The Captain.

[MarkT2]

Apologies if this has been covered but I didn’t see it and thought it warranted mention.

Q: What do you want from your captain.
A: Leadership when it matters.

What did we get on Saturday night?

“Gave away” the first 2 goals. Horror start.
Kept at it - leading and putting his body on the line.
With around a minute to go all looked lost. Contested ball in the middle. The clearance that wins the match.

Was not my first choice for captain by any stretch but I doubt anyone else currently on the list would have been subject of this thread. A lot has been said of Anthony but:

Thank you Nick!

 

[Dogs_Playing_Poker]

The clearance reminded me a lot of the one that another collingwood captain produced when all looked lost against the same team a couple of years back.... Hopefully Anthony turns out a better footballer and person than Tarrant!

 

[PieLebo87]

Why do you think he was voted in the top 5 best captains by his peers this year? He trully is the most improved player in the AFL.

 

[HighFlyer]

“Gave away” the first 2 goals. Horror start.
Kept at it - leading and putting his body on the line.
With around a minute to go all looked lost. Contested ball in the middle. The clearance that wins the match.

Thank you Nick!

Sorry was drawn to this , outsiders perspective. Everyone makes mistakes, attitude , endeavour and body language are something that you control. I thought he spent the rest of the match making up for his first quarter mistakes and those three traits above pulled alot of people with him in his wake.

 

[Kirby]

He is fantastic, no doubt. Continually stands up when it matters most. What more could we ask for from our captain?

 

[Optimax]

nah hackwell not even best 22

Love ya maxy

 

[Row Hound]

* Imagines Josh Fraser as captain *

* Shudders *

* Throws up in mouth just a little *


Great work from Nick this season.

 

[TwisTz]

Nick has had a fantastic season. Really stepped up to the challenge of captaincy.

 

[scruffydog]

Wanted him to be captain last year. I didn't mind that Burns got it, I'm just saying I always liked the idea.

He was always going to be good. The doubters were clueless.

 

[Soul_Pie]

In a lot of ways he really set the tone of the match from a Pies perspective.

-Made some mistakes early which were costly.
-Clawed his way back into the match through desperation and hard work.
-Began to grow in confidence and stature and began attacking hard and creating.
-Kept on fighting until the end with a last ditch effort.

He has been awesome this year, and a large part of our improvement as an outfit, especially in terms of our defense, has been on the back as his development as a player and a leader.

 

[MarkT2]

The doubters were clueless.

To be frank his form early in the year was ordinary. He found his feet and his form improved. Not many Collingwood supporters were critical of his leadership. Plenty, like myself, were sceptical of his place in the 18, or more to he point, what position he is better at than the alternative(s). I am still not sure but I am now sure he is the best captain we have and has to play in the starting 18 because of his leadership AND his football ability. He’ll never be a champion player but he he’s worth a spot outside of his captaincy and that is important for a captain’s credibility.