Analysis The Awkward Captaincy Problem

Sheepey

Club Legend
Oct 18, 2016
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St Kilda
The Saints, amongst an abundance of other issues, have a captaincy problem.

I am not a big fan of isolating individual players, however in this case, I think it's unavoidable that Geary comes under the microscope.

Four things stand out to me that make the situation awkward
1) The on-field leadership is extremely poor. The body language of the players, combined with an inability to stymie a momentum swing to the opposition, suggests that the on-field leadership is lacklustre, and there is no inspiring figure to drag the team over the line.
2) Geary is a back pocket, which is a difficult position to lead from. The only similar person in the league is Shannon Hurn, however he often finds himself playing an attacking role in the midfield due to his penetrating kicking.
3) Regular damaging turnovers in the defensive 50. The impact on morale when a turnover from the captain directly leads to a goal to the opposition must be devastating.
4) Geary is a 29, soon to be 30 year old. Though I havn't watched any VFL games, reports are that Bailey Rice is doing consistently well and has GOOD foot skills. The only way I can see him coming into the side is if Geary comes out, which is next to impossible while Geary is captain.

Amongst other changes at the end of the year, it is absolutely crucial in my opinion that the captaincy is transferred. Of course, the issue is who to pass the baton to. While I have been a fan of Luke Dunstan's work this year, I don't know if even he is 100% a lock for every game. The captaincy is just one of many issues plaguing the club.
 
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austinnn

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Nov 7, 2012
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I have occasionally wondered if rightly or wrongly the dip in form of both Mav and Newness coincided with them not getting the captaincy after Roo passed it on (note: not when he retired but the year before)

Both seemed to be annointed up til then and both seemed to thrive
as leaders but then they were in the "leadership group".

But neither have been much more than a liability since 2016.
 

austinnn

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Nov 7, 2012
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The other strange thing to consider is that our drafting and trading had -i believe- leadership qualities as a key criteria.

Newnes
Mav
Longer
Dunstan
Paddy
Billings

All drafted as underage captains iirc.

Where is the leadership? It's seriously lacking on game day, that is certain.
 
Apr 5, 2016
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Everywhere
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The Saints, amongst an abundance of other issues, have a captaincy problem.

I am not a big fan of isolating individual players, however in this case, I think it's unavoidable that Geary comes under the microscope.

Four things stand out to me that make the situation awkward
1) The on-field leadership is extremely poor. The body language of the players, combined with an inability to stymie a momentum swing to the opposition, suggests that the on-field leadership is lacklustre, and there is no inspiring figure to drag the team over the line.
2) Geary is a back pocket, which is a difficult position to lead from. The only similar person in the league is Shannon Hurn, however he often finds himself playing an attacking role in the midfield due to his penetrating kicking.
3) Regular damaging turnovers in the defensive 50. The impact on morale when a turnover from the captain directly leads to a goal to the opposition must be devastating.
4) Geary is a 29, soon to be 30 year old. Though I havn't watched any VFL games, reports are that Bailey Rice is doing consistently well and has GOOD foot skills. The only way I can see him coming into the side is if Geary comes out, which is next to impossible while Geary is captain.

Amongst other changes at the end of the year, it is absolutely crucial in my opinion that the captaincy is transferred. Of course, the issue is who to pass the baton to. While I have been a fan of Luke Dunstan's work this year, I don't know if even he is 100% a lock for every game. The captaincy is just one of many issues plaguing the club.

I agree but there isnt a lot of other options when you look at the all the requirements of captains. What an indictment on the clubs list development when we are even considering trading for an external player to make as captain.
 

sonnywalters

Cancelled
Oct 29, 2014
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I have occasionally wondered if rightly or wrongly the dip in form of both Mav and Newness coincided with them not getting the captaincy after Roo passed it on (note: not when he retired but the year before)

Both seemed to be annointed up til then and both seemed to thrive
as leaders but then they were in the "leadership group".

But neither have been much more than a liability since 2016.
LoL.
As if they could have expected captaincy.
They are just not good players.
 

