Leadership at every AFL club is different. Some teams go for a solo captain, while another decides three co-captains is best. Some teams pick their best player to lead, while others believes a trusty stalwart galvanises the group more.
However each organisation does it, like the Flying Dutchmen in Pirates of the Caribbean, every crew and ship needs a captain. And there are some mighty fine captains in the AFL.
The pinnacle is Melbourne's Max Gawn who has led his club with honour during the good times and the bad, of which there have been plenty of both.
Newcomers such as Essendon's Andrew McGrath and North Melbourne's Nick Larkey are learning how tough the job can be this season.
While two-time reigning premiers Brisbane decided to move from two co-captains to a trio in 2026 with Harris Andrews, Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley leading the charge.
But who are the next cabs of the rank at your club in terms of players that are captain material?
West Coast
The Eagles face a similar conundrum to the Tigers with a gap in players in that 25-30 bracket who scream, "future captain".
However, fortunately for the powerhouse out west, the Eagles have been blessed with better injury luck and so have been able to develop their young players more than at Punt Road.
Current captains Liam Duggan and Liam Baker are producing mixed results.
At times, Duggan's impact as a player can be questioned and he can be maligned by Eagles fans, while Baker had a strong 2025 season but his performance has dipped in 2026 after being handed the responsibility of co-captain.
Harley Reid, while certainly maturing as a player, isn't quite there yet as a captaincy option and his future still remains up in the air beyond 2028.
But should he commit to the club long term and his performance and leadership continue to rise, as is the current trajectory, he could become a brilliant match-winning captain similar to Greene at GWS.
Under-sized key defender Reuben Ginbey also looms as a great and bankable option for Eagles' leadership in the coming years. Likewise key defender Harry Edwards if he can get through his current concussion issues.
