Melbourne Storm to re-introduce vice-captains to strengthen leadership behind Cameron Smith
Melbourne Storm is set to break with tradition and appoint two vice-captains behind NRL record-breaker Cameron Smith as the club looks to reduce the leadership burden on the star hooker.
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Melbourne Storm is set to break with tradition and appoint two vice-captains behind NRL record-breaker Cameron Smith.
The move is not part of a transition plan for Smith, but an extra layer of leadership designed to help the NRL heavyweight through its rebuild.
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The Herald Sun has established Storm premiership-winners Jesse Bromwich, Dale Finucane and Will Chambers are the front-runners for the newly created position.
New Zealand international Bromwich, 29, has long been touted as the club’s next captain, with Finucane a strong and widely-respected candidate also.
Smith will unveil a revamped five-man leadership group in Melbourne on Thursday, alongside premiership coach Craig Bellamy.
A spate of retirements coupled with poaching raids has gutted Melbourne’s leadership stocks the past three seasons following the departures of Billy Slater, Ryan Hoffman, Cooper Cronk, Tim Glasby, Tohu Harris and Jordan McLean.
The club’s Emerging Leaders program has also been restructured in the off-season, with Collingwood premiership captain and Storm leadership coach Nick Maxwell set for an expanded role.
Maxwell’s program was replicated at Collingwood last season, while retired Storm icon Slater, a part-time leadership mentor at St Kilda, has implemented a similar project at the Saints.
The Storm has not had vice-captain since 2007.
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Originally published as Melbourne Storm to re-introduce vice-captains to strengthen leadership behind Cameron Smith
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