Being named captain is an honour and a privilege at any football club, with the trust and expectation given toward a player to lead their team through the season. However, down at Arden Street, the title of captain means something much more terrifying for North Melbourne supporters.
In the last 15 years, there has been a pattern of North Melbourne skippers significantly dropping off in form after being given the captaincy. With at least its last five captains becoming a shell of their former selves, one can't help but think that the pressure of the position is too much for the shinboner spirit to handle.
I'm talking here about not just downward spirals of statistics that reflect on the stat sheet, but the amount of effort and impact these captains seem not to show when elevated to the expectation that they should lead the team to winning. Knowing what North's ‘winning image' is now in the 21st century, it's hard not to put some of the blame on who's leading the charge.
Luke McDonald (2023-2024)
Co-Captain beside Jy Simpkin for only two years, McDonald, who was at the time 28 years old, helped ease the transition from veteran Jack Ziebell to Simpkin. Even if he was only the captain for two years, the effects of the curse would still linger around his confidence.
The former Syd Barker Medallist saw a sudden dip in form during 2023 after the promotion, with every single one of his major stat categories declining apart from tackles. The following season was another decline in disposals, rebound 50's and even tackles now, with retirement looking more and more like a real possibility.
Interestingly enough and in accordance with the curse, once he was taken off the captaincy, McDonald actually improved statistically and was a saving grace in defence with no Griffin Logue most of the year.
