Just for a bit of background, and put into context the previous incumbent campaigner's actions, these are the captains I've seen in my time...
Whitten - tried to play on at North after retiring as player and losing coaching role (end of 71) , but realised he was past it, and never got past a few sessions of pre-season
Magee - took after captaincy mid-season 1970 when Whitten retired as a player. Came from South Melbourne as an established player, played on for 5 more seasons after losing captaincy (moved to Swan Districts as captain coach after VFL career finished)
Dempsey - probably too young first time around when appointed by Whitten, after 2nd year captaincy taken off him by Bob Rose and handed to Thorpe
Thorpe - went to Richmond when he was current captain (got caught up in internal politics at club - long story)
Sandilands - succeeded Thorpe for 3 years, captaincy went back to Dempsey, had 1 year post-captaincy, then finished his career at Collingwood, but with minimal impact
Dempsey (again) - 2 more years then went to North when he was current captain
Jennings - captaincy ravaged by injury (Dunstan deputised during Jennings' captaincy - went to North at end of career), Jennings played on for 2 more years after captaincy, but retired early due to injuries
Templeton - 1 year as captain, went to Melbourne when he was current captain (and had been negotiating with them during his final season - sound familiar?)
Edmond - 3 years as captain, including 85 finals, but misunderstanding saw him go to Swans (and later Bears) when he was current captain
Kennedy - 3 years, played on for 3 more seasons after that
Wallis - a desperate appointment in Malthouse's final year, but too young, although Wally nearly killed himself trying to lead on-field, had captaincy taken off him by Wheeler and handed to Dougy for a variety of reasons
Hawkins - popular appointment at the time, had 4 years in the job, but Wheeler wanted to refresh captaincy. Initial choice was Atkins, but went to Wynd. Hawkins finished career at Fitzroy (as did Atkins). Hawk played 300th game, and passed Whitten's games record during his captaincy
Wynd - 7 years, longest tenure since Whitten, and the first since Whitten to retire as captain (given that Whitten never played an actual game at North after retiring)
Grant - vice captain thru most of Wynd's latter tenure, had 4 years as captain, although missed most of 1 year thru knee reco, with West deputising for that season. Was happy to hand it over to Darcy, and played on for 3 more years, including playing 300th game and passing Hawkins's games record post-captaincy
Darcy - another injury-ravaged captaincy over 2 years, and played on for one more year after that
Johnson - popular choice (was in the running when Darcy was appointed), had 4 years and also retired as captain. Played 300th game and passed Grant's games record during captaincy
Boyd - 3 years, still playing
Griffen - 1 year, went to Shitsville when still current captain (and negotiated with them during a large part of his captaincy - allegedly)
Murphy - took over in time of minor crisis, held post for 2 years, including playing his 300th game as captain, as well as leading Bulldogs back into finals for first time since 2010. Handed captaincy to Bontempelli, who became club's youngest-ever captain
Whitten - tried to play on at North after retiring as player and losing coaching role (end of 71) , but realised he was past it, and never got past a few sessions of pre-season
Magee - took after captaincy mid-season 1970 when Whitten retired as a player. Came from South Melbourne as an established player, played on for 5 more seasons after losing captaincy (moved to Swan Districts as captain coach after VFL career finished)
Dempsey - probably too young first time around when appointed by Whitten, after 2nd year captaincy taken off him by Bob Rose and handed to Thorpe
Thorpe - went to Richmond when he was current captain (got caught up in internal politics at club - long story)
Sandilands - succeeded Thorpe for 3 years, captaincy went back to Dempsey, had 1 year post-captaincy, then finished his career at Collingwood, but with minimal impact
Dempsey (again) - 2 more years then went to North when he was current captain
Jennings - captaincy ravaged by injury (Dunstan deputised during Jennings' captaincy - went to North at end of career), Jennings played on for 2 more years after captaincy, but retired early due to injuries
Templeton - 1 year as captain, went to Melbourne when he was current captain (and had been negotiating with them during his final season - sound familiar?)
Edmond - 3 years as captain, including 85 finals, but misunderstanding saw him go to Swans (and later Bears) when he was current captain
Kennedy - 3 years, played on for 3 more seasons after that
Wallis - a desperate appointment in Malthouse's final year, but too young, although Wally nearly killed himself trying to lead on-field, had captaincy taken off him by Wheeler and handed to Dougy for a variety of reasons
Hawkins - popular appointment at the time, had 4 years in the job, but Wheeler wanted to refresh captaincy. Initial choice was Atkins, but went to Wynd. Hawkins finished career at Fitzroy (as did Atkins). Hawk played 300th game, and passed Whitten's games record during his captaincy
Wynd - 7 years, longest tenure since Whitten, and the first since Whitten to retire as captain (given that Whitten never played an actual game at North after retiring)
Grant - vice captain thru most of Wynd's latter tenure, had 4 years as captain, although missed most of 1 year thru knee reco, with West deputising for that season. Was happy to hand it over to Darcy, and played on for 3 more years, including playing 300th game and passing Hawkins's games record post-captaincy
Darcy - another injury-ravaged captaincy over 2 years, and played on for one more year after that
Johnson - popular choice (was in the running when Darcy was appointed), had 4 years and also retired as captain. Played 300th game and passed Grant's games record during captaincy
Boyd - 3 years, still playing
Griffen - 1 year, went to Shitsville when still current captain (and negotiated with them during a large part of his captaincy - allegedly)
Murphy - took over in time of minor crisis, held post for 2 years, including playing his 300th game as captain, as well as leading Bulldogs back into finals for first time since 2010. Handed captaincy to Bontempelli, who became club's youngest-ever captain
), I would have played under Thorpe and Sandilands, and alongside those two as well as Dempsey, Jennings and Templeton. In that case, I would rate Sandilands as the most inspirational captain, but Thorpe as an amazing accumulator of possessions (made a great effort to lead in his one year). Dempsey was a treat to play with, and the other two were too young in my time, but certainly talented from their debuts, Templeton as a 17 year old.
