Captain’s call: The clubs who should weigh up skipper changes and who could take charge
They’ve all been terrific servants of their respective clubs. But is it time to pass the baton for these captains? We analyse the state of play for every team, plus have your say.
AFL
Don't miss out on the headlines from AFL. Followed categories will be added to My News.
Just two years ago half of AFL was searching for a new skipper as nine clubs changed up their captain.
This summer could be quieter than Bruce Doull as no team will be forced into a swap, with every 2024 captain still on their club list for next year.
Still, there are some teams that will debate a change up and others who will look at whether this is the right time to hand over to the next generation.
And every club will be nurturing that young player who could one day take charge.
Here’s where every skipper sits heading into 2025 and the young player – under the age of 25 – who could lead your club down the line.
WORTH CONSIDERING
RICHMOND
Toby Nankervis (Captain since: 2022, solo from 2024)
It’s well and truly clear now that the Tigers are in a different era.
Liam Baker was primed to step in as the next leader before he decided to dig out his childhood West Coast jumper.
Tom Lynch and Jayden Short were the other vice-captains, alongside Baker, beneath Nankervis this year and neither seem certain leaders.
Tim Taranto looks like a leader and if the Tigers change things up they have to go younger.
It’s pretty slim picking for players in the early years of their careers and potentially six 18 year olds will be on the list next year, so strong leadership is needed for the next 4-5 years.
Young leader: Tom Brown
ST KILDA
Jack Steele (2021, solo from 2022)
Only 18 months ago it would have been borderline blasphemous to consider swapping out Steele as captain but the rugged midfielder hasn’t hit the same heights he did when he was back-to-back All-Australian at the start of the decade.
Perhaps adding star defender Callum Wilkie as a co-captain might help ease Steele’s burden.
Young leader: Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Marcus Windhager
GWS GIANTS
Toby Greene (2022, solo from 2023)
Whenever a captain cops a league fine for not showing leadership, some kind of question must be asked.
Greene will skipper the Giants again next year but he was publicly questioned due to that fine for his team’s infamous Wacky Wednesday antics.
Young leader: Tom Green
MELBOURNE
Max Gawn (Captain since: 2020)
Given Melbourne’s annus horribilis over the past 12 months, it is probably worth considering whether a change up in leadership is best.
At least adding to Melbourne’s slim leadership double of Gawn and Jack Viney must be on the summer agenda.
A bit like an opposition leader holding on, Gawn – a premiership captain with empathy and passion – isn’t going anywhere because there are no clear leaders ready to step up.
Last year CEO Gary Pert wrote to members listing club leaders such as Angus Brayshaw, Alex Neal-Bullen, Christian Petracca, Jake Lever and Christian Salem.
Brayshaw is retired, Neal-Bullen plays for Adelaide, Petracca seemingly tried to get out of the club in the off-season.
The Dees need some youngsters to step up.
Young leader: Trent Rivers
TIME TO HAND THE BATON?
FREMANTLE
Alex Pearce (2023)
The players voted for Pearce to skipper last year and were happy for the defender to do the job again.
He has been a solid leader in the past two seasons but the Dockers have fallen short of expectations.
It feels inevitable joint vice-captains Andrew Brayshaw and Caleb Serong will step up at some point.
Who is ahead out of that pair? Gut feel points to Serong.
Young leader: Hayden Young (not counting Serong)
GEELONG
Patrick Dangerfield (2023)
This looked a sure thing until Dangerfield himself wasn’t sure whether he would put his hand up to skipper on the first day of pre-season.
Tom Stewart has been Dangerfield’s lieutenant and would be the logical successor.
The younger cohort is lacking a standout candidate – Max Holmes has potential but still needs some work to get to captaincy level.
Young leader: Max Holmes
GOLD COAST
Touk Miller, Jarrod Witts (2022)
With Noah Anderson and Sam Collins the two deputies, it seems clear Anderson is being positioned to take over the gig when he is ready.
Damien Hardwick coached for three years with Chris Newman as skipper before handing the gig to Trent Cotchin at age 22, and that seemed to go pretty well.
Wonder if the coach pulls the trigger to elevate Anderson.
Young leader: Matt Rowell (not counting Anderson)
NORTH MELBOURNE
Luke McDonald, Jy Simpkin (2023)
The Roos had to shake things up beneath their co-captains last year, when leadership group members Jack Ziebell, Ben Cunnington and Ben McKay all left the club.
Nick Larkey was the last holdover from the 2022 group and served as vice-captain, but it feels like the club is biding its time before Harry Sheezel takes over.
It’s probably too soon to appoint Sheezel given he only turned 20 in October, but nothing else has appeared too soon for the budding superstar.
