Predicting EVERY club's next captain

The captain of a football club is perhaps the most important element of the team's success. It is not always the best player who is made captain, but the one who best represents what the club stands for. Read who we predict will be the next captain of all 18 AFL clubs. Adelaide Tom Doedee The Crows are in the midst of a rebuild after one of the toughest periods in the club's history. One player that stands out to lead the club in the future is Tom Doedee. The reliable defender is already a part of Adelaide's leadership group at just 24-years-old, and has acted as captain in the past. Current captain Rory Sloane has even suggested Doedee as a future captain. [caption id="attachment_27827" align="alignnone" width="696"] CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA - MARCH 08: Tom Doedee of the Crows during the 2019 JLT Community Series AFL match between the Greater Western Sydney Giants and the Adelaide Crows at UNSW Canberra Oval on March 08, 2019 in Canberra, Australia. (Photo by Tracey Nearmy/Getty Images)[/caption] Brisbane Harris Andrews Harris Andrews stands out as the logical choice in a team full of talented young players. The dual All-Australian is perhaps the club's most important asset and has shown great leadership qualities, being voted Most Professional Player at the Lions from 2017-20. The 24-year-old has been vice-captain since 2018, and has no doubt had some great tutelage from AFL great and former Hawthorn captain Luke Hodge during their time in Queensland. http://gty.im/1231941904 Carlton Jacob Weitering It is certain that Patrick Cripps will lead the Blues for many more years after all he has given to the club. When the time does come to hand over the reigns, Jacob Weitering should be the choice. The key defender has become one of Carlton's most important players, winning the club's Best and Fairest in 2020. [caption id="attachment_80927" align="alignnone" width="696"] BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 19: Jacob Weitering of the Blues kicks the ball during the round 7 AFL match between the Carlton Blues and the Port Adelaide Power at The Gabba on July 19, 2020 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)[/caption] A member of the Blues' leadership group, Weitering demonstrates great leadership qualities that can be traced back to his days captaining at junior level and as captain of Vic Country in 2015. Collingwood Darcy Moore When the time comes for Scott Pendlebury to hand over the captaincy, whoever takes it will have big shoes to fill. One player who will easily fit into those shoes is Darcy Moore. Few players play with the passion that Moore does, you see it when he plays, and those around him lift because of it. The 2020 All-Australian was a premiership captain with the Oakleigh Chargers in 2014, and his leadership qualities are displayed today at Collingwood, especially this year, handling the off-field issues comfortably. http://gty.im/1319573653 Essendon Andrew McGrath Most people would have Zach Merrett as the next captain of the Bombers, but with his future at the club uncertain, Andrew McGrath is our choice to captain Essendon after Dyson Heppell. The 2017 Rising Star has quickly become one of Essendon's star players and has also had a history of captaining before AFL. Prior to being taken No.1 in 2016, McGrath co-captained Vic Metro and was captain of Brighton Grammar School, where he won three consecutive premierships. http://gty.im/1232697505 Fremantle Andrew Brayshaw One of Fremantle's bright and up-and-coming stars, Andrew Brayshaw looms as the player to takeover whenever Nat Fyfe is done. At just 21 years of age, Brayshaw has become quite the gun midfielder at the Dockers, and with a few more years playing alongside Fyfe, he is sure to be AFL captain material. Fyfe has also endorsed Brayshaw to become captain, saying he is "well-rounded, well-liked, keen to learn, adaptable, [and] a good listener." http://gty.im/1232240107 Geelong Tom Stewart Similar to Pendlebury at the Pies, whoever takes on the captain role after Joel Selwood will have big shoes to fill. The Cats would be looking at someone similar to Selwood, and Tom Stewart is the man. The dual All-Australian is a key part of the Cats' much-touted defence, and has been a leader of the club for many years. Stewart demonstrates toughness and and leadership. http://gty.im/1233161891 Gold Coast Sam Collins 2020 Club Champion Sam Collins is the perfect choice to be the next captain of Gold Coast. At just 19 years of age, Collins was a member of the Box Hill Hawks' leadership group. Collins was added to the leadership group at the start of last season and is sure to be a cornerstone in the Suns hopeful rise in the next few years. Being delisted by Fremantle in 2017, it would be quite the story if he becomes an AFL captain. http://gty.im/1316371674 GWS Giants Toby Greene It's pretty self explanatory to why Toby Greene should be captain of the Giants. Greene has been stand-in captain ever since Stephen Coniglio went down in Round 3, and has done exceptionally well. He is a player that leads through example, evident in the Giants' win over Collingwood this year, where he captained the team and kicked five goals after being winless to that point and with pressure mounting. A GWS original, Greene has had his fair share of controversy but hasn't let it deter him. Toby Greene is the heart and soul of the Giants, and that is why he will be captain, probably sooner rather than later. http://gty.im/1318118102 Hawthorn James Sicily Earlier in his career James Sicily may have had the reputation for being immature and a hot-head, but he has since matured into a bonafide leader. Sicily seems like a risk, but for a club in rebuild, something new in the captain role