Tom Harley - Skipper

[Mr Sensitive]

first off, congrats to Tom, a good clubman and a good leader, but fair dinkum this is a terrible decision by the GFC.
What's the point of swapping one injury prone captain for another? King lost the job, not because he was crap leader but because he couldn't get his body right... why shift the same burden onto another player with an aging body.

I completely disagree with the idea that you have to be a certain age to be a captain. Wayne Carey and Stephen Kernahan both got the top job at a young age and they were both something of a success... The club had a chance to be bold and appoint a player like Chapman, who just bleeds blue and white and presents himself very well. He's young, a natural leader and would grow into the role. Realistically he could hold down the job for the next six years and really leave his mark. Instead the club have been weak and appointed a bloke who has the same deficiences as his predecessor.
I'm only 22 years old but I can't think of one Geelong captain from the last 20 odd years who I'd regard as a great leader in the same vein as Steven Gerrard, Michael Voss or Buckley.
In 12 months, the fans will be sticking it to Harley the same way they've given it to King over the last few years and the club will be in the same position it is now. One step forward, three steps back, I guess that's true to Geelong form.
Very disappointed.

 

[ecleftic]

All the best to Tom. Perhaps Chappy was asked and said no.




Go CATS!!

 

[rizzo]

2004 - After carlton loss. Explains it all. Great Choice GFC.

 

[Western Cat]

Think AFL Captain, think Voss, Buckley, Hird/lloyd, Judd.

Harley just doesn't have the same ring, the same presence or authority.

An AFL captain has to be an inspiration, a game breaker, someone who steps up and takes the game by the scruff of the neck and stamps his presence across the ground and his team mates.

Tom Harley is a good player but he doesn't fit that description.

Geelong has the most "star-less" list in the AFL. Only Gary Ablett and Paul Chapman could possibly be dubbed stars.

Therefore one or both of them should have gotten the job.

Junior is "shy" and has the memory of his Dad to deal with but he has the talent and the presence and would grow into the job.

Chappy is hard and tough and kicks goals and has a fire in him that would serve the Cats well.

The Geelong captaincy has been a bit of a poisoned chalice at times.

I always believed Buddha would be a brilliant captain and he gave it up after half a season!!

Good luck to Tom, I hope he does a great job.

 

[Western Cat]

Sure it helps if a captain is liked and respected off the field too, but the rubber hits the road on the field and that's where the Vosses and Hirds of this world stand out. (From what I see of them in the media they seem pretty decent blokes too, Hirdy especially, but to some extent that's a peripheral issue in my view)

Those guys have all won games off their own boots. Can Tom do that? I don't think so.

Don't get me wrong, I like Tom Harley, but he doesn't inspire me, and as many others have said, he doesn't have a great record with injury/fitness.

 

[LifeSpan-Void]

Don't get me wrong, I like Tom Harley, but he doesn't inspire me

He doesn't have to inspire you.

 

[DanA]

Like Wayne Carey calling round to Anthony Steven's place!!!!!
(Sorry, couldn't resist!)

Sure it helps if a captain is liked and respected off the field too, but the rubber hits the road on the field and that's where the Vosses and Hirds of this world stand out. (From what I see of them in the media they seem pretty decent blokes too, Hirdy especially, but to some extent that's a peripheral issue in my view)

Those guys have all won games off their own boots. Can Tom do that? I don't think so.

Don't get me wrong, I like Tom Harley, but he doesn't inspire me, and as many others have said, he doesn't have a great record with injury/fitness.

I kind of disagree with that. I think while on feild is important. The captain should be leading by example at training and with off feild behaviour. If the captain can inspire the guys to train harder and behave while out. I think that is more important.

 

[someday-somehow]

Off-field Tom Harley could be a big plus, hopefully he may be able to inspire the younger players to get their head right and to stay out of the pub where they constantly get told how good they are. Onfield however this is a big issue, he will be better than king that's for sure but he can't do much good leading on-field when he is watching from the stands or in rehab.

The most inspired captains of the modern era have USUALLY been great players that will put their bodies on the line for the club and are usually in the midfield or forward. I don't know any of the players personally but I really thought Chapman would have been the man for the job, his actions on-field scream leadership but maybe off-field he is more introverted.

 

[Bulldogsnm1]

I wouldn't normally be bold enough to post on another clubs board, however, I just heard Tom Harley on SEN and I must say he was super impressive.

Very relaxed and easy to listen to, importantly spoke a lot of sense and portrayed a very positive attitude towards 2007.

I have always felt he was a terrific defender and a genuine leader on the Cats backline, it seemed when he didn't play even Scarlett was a little out of sorts.

My only fear is his body standing up throughout a full season of footy, i would expect a captain to play at least 80% of games. It could be very nasty following on from King to have your captain missing a number of games.

 

[crazy_big_al]

great choice