With recruits Luke Parker, Caleb Daniel and Jack Darling all around to lend support, maybe there is enough scope to bump Sheezel up.
Young leader: George Wardlaw (not counting Sheezel)
LOCKED IN
ADELAIDE
Jordan Dawson (2023)
No concerns with the skipper here but the names around him in an eight-man leadership group don’t exactly inspire.
Ben Keays has come along in this respect and Darcy Fogarty continues to grow.
More leadership throughout the Crows group needs to show itself as Matthew Nicks' team tries to reach its potential.
Young leader: Max Michalanney
BRISBANE LIONS
Harris Andrews, Lachie Neale (2023)
These two just guided the Lions to an improbable – and at some points impossible – premiership.
No change here.
There aren’t a heap of youngsters in the frame as future leaders but Will Ashcroft and Jaspa Fletcher have potential.
Young leader: Will Ashcroft
CARLTON
Patrick Cripps (2018, solo from 2022)
The Brownlow Medal record breaker is at the peak of his powers and has a strong team beneath him with Sam Walsh, Charlie Curnow and Jacob Weitering his vice-captains.
Time for that group to lead the Blues to true premiership contention.
Young leader: Sam Walsh
COLLINGWOOD
Darcy Moore (2022)
Despite some noise outside the club, there is no need to push out the 2022 premiership captain.
Moore is one of the most respected leaders in the game and his best form will surely return when the Pies fix up their structure without Nathan Murphy.
Collingwood has an old list but Nick Daicos stands above the rest of the young players for leadership potential.
Young leader: Nick Daicos
ESSENDON
Zach Merrett (2023)
There were some rumblings of discontent at the end of the season around Merrett but those have quietened down and the skipper remains the man to lead the club.
Merrett’s standards and expectations have sometimes led to a look if disappointment when his Bombers let themselves down and he will have to maintain his patience with the club seemingly set on a slow, methodical build up the ladder.
The Dons do have some promise on the list below Merrett and vice-captain Andy McGrath, with Jye Caldwell, Nic Martin and Sam Durham all coming along.
Young leader: Jye Caldwell
HAWTHORN
James Sicily (2023)
Hard to see any shift here.
The Hawks flew up the ladder this year and Sicily may not have had his best season – an injured shoulder hurt – but he led from the front all the same.
There are still some things to clean up, made clear by the ugly exchange with Port Adelaide coach Ken Hinkley at the end of the semi-final.
With Luke Breust and Dylan Moore his vice-captains, eyes will be on whether Will Day is elevated into the group next season.
Young leader: Will Day
PORT ADELAIDE
Connor Rozee (2024)
No issues here, Rozee did a fine job in his first year in charge, with good mate Zak Butters his deputy.
There is a little hole below the pair, Dan Houston was in the leadership group and has now left, Sam Powell-Pepper did his knee and Willem Drew was the other member.
He was petulant in his first couple of seasons but Jason Horne-Francis is making some strides in this area.
Young leader: Jason Horne-Francis
SYDNEY
Callum Mills (2022, solo 2024)
Things didn’t go Mills’ way for much of 2024 after his Mad Monday shoulder injury but that doesn’t mean the Swans need to make a move here.
Sydney has largely talked up how successful 2024 was until the grand final and that is the right take.
Mills still has some runs on the board as a leader.
Young leader: James Rowbottom, Errol Gulden
WESTERN BULLDOGS
Marcus Bontempelli (2020)
It would be a bombshell if anything shifted here.
The real question is how close ‘the Bont’ can go to catching Ted Whitten’s club record of 212 games as skipper, with Bontempelli moving into triple figures at the start of 2024.
Ed Richards and Aaron Naughton are only 25 and in the Dogs leadership group so there is some younger blood in there.
Young leader: Sam Darcy
WEST COAST
Oscar Allen, Liam Duggan (2024)
The Eagles duo took over last year and while new coach Andrew McQualter may consider a new road, seems likely Allen and Duggan will roll on.
The addition of Liam Baker and Jack Graham helps the club with some new leadership help.
McQualter’s issue here is the bare cupboard of future captaincy material in the young cohort of Eagles.
Young leader: Reuben Ginbey
Join the conversation
Brownlow Predictor: Nasiah’s move, leaders and club counts
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is surging up the ranks in our Brownlow Predictor — but how high can he get? Plus a Nick Daicos update and every vote from every game here.
Read more
TV Wrap: Swann flags wildcard, champion Dee on Roos radar
The new football performance boss has weighed into several contentious discussion topics, including the introduction of the wildcard and the last-touch rule. Plus a Dee is on North’s radar. The full TV wrap here.
Read more