could really help. Former Port Adelaide player Kane Cornes has backed Sicily for the role, saying that he isn't perfect but has improved a lot. He has the "fire in the belly, the leadership and the brilliance to be the captain of that footy club." An odd choice for sure, but not unwarranted. http://gty.im/1258074138 Melbourne Jake Lever As Melbourne dominate alongside Max Gawn, it may be a little while until we see a new captain at the Demons. However, when the time comes, Jake Lever looks like the right man for the job. Lever has a history of leading teams, captaining the Calder Cannons at under-16 level and for a game with Vic Metro in 2013, despite being bottom-aged. Lever is a vocal leader down back in Melbourne and has also been picked by Gawn to be his successor. [caption id="attachment_20603" align="alignnone" width="696"] MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 15: Jake Lever of the Demons handpasses the ball during the round four AFL match between the Hawthorn Hawks and the Melbourne Demons at Melbourne Cricket Ground on April 15, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Daniel Pockett/AFL Media/Getty Images)[/caption] North Melbourne Jy Simpkin and Luke Davies-Uniacke (co-captains) The only co-captain prediction on our list, Jy Simpkin and Luke Davies-Uniacke are both great young candidates to lead the Kangaroos in the future. Simpkin is already a co-vice captain of the club and is learning plenty under captain Jack Ziebell. Simpkin already has the support of Ziebell to be a future captain, who says he carries himself in a mature way that will help him develop leadership. Davies-Uniacke has brought his game to another level recently, and has worked closely with co-captain Luke McDonald. Both players are in their early 20's and are big part of the clubs future. http://gty.im/1233057765 Port Adelaide Ollie Wines We expect Ollie Wines to get another crack at captaining the Power. Wines was a co-captain alongside Tom Jonas (current captain) in 2019 and has been vice-captain since last season. Wines was dropped as captain after an injury plagued season but returned to his best last year, helping Port claim the minor premiership. After Jonas is done, Wines is sure to return to the position entrusted with him, this time as sole captain. http://gty.im/1232518382 Richmond Dylan Grimes Yet another captaincy that has left a big legacy, Trent Cotchin's successor will need to be one who matches Cotchin, or at least gets close. Dylan Grimes is the perfect choice. The 2019 All-Australian is an unofficial leader of the club, as Richmond don't have a leadership group aside from captain and vice, and was an important part of the Tigers' three recent flags. One of the competition's premier defenders, Grimes had to take leadership down back after Alex Rance retired and has done so fittingly. http://gty.im/1232604334 St Kilda Jack Steele Yes, Jack Steele is already co-captain at the Saints, but will be sole captain once Jarryn Geary has finished up. Steele's selection as co-captain this year was his first official leadership role at the club, but one that he had doubts about. The 2020 All-Australian and Saints Best and Fairest believes he is too introverted to be a leader but has been taken under the wing of Geary, where he has thrived and will continue to learn how to be the best captain he can be. http://gty.im/1232881101 Sydney Callum Mills 2016 Rising Star Callum Mills is almost a no-brainer to be next captain of the Sydney Swans. Mills is uncompromised, articulate and a star player for the Swans, who would make a great leader when his time comes. Already a member of the Swans' leadership group, Mills has worked with established stars of the competition, and even has the support of co-captain Josh Kennedy to become next captain. http://gty.im/1232759109 West Coast Oscar Allen A future star of the West Coast Eagles, and probably future captain as well. Oscar Allen is quickly become one of the competition's best forwards, and at just 22-years-old, has a massive future ahead of him. Allen has sat under the learning tree of Josh Kennedy and Jack Darling, which has allowed him to develop into a forward that terrorises the opposition, just as they do. An Eagle until at least the end of 2025, Allen is someone the club can build themselves around and it is only fitting that he becomes captain. His young age and history of co-captaining in under-18s certainly helps. http://gty.im/1311757150 Western Bulldogs Josh Dunkley It will probably still be a while until Marcus Bontempelli steps down as captain, but someone who could take over is Josh Dunkley. Just younger than the Bont, Dunkley could be captain of the Dogs later in his career. While Dunkley did request a trade last year, a deal wasn't completed. The Bulldogs management value Dunkley and believe him to be a future captain of the team, and with the way the Dogs are playing this year, it is hard to see him leaving. Bontempelli even thinks Dunkley to be the obvious choice as next captain. [caption id="attachment_82404" align="alignnone" width="696"] BALLARAT, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 10: Josh Dunkley of the Bulldogs in action during the 2021 AFL Round 04 match between the Western Bulldogs and the Brisbane Lions at Mars Stadium on April 10, 2021 in Ballarat, Australia. (Photo by Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images)[/caption]

		P	W	L	PTS	%
1	COLL	19	15	4	60	135
2	ADEL	19	14	5	56	146
3	BL	19	13	5	54	110.8
4	GEEL	19	13	6	52	134.2
5	HAW	19	13	6	52	119.9
6	GWS	19	13	6	52	118.4
7	FRE	19	13	6	52	111.7
8	GC	18	12	6	48	119.5

Predicting EVERY club’s next captain

Find out who we believe will be the next skipper of your footy club👇

Essendon

Andrew McGrath

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