Palantine

All Australian
Mar 30, 2016
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I thought at the time Jack Steven should have got it, and I'm not sure players voting for their captain is the best way either.
If you gave me the power on the spot to give captaincy to anyone right now for me it would be Lurch aka Jake Carlisle. In our best two or three every week, leader of young men, can play up and down the ground, good age, has a famous St Kilda street surname, speaks well to the media, imposing, and could bring out the nasty across the team. At the moment we've got zero mongrel.
 
Gears is a very good backman. Honest and brave. Respected as well.
Not sure how many top 8 teams he would squeeze into, at a guess ...none.
Just my opinion but i dont think thats good enough for a Skipper.
Jack Steven is a multiple B&F winner and would be happily snapped up by just about every other club.
He plays in the guts and plays with an infectious nature that gets other players and the crowd involved.
Both Gears and Jack have flaws in their game but IMO Steven would be an improvement as Captain .
Stevens has matured out of site from the immature ,media awkward player he was yrs ago.
Im not sure what the initial reason Steven was over looked but situations change.
Thanks Gears your as tuff as a cats head with a heart of gold but you remind me of a Richie Vandenberg type Captain (no one else wanted the job).
Im not saying Geary isnt best 22 but i dont think hes the right Captain for us.
 

Nutsngum

Norm Smith Medallist
Mar 14, 2013
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They moved the campaigner onto a wing which meant our only elite player (from champion data) Jack Sinclair had to play small forward & then was dropped cos he wasn’t performing in a role he doesn’t excel in. Smh
I dont think Geary has once actually played wing this year. Feel free to prove me wrong though.
 

F_therest

Brownlow Medallist
Oct 3, 2013
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AFL Club
Carlton
Gears is a very good backman. Honest and brave. Respected as well.
Not sure how many top 8 teams he would squeeze into, at a guess ...none.
Just my opinion but i dont think thats good enough for a Skipper.
Jack Steven is a multiple B&F winner and would be happily snapped up by just about every other club.
He plays in the guts and plays with an infectious nature that gets other players and the crowd involved.
Both Gears and Jack have flaws in their game but IMO Steven would be an improvement as Captain .
Stevens has matured out of site from the immature ,media awkward player he was yrs ago.
Im not sure what the initial reason Steven was over looked but situations change.
Thanks Gears your as tuff as a cats head with a heart of gold but you remind me of a Richie Vandenberg type Captain (no one else wanted the job).
Im not saying Geary isnt best 22 but i dont think hes the right Captain for us.

Steven is an introvert right? Bit of a different cat.

Maybe he doesn't want the captaincy and all the responsibility and media appearances that go with it.
 

tim_saints

Premiership Player
Jul 16, 2008
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Just on a side note. Remember the doom and gloom predicted when the Bulldogs lost their Captain and Coach in the same off season.
Two seasons later they hoisted a Flag.
They absolutely nailed the draft though, I realize Stringer hasn't been great the past couple of years but before that there was all types of comparisons coming his way....also have a coach the players absolutely love. Can we say any of the above about St Kilda at this point in time? Nope.
 
I disagree with your 2nd point Sheepey . Tom Harley and Nick Maxwell are both premiership captains that led from the back pocket.

Everything else I can't argue with, but he is the least of our problems IMO.
 
Oct 25, 2015
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The other strange thing to consider is that our drafting and trading had -i believe- leadership qualities as a key criteria.

Newnes
Mav
Longer
Dunstan
Paddy
Billings

All drafted as underage captains iirc.

Where is the leadership? It's seriously lacking on game day, that is certain.
I have come across many Captains that weren't Leaders. Expecting good leadership from kids because they have captained U'18 teams will lead to disappointment. Our recruiters would have had no training in identifying leaders , and some would say they have had little in identifying talent too. All I know is , this is just another reason the recruiting department needs reviewing.
 
Steven is an introvert right? Bit of a different cat.

Maybe he doesn't want the captaincy and all the responsibility and media appearances that go with it.
Hence i said " IMO Steven would be an improvement as Captain ".
Might not be Jacks opinion though :D
 
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