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[amer]

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[sbenno]

I reckon you're probably right Amer. At times like this, you need to change things up a bit, and lord knows there have been plenty of posters here calling for a changing of the guard.

The thing that gets me about it is that how much of the leadership do we actually see on the ground, and how much leadership is required from the captain on the ground, and other parts of the club (e.g. training, off field things).

From a purely game-day perspective, you'd want someone like Bock, or Dangerfield calling the shots, as they are surely the inspiring people on the side, doing the damage. There are obvious issues with picking your captain this way, as they are not necessarily the best off-field option (legal issues with Bock and Thompson springing to mind).

From an off-field perspective, Goodwin is a good captain, and Van Berlo would surely be up there, from a fitness/workrate perspective. I have also heard that Knighta trains his backside off, and perhaps this is an important part of captaincy. The obvious question here is how much leadership does this kind of captain bring to the table on game day?

Another thing to consider is the situation at West Coast a couple of years ago, while Chris Judd was captain, as I've often heard it said that while Judd lead the club on paper, Cousins was the spirit/soul of the club, and provided the leadership on-field. Is there a player with this kind of effect at the AFC?

These things aside, I think you're probably right in that some leadership change is required. I reckon you're right amer, that in giving the captaincy to Goody after Roo a couple of years ago, we really just said "more of the same, thanks". Perhaps it's time for Vince, Danger, or someone else, not from the Roo/Goodwin mould.

 

[noddy]

I hate to say it but i will, maybe it's time for another Blight type clean out.

 

[The Sloane Ranger]

re the VB Prank, I think that you are reading too much in to that

however I do believe that it is time that we give the next generation the opportunity to lead the club into a new era

 

[whitey_1975]

Thats a very interesting story.
Was Roo talking about footy related things or not would make this more than relavant.
I must admit, Ive never been inspired by Goody as a captain of a footy club, more a company man for mind, but I have been a fan of him as a footballer, but he certainly has struggled of late, but always seems to be playing carrying some injury

 

[cammo6556]

I hate to say it but i will, maybe it's time for another Blight type clean out.

i reckon youre right, but it might happen by as much by default as anything else, with retirees of the big 3 and the less big few coming up, hentschel, maybe moving on douglas, griffin, jacky. IIRC blighty pretty much just showed a whole bunch of blokes the door...

I reckon quite a few of ours will move on of their own volition

 

[Drugs Are Bad Mackay?]

Interesting post amer.

I've certainly been pushing for a new captain for the last two seasons (Thompson was my preferred option but it seems he isn't even in the discussion). My logic was similar to yours, that Goodwin was closely related to the Ricciuto/McLeod/9798 era whereas our next premiership push would be driven by the younger guys.

I thought we needed a leader from this group, a symbolic change as much as anything else to signify the new era we were entering.

Even though he has played fine and been AA, I can't help but feel that the appointment of Goodwin was a look to the past rather than a look to the now.

I hate to say it but i will, maybe it's time for another Blight type clean out.

NC has overseen a mini clean out during his time. In the latter part of 2004 he played almost all our list to see whether they had what it took. The results weren't as brutal as 1997 but it is not a completely foreign concept to him.

 

[King Elvis]

Been saying it for years. We constantly hear how the youth of our Club are ready to go, and yet our leadership group has Doughty and Stevens added to it, it's crap.

Goody should have been an interim Captain; give it to him for a year, two at max, while another player steps up to be ready (and I'd say VB, Knights, Bock and potentially Dangerfield already) would be those guys.

I love Goody, he's a great footballer, better than great, but I don't think he's even a good Captain.

 

[aneale]

Been mulling this over for a while, and I want to get this topic on here before I collapse in bed from the flu. Hear me out.

Last year the family and I went to the Alma for dinner, and to say hello to Roo and the boys. What I noticed that night was something that I thought slightly worrying, but our form at the time was so good that I relegated it to the back of my mind. Our players, including blokes who never played under Ricciuto, followed him around and acted under his authority; Goodwin included. He told them who to go and speak to, they'd look to him for approval about everything, Goodwin would make a point to a couple of players about something game-related and Roo would interject, lay the law down and they'd take his view ahead of Goody's; no argument from Goody at all. It was bizarre to watch, but after seeing and hearing what I did, I've a strong suspicion that Ricciuto is in essence, still the captain of the Adelaide Football Club. Our players head back there every week and spend a lot of time around him, he directs the traffic. It planted the seed of doubt for mine about whether we've moved on.

