A captain is born....?

[AFLQLD]

Watching bits of the last few games, it is easy to imagine that Tom Rockliff is nearly ready to take over the captaincy. He won't, I assume, until Brownie is gone. And while Adcock is an honest leader and well respected I don't feel that he really has the fire in the belly to be a long term captain.

More and more Rockliff's on field presence and demeanor and off field personality seem to make him the most obvious choice. He plays with heart and he could never be accused of having no passion. And of all the younger Lions you always get the impression he just loves the club.

Is next year too early for Rockliff to be our next long term captain?

 

[Requiem]

A future Captain: yes, next Captain: well don't know.

I would imagine that whomever is the coach at the time of Browny's retirement might try to ease Rocky into the main role via co-captaincy (Brown, Black, Johnson, Lappin, Power in 2007), or they might even try the whole Collingwood route (Maxwell serving the title role until Pendles is ready for the role).

At the end of the day I would assume he would only take captaincy if he was the best candidate.

 

[Bucking Beads]

I was one of the people pushing for Rich but the way Rocky has played when our team has been down has changed my mind. He was born to be a captain and I was a flog for thinking otherwise.

 

[Toffee Lion]

I was one of the people pushing for Rich but the way Rocky has played when our team has been down has changed my mind. He was born to be a captain and I was a flog for thinking otherwise.

Ditto thoughts as well.

I like Jed as much as the next guy but I don't see the captain material in him as I do with Rocky.

 

[patfullfankezz]

One thing that worries me about the Rockstar (what?) is that he has a bit of a flash temper (no where NEAR as bad as Jonathan Brown did mind) and is somewhat prone to getting drawn into the heat of the moment when as Captain, he should be keeping somewhat of a cool head and making sure no one gives away a free (or worse, a fifty).

 

[PTizzle]

One thing that worries me about the Rockstar (what?) is that he has a bit of a flash temper (no where NEAR as bad as Jonathan Brown did mind) and is somewhat prone to getting drawn into the heat of the moment when as Captain, he should be keeping somewhat of a cool head and making sure no one gives away a free (or worse, a fifty).

Agree Kezz, but hopefully this is something that would improve as he matures. Still a young bloke by most measures.

I've always been for Rocky as a future captain and I think with Adcock not showing a lot I'd hope he'd move into the co-captaincy role with Jed once Browny retires. I think letting Rocky develop his game and cool his jets a little bit this year is probably for the best, I can understand why the club went with an older head.

 

[Eons]

One thing that worries me about the Rockstar (what?) is that he has a bit of a flash temper (no where NEAR as bad as Jonathan Brown did mind) and is somewhat prone to getting drawn into the heat of the moment when as Captain, he should be keeping somewhat of a cool head and making sure no one gives away a free (or worse, a fifty).

I like that in a Captain. Someone willing to fly the flag for the team so to speak. To the extreme, no, but the way Rocky goes about it I have no problem with.

Think it was 2011 when the team ran out of the race he was the only one getting everyone gee'd up and from that moment I thought he would be the Captain of our club one day. Think next year would be a perfect time for him to step up, you can see he wants it and he's a natural leader.

 

[AFLQLD]

I think one of the key things with a captain is that commitment to the club and someone who can forge a culture in the club regardless of where the team is on the ladder. I think the best captains do that. Voss himself was like that, Brown too. And I get that same feeling with Rockliff.

 

[The Golfing Lion]

The fact that off his own bat he went away in an offseason and made himself fit enough to become an AFL player speaks volumes. Player development seems to be a weakness at the moment so an example like this is a great start.. Whether he ends up Captain is about off field stuff really and his ability to handle media and all that. What he is though is a leader in the group by example and I hope more jump on board.

 

[LicoriceAllsorts]

Rockliff needs to get the role and fast, next year, presuming Browny is gone, it should be Rocky and Adcock as co-captains, with Richy as vice, I'd rather just have Rocky as captain as it shows sole leadership and puts a little more pressure on which could be a good thing, sooner rather than latter if you ask me

 

[Toffee Lion]

 

[WhiteLionFeva]

I think Jed was always seen as an interim measure. Great team man but not a long term option. Rocky is leadership material. The next few weeks will tell us if Richy is I suspect.

