Sttew
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Oct 28, 2006
- Posts
- 30,377
- Reaction score
- 31,918
- Location
- Close to the Rising Sun
- AFL Club
- Geelong
I haven't gone past captain 31, Fred Wooller, captain of the 63' premiership. the earliest I remember was No.35, Billy Goggin. But of all our captains since Goggin it is easier to rank the worst than the best. Tom Harley ranks as THE one in my time, as he presided over a middle order club, and played a major role in transforming it into a premiership outfit. Ling was good, but inherited a very talented team.
Of the earlier captains, I really admired Ian Nankervis. Pity he was a back pocketer by the time he became captain, but he still led by example.
As for the worst - Colbert takes the cake, but to be fair he never actually captained a H&A game before deserting Geelong.
Peake should never have been given the captaincy. Ditto Ablett Senior and Buddha Hocking IMO. Once he gave up the captaincy in 1995 it should never have been offered to him again.
Anyway, here's the official list in chronological order:
31 Fred Wooller 1963–1964
32 Graham Farmer 1965–1967
33 Bill Goggin 1968–1971
34 Doug Wade 1972
35 Geoff Ainsworth 1973
36 John "Sam" Newman 1974–1975
37 Bruce Nankervis 1976–1977
38 Ian Nankervis 1978–1981, 1983
39 Brian Peake 1982
40 Michael Turner 1984–1986
41 Damian Bourke 1987–1989
42 Andrew Bews 1990–1991
43 Mark Bairstow 1992–1994
44 Gary Ablett, Sr. 1995–1996
45 Ken Hinkley 1995
46 Garry Hocking 1995, 1999
47 Barry Stoneham 1995–1998
48 Leigh Colbert 1999
49 Ben Graham 2000–2002
50 Steven King 2003–2006
51 Tom Harley 2007–2009
52 Cameron Ling 2010–2011
53 Joel Selwood 2012–present
Of the earlier captains, I really admired Ian Nankervis. Pity he was a back pocketer by the time he became captain, but he still led by example.
As for the worst - Colbert takes the cake, but to be fair he never actually captained a H&A game before deserting Geelong.
Peake should never have been given the captaincy. Ditto Ablett Senior and Buddha Hocking IMO. Once he gave up the captaincy in 1995 it should never have been offered to him again.
Anyway, here's the official list in chronological order:
31 Fred Wooller 1963–1964
32 Graham Farmer 1965–1967
33 Bill Goggin 1968–1971
34 Doug Wade 1972
35 Geoff Ainsworth 1973
36 John "Sam" Newman 1974–1975
37 Bruce Nankervis 1976–1977
38 Ian Nankervis 1978–1981, 1983
39 Brian Peake 1982
40 Michael Turner 1984–1986
41 Damian Bourke 1987–1989
42 Andrew Bews 1990–1991
43 Mark Bairstow 1992–1994
44 Gary Ablett, Sr. 1995–1996
45 Ken Hinkley 1995
46 Garry Hocking 1995, 1999
47 Barry Stoneham 1995–1998
48 Leigh Colbert 1999
49 Ben Graham 2000–2002
50 Steven King 2003–2006
51 Tom Harley 2007–2009
52 Cameron Ling 2010–2011
53 Joel Selwood 2012–present
Last edited:
