Prediction Is now the time for the next captain?

[Rockmelon]

Never been a fan of duel captains but I’d give it to AB and Caleb.

JT, Clark and Young VC

Moose is too nervous and softly spoken to be Captain. So many times we’ve come out slow and it’s correlated with him also having a nervous start

 

[Piggy Smalls]

What group of people is unhappy with Pearce as a person and hence unhappy with him being captain?

Caro Wilson and the IDF

 

[Piggy Smalls]

JT is our talisman and I think he'd be a super captain.

 

[mike91]

No. Never understood why this board consistently questions Pearce as captain. Serong should be next and JT hopefully in the leadership group by the end of pre season.

 

[Barnabus]

No. Never understood why this board consistently questions Pearce as captain. Serong should be next and JT hopefully in the leadership group by the end of pre season.

I don't thunk too many are questioning his capability any more. He has done a really good job. The problem for me is that a captaincy change in the middle of our premiership window might cause a small distraction. I would rather get it done now and have the next 5 years with stable leadership.

 

[Jezzitizle]

I don't thunk too many are questioning his capability any more. He has done a really good job. The problem for me is that a captaincy change in the middle of our premiership window might cause a small distraction. I would rather get it done now and have the next 5 years with stable leadership.

It’s already our premiership window, why create a distraction.

Consider the effect losing the captaincy could have on Pearce - he wouldn’t complain, but it could affect him mentally. He is a really important player for us.

 

[DeadEyeJye]

It’s already our premiership window, why create a distraction.

Consider the effect losing the captaincy could have on Pearce - he wouldn’t complain, but it could affect him mentally. He is a really important player for us.

It is? We squeeked into finals with a win in the last week of regular season against a team that didnt make finals, only to end our finals campaign with a loss in the first week. This is after not making finals for the 2 years previous either. And you think we can have a deadset serious go at a flag in 2026? I mean its not outside the realms of possibility by any means, but its pretty unlikely.

I don't thunk too many are questioning his capability any more. He has done a really good job. The problem for me is that a captaincy change in the middle of our premiership window might cause a small distraction. I would rather get it done now and have the next 5 years with stable leadership.

Exactly.

 

[Jezzitizle]

It is? We squeeked into finals with a win in the last week of regular season against a team that didnt make finals, only to end our finals campaign with a loss in the first week. This is after not making finals for the 2 years previous either. And you think we can have a deadset serious go at a flag in 2026? I mean its not outside the realms of possibility by any means, but its pretty unlikely.

100% we are in the window. Have all the pieces, have enough games under the belt. Have a good enough draw.

It wasn’t scraping in with 11 or 12 wins and a bit of luck, it was a 16 win season.

And that with Young missing a big chunk of games and well underdone when he played, imo our best player.

Also think there is a fair chance any of Brissie (hungry? Neale) Pies (old and worked out), Cats (off a GF pumping) and Crows (are they legit?) aren’t quite at their 2025 levels.

Hawks haven’t improved their list. Swans have but big question marks on Cox. GWS could go either way. Suns probably improve to top 4. Dogs, stacked at the top end, but who knows with those guys.

Freo are as good a chance as any in 2026.

 

[stax on the mull]

I think Hayden Young

26

Hayden Young

Age

24

Ht

189cm

Wt

88kg

Pos.

Mid

Career

Season

Last 5

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.4

3star

CL

0.2

2star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

2star

M

3.2

3star

T

1.4

2star

CL

0.2

2star

D

10.0

3star

K

6.6

3star

HB

3.4

3star

M

3.2

4star

T

1.4

4star

CL

0.2

2star

might be a good captain, but Andy or Caleb are next in line.

 

[Barnabus]

We are 100% at the start of our window. We are not in the top 2 most likely teams to win the premiership next year so definitely not middle of the window. Better to go with a settled leadership for the next 5 years. Think Hodge at Hawthorn taking over in 2011 (they made GFs 2012-2015). While it is not an end of world situation I would be wanting to make the change now.

On the Pearce performance theory I have a bit more respect for his professionalism. He would know the end of his career is coming and handing the captaincy over gives him the chance to guide the new captain/s.

 

[poshman]

It’s already our premiership window, why create a distraction.

Consider the effect losing the captaincy could have on Pearce - he wouldn’t complain, but it could affect him mentally. He is a really important player for us.

If that affected him how you suggest then he shouldn't be the captain.

I don't think he should be captain because he is a liability early in games (something he has admitted too) and more critically he struggles to play 15 games a season.

Let him lead by example and attack the game with the nothing to lose attitude he plays with when the team goes into all out attack mode. Nurse him through and get him as healthy as possible into September. Don't take him to the longest trips and leave him home when we are playing teams without gorillas. Hopefully we get a few more years out of him.

 

[serial_thrilla]

You're all mad.

Pat Voss is clearly our next captain. I don't see any Serong Academies at preseason training, do you?

 

[pK75]

You're all mad.

Pat Voss is clearly our next captain. I don't see any Serong Academies at preseason training, do you?

JT for captain, Voss for VC, Clark, Ryan and Young in the leadership team, need players who aren’t afraid to fly the flag, enough of the “good guy” image, get some mongrel in there.

 

[anchor man]

The answer is a simple NO.