 

[Matt_BL]

Agree, Rockliff and Hanley are the only two players that have consistently stood up and played good football in every match this season. Seems to be the one of the only ones that care about how the team performs he does like to talk the talk, but he walks the walk every week. I'm really not sure why we are going so poorly, the team looks like they're cooked, but that can't happen this early in the season so it has to be something else. Rockliff i think needs to demand high standards from he teammates and drive the group to succeed, it can't be the coaches every week giving them a spray at half time. Pressure needs to come from the players, hopefully Rockliff can deliver this. Wouldn't be suprised if he publicly named players to lift their standards, myabe it's whats needed.

 

[Haggis McHaggis]

I really wish we had Rockliff (c) Brown (vc) right now. Brown supports & guides Rocky through his first year or two. Leaves the vc spot open for someone to put their hand up down the track.

 

[Hollow Knight]

I was pro Rocky all along. Love the bloke.

 

[chopperduck]

I was pro Rocky all along. Love the bloke.

Rocky also always my first pick.

I think Adcock is still a very good leader, he always has had those leadership qualities, but i just think the step up to official captain has affected his footy on field. Rocky is someone you'd follow, he is not a naturally gifted runner, yet he has made gut running a strength, and that kind of hard work and determination are the kind of traits you want from your captain. I think Rich will make an excellent VC, but he needs to be able to focus on his footy a bit now as well, and work out how to contribute with a tag hanging off him.

 

[lionshine]

I must admit I was a Rich man but after the beginning to this season I am all for the Rocklobster. I have always loved Rockliff and viewed him as captain material but I thought Rich would be the better "actions speak louder than words" type of guy. Anyway, the way Rocky has stepped up when we have been struggling is really impressive and I back him to get the C. I am not completely writing off RIchy yet though.

I still support Jed as the fill in captain though and I think he is the man for this role. He hasn't done to well so far but I think it is far to early to say his fill in appointment is a failure.

 

[steveys]

Yeh Rocky all the way. Bloke is doing all the right things and with some more help from Brownie he'll become a cracker captain

 

[Dylan12]

I must admit I was a Rich man but after the beginning to this season I am all for the Rocklobster. I have always loved Rockliff and viewed him as captain material but I thought Rich would be the better "actions speak louder than words" type of guy. Anyway, the way Rocky has stepped up when we have been struggling is really impressive and I back him to get the C. I am not completely writing off RIchy yet though.

Pretty much sums up my thoughts too lionshine. Initially in favour Rich, but done a 180 on the subject now. No blight on Rich, but Rockliff has impressed me considerably both on and off field since I last gave the issue any thought.

 

[POBT]

Read that quote with an Austrian accent - it is hilarious!

 

[blynd_freddie]

Read that quote with an Austrian accent - it is hilarious!

Most of his tend to make me laugh with or without any accent... [sorry @rockwiz38 ]

If they don't have the guts, I call them girlie men.

Arnold Schwarzenegger - Claiming Democrats in California were delaying State Budget by catering for special interests

 

[Slax]

The selection of Jed was a bad move. He's a solid player nothing else, doesn't stand out and doesn't do anything inspiring. Honestly wouldn't trust him to lead us on a pub crawl.

Like of idea of Rocky or maybe even look at a combo of Rocky and Rich.

 

[Harris Specter]

In terms of a marketing perspective, the right thing would have been to do a Rockliff + Rich vice captain duo.
Brown and Adcock can stay in the leadership group and mentor these blokes. But as of this season, Rockliff has his tail up and is in the lead to be the next captain of the Lions.

 

[Dylan12]

In terms of a marketing perspective, the right thing would have been to do a Rockliff + Rich vice captain duo.

They are the vice captains though.

Maybe I have lost what you are saying in translation and in that case, my bad.

 

[Ironmonger]

He's been our most consistent player so far, and unfortunately consistency has been sadly lacking amongst our on-field leaders so far this season.

It'd be good to have a captain who could be confident that he'd make a contribution every time he stepped onto the field.