The van Berlo prank video enhanced my suspicion - Ricciuto calling a leadership meeting? This bloke isn't playing for us anymore! Seemed a little odd to me.

This has gotten me thinking about the whole Goodwin as captain situation. Like it or lump it, this bloke is not an inspiring captain. He has been such a quality player for so many years, but the brand of football he plays now is not one that inspires our troops, elicits a response from them and hurts the opposition. Now I know the players are the ones who vote the captain in, but I feel now more than ever that Goodwin may perhaps have been gettin the gig out of a feeling of obligation from the rest of our group; Goodwin is Ricciuto's best mate, he's the second in line, been here for 15-odd years as a cornerstone of what this club has been about, who are we as the younger blokes to stand up and tell these all time greats that someone else should be taking the reigns instead?

I feel like our squad has reached the point where there are blokes ready to step up and make this -their- era. Knights is an arrogant, aggressive, confident footballer who sets the example with all that he does. I watched them taking their positions from quarter to quarter today; while Goodwin has a couple of words and heads back to his mark, Knights is the bloke tapping blokes on the shoulder, giving words of encouragement and directing traffic. He looks a leader to me, he looks like someone who is ready to take some responsibility on.

Could it be that our group is frustrated by a bottleneck in the leadership structure; Burton, Goodwin, blokes who've been around the traps for a while but are on the way out, does the rest of our group deep down really want these guys leading us, or are they afraid as relative newcomers to approach a lot of these iconic footballers who've occupied key positions at this club so much longer than them, and say "it's our time now boys, we'll take it from here."?

I've got to tell you guys, connecting the dots, my concerns in this area are growing by the day. Thoughts?

Gotta say, I thought this was the prank. Odd doesn't actually describe it. No doubt Roo is a larger than life figure, and maybe he is the next coach in waiting, but he shouldn't have the ability to still be having that much influence at this point.

 

[cammo6556]

Been saying it for years. We constantly hear how the youth of our Club are ready to go, and yet our leadership group has Doughty and Stevens added to it, it's crap.

Goody should have been an interim Captain; give it to him for a year, two at max, while another player steps up to be ready (and I'd say VB, Knights, Bock and potentially Dangerfield already) would be those guys.

I love Goody, he's a great footballer, better than great, but I don't think he's even a good Captain.

hes the ricky ponting of afl?

 

[King Elvis]

Ricky Ponting is a sensational Captain.

 

[cammo6556]

Ricky Ponting is a sensational Captain.

I hope that's tongue in cheek...?

 

[King Elvis]

We've lost Hayden, McGrath, Warne & Gilchrist; 3 (arguably 4) guys who would walk into our all time XI; and while we've had some ups and downs, we haven't fallen apart yet.

Ricky Ponting has held the Aus XI together by determination and sheer force of will (inspite of having Nielsen trying to **** things up); we're incredibly lucky to have him.

 

[cammo6556]

We've lost Hayden, McGrath, Warne & Gilchrist; 3 (arguably 4) guys who would walk into our all time XI; and while we've had some ups and downs, we haven't fallen apart yet.

Ricky Ponting has held the Aus XI together by determination and sheer force of will (inspite of having Nielsen trying to **** things up); we're incredibly lucky to have him.

We had the strongest domestic comp in the world by a fair way. Probably still do. He can pick from 30 ready made cricketers to step up and do a job. He is tactically inept but the sheer talent gets the team through. Except for our spinners. We ain't got much there, but good on hauritz for trying.

We lost huge name players, but we ain't missing them to much when blokes like katich, Watson, white, smith, north, Hughes et al can step up and do the job almost immediately. Sure they aemrent as good as their predecessors, but still better than most of their international counterparts.

Easy team to captain

 

[cammo6556]

We had the strongest domestic comp in the world by a fair way. Probably still do. He can pick from 30 ready made cricketers to step up and do a job. He is tactically inept but the sheer talent gets the team through. Except for our spinners. We ain't got much there, but good on hauritz for trying.