 

[fnerd]

Yes

 

[E Shed]

I’ve only been to training once this year but from what I saw Voss would have to be a chance for the leadership group.
Even from the boundary he and JT stood out for their actions and charisma in drills.
I’ve already had my say on Captain earlier in the thread.

 

[eastfreo75]

One more year for Pearce.

Splitting hairs between Serong and Brayshaw for next captain.

 

[mattis117]

2026 Leadership Group announced

Fremantle have announced their AFL leadership group for the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season

www.fremantlefc.com.au

Well there you have it - only one change, adding Jordan Clark. Playing group have spoken.

 

[GingerDocker]

2026 Leadership Group announced

Fremantle have announced their AFL leadership group for the 2026 Toyota AFL Premiership Season

www.fremantlefc.com.au

Well there you have it - only one change, adding Jordan Clark. Playing group have spoken.

I like it.

I know there's always thoughts and different perspectives around this, particularly with Moose having some opinions that differ to others, and Caleb and Andy appearing ripe to take on more leadership responsibility, but I firmly believe stability and consistency are two underappreciated traits.

The club is in a position to challenge at the pointy end of the next few seasons and having a consistent and stable leadership team is exactly what we need.

 

[poshman]

I like it.

I know there's always thoughts and different perspectives around this, particularly with Moose having some opinions that differ to others, and Caleb and Andy appearing ripe to take on more leadership responsibility, but I firmly believe stability and consistency are two underappreciated traits.

The club is in a position to challenge at the pointy end of the next few seasons and having a consistent and stable leadership team is exactly what we need.

I don't think anyone cares about his politics. He is far left, so is the club and so are most of the media. Who cares.

My concern is two fold:

1. He misses too many games and that is unlikely to improve as he gets older.
2. He is nervous/panicky at the start of big games - something he has admitted has been a long term problem he has sought help for.

I agree stability and consistency can be under appreciated. However, the question remains, can he provide that if he is missing 5-9 games a season? Can he provide stability when he starts big games anxiously?

 

[rgauci]

Don’t mind stability but feel it’s stagnant. Not removing anyone from the leadership group and just adding someone is pretty weak. JOM spot in the 22 is not guaranteed. Everyone else is a top 10 player.

EDIT
Switkowski too, him and JOM.

 

[GingerDocker]

I don't think anyone cares about his politics. He is far left, so is the club and so are most of the media. Who cares.

My concern is two fold:

1. He misses too many games and that is unlikely to improve as he gets older.
2. He is nervous/panicky at the start of big games - something he has admitted has been a long term problem he has sought help for.

I agree stability and consistency can be under appreciated. However, the question remains, can he provide that if he is missing 5-9 games a season? Can he provide stability when he starts big games anxiously?

Obviously any club wants it's captain to be on the ground more often than not.

The beauty we have is that the two deputies are legitimate replacements, to the point they may have already been made captain at a number of rival clubs, if they played elsewhere.

The players obviously value Pearce's leadership attributes and that is the number one measure in this situation. Also, by my rough calcs, he's missed approximately a dozen games or so over the last four years, so (touch wood) his availability may not be as bad as what we initially perceive.

As you mentioned, he does have times when he appears nervous and panicky, but I would say his resolve and fortitude towards the end of games has been sensational over the last couple of seasons and that's the measure I am using to decide if he's up for the task or not.

 

[poshman]

Obviously any club wants it's captain to be on the ground more often than not.

The beauty we have is that the two deputies are legitimate replacements, to the point they may have already been made captain at a number of rival clubs, if they played elsewhere.

The players obviously value Pearce's leadership attributes and that is the number one measure in this situation. Also, by my rough calcs, he's missed approximately a dozen games or so over the last four years, so (touch wood) his availability may not be as bad as what we initially perceive.

As you mentioned, he does have times when he appears nervous and panicky, but I would say his resolve and fortitude towards the end of games has been sensational over the last couple of seasons and that's the measure I am using to decide if he's up for the task or not.

2024 = 15 games played
2025 = 16 games played

I think most agree that in both seasons he came back one game too early on top of that. His availability is a concerning trend.

Yes, we have legitimate replacements... so what better time to replace him?

If he is part of digging a hole in big games and is the captain, it is less than ideal.

As to your point about the players valuing him... that is a nothing point. We may as well not discuss a thing on this board if we are going to use that as an appeal to authority. Some of our players are very bright, some not so bright, some make great personal decisions, some make dumb young man decisions. Using them as a point in your argument is folly.

Oh the coaches selected X player... no point discussing it as they value him. Oh we drafted X player, no point discussing it as the recruiters obviously value the one they selected.

 

[2big2strom]

That beautiful man could lead me anywhere, obviously the players agree

 

[GingerDocker]

2024 = 15 games played
2025 = 16 games played

I think most agree that in both seasons he came back one game too early on top of that. His availability is a concerning trend.

Yes, we have legitimate replacements... so what better time to replace him?

If he is part of digging a hole in big games and is the captain, it is less than ideal.

As to your point about the players valuing him... that is a nothing point. We may as well not discuss a thing on this board if we are going to use that as an appeal to authority. Some of our players are very bright, some not so bright, some make great personal decisions, some make dumb young man decisions. Using them as a point in your argument is folly.

Oh the coaches selected X player... no point discussing it as they value him. Oh we drafted X player, no point discussing it as the recruiters obviously value the one they selected.

If you were a player at the club right now, who would you vote for?

I'm really unsure who would get my vote.