Enright...........I know which I would prefer.
 
Personally i think the captain should be in the top 5 players at the club. The captain needs to be able lift the side by making big plays at important times, not just yelling and pointing to space.

Also, my eyes might be playing tricks on me, but are people on here saying that Nick Maxwell and Ritchie Vandenberg are and were better captains then Wayne Carey and Ben Cousins?
 
Personally i think the captain should be in the top 5 players at the club. The captain needs to be able lift the side by making big plays at important times, not just yelling and pointing to space.

Isn't the fact that Maxwell and Harley are premiership captains kinda the counter argument to this?

The captain can be anyone. Personally I'd rather it be someone behind the ball, but there are no rules here. It's whoever is the best leader at your club.

I can't quite recall, but was Robert Harvey all that crash-hot as a captain?
 
The fact that nearly every Geelong fan has nominated Colbert speaks volumes. Poorest excuse for a Clubman in the history of the game.
 
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