In 2009, Captain Matthew Lloyd will share the responsibility of leading one of the league’s youngest sides with Mark McVeigh, Jobe Watson, David Hille, Andrew Welsh and Adam McPhee.
Football operations manager, Paul Hamilton, said getting the players’ buy-in was an important step in the development of the club’s long-term leadership program.
“The players voted on who they wanted to represent them and these six players were clearly the ones they wanted in the leadership group,” Hamilton said.
“We are confident that this six-man leadership group will represent the playing group very well.
“We think it is a good mix and this will be a yearwhere the leadership group really challenges each other, challenges the coaches and are able to challenge their team-mates.""
In another club first, a separate eight man 'emerging leaders' group has also been created - which includes new Bomber Brent Prismall - and