We lost huge name players, but we ain't missing them to much when blokes like katich, Watson, white, smith, north, Hughes et al can step up and do the job almost immediately. Sure they aemrent as good as their predecessors, but still better than most of their international counterparts.

Easy team to captain

I fear we've veered slightly off topic

 

[cammo6556]

We've lost Hayden, McGrath, Warne & Gilchrist; 3 (arguably 4) guys who would walk into our all time XI; and while we've had some ups and downs, we haven't fallen apart yet.

Ricky Ponting has held the Aus XI together by determination and sheer force of will (inspite of having Nielsen trying to **** things up); we're incredibly lucky to have him.

I agree with you on Nielsen. Better than Buchanan. How easy did that guy have it?

 

[aneale]

not sure if its a bottleneck or a vacuum currently.

Leadership Group

Goodwin (c) - barely going compared to last year. Shocker yesterday but wasn't alone. Out of form.

Edwards - shell of the player. Looks slow due to the game plan, and the fact he's well past 30. Out of form

Burton - interrupted pre-season and just not the player he once was anyway, which was never elite as such. More of a politician than an on-field leader. Out of form.

Stevens - puzzling decision given how many games he misses. Currently injured.

van Berlo - obvious choice for leadership group. Currently injured.

Symes - another odd choice. The bloke could injure himself standing at the Qtr time huddle. Currently injured.

Doughty - Over 30 and altho' has a history of putting his body on the line, his history also shows its inconsistent from year to year. Out of form.

Rutten - the only one actually showing any form, despite the odd balls up as he tries to find movement coming out of the back line. Given the zero pressure from our midfield has done pretty well.

Now you don't have to be in the leadership group to be a leader, and the likes of McLeod tried his best yesterday and guys like Thompson have shown some in the past, but geez, not much out on the ground currently to inspire. It's not like there isn't enough of them.

 

[relapse]

Not sure about a bottle neck, but there definately is a boy's club mentality at the club.

 

[curiouscrow]

I wonder what ever happened to the 'backbone' group which was a concept that was bandied around a few years ago. There does not seem to be any backbone players that step up to the plate when things aren't going well. Have not heard the concept for awhile but i liked the principles of it. We don't seem to have a backbone right now and if the senior players are not playing well, the whole group falls to pieces.

 

[Allbetsroff]

I wonder what ever happened to the 'backbone' group which was a concept that was bandied around a few years ago. There does not seem to be any backbone players that step up to the plate when things aren't going well. Have not heard the concept for awhile but i liked the principles of it. We don't seem to have a backbone right now and if the senior players are not playing well, the whole group falls to pieces.

Ah the backbone, A class Craigy spin, like training form and speed of ball movement.

 

[Schulzycrow]

This is the rest of Goody's captaincy right now. I don't have a problem with him going to Roo. Best mates, Goody needs to bounce things off someone..a mentor. But now Simon needs to stand up and say enoughs enough. Our last two weeks have been flipping disgraceful and an embarrassment to our footy club. He has to impose himself on the game on Friday night and lead by example. First kick in the last quarter just isn't good enough. The buck has to stop with the captain, leadership group is fine, but the captain is the leader and its time for Goody to lead.

 

[Vader]

The backboners have now mostly moved on to joining the rest of the group. It was Craig's way of setting aside the youngsters he was bringing into the group, who were all at least 2-3 years younger than the next youngest player on our list (thank-you Gary Ayres).

Now we have a more even spread of players, with a continuous spectrum of players from 18-25. As a result, there's no reason for this separation anymore.

 

[Crow-mo]

Ricky Ponting is a sensational Captain.

only if you don't know what a sensational captain looks like.

 

[aneale]

Ah the backbone, A class Craigy spin, like training form and speed of ball movement.

if you watched the Cats dismantle Port you would understand what speed of ball movement can do for a slow team like Geelong. No quick legs there apart from Wojak,

 

[Allbetsroff]

if you watched the Cats dismantle Port you would understand what speed of ball movement can do for a slow team like Geelong. No quick legs there apart from Wojak,

Yeah, but they aren't a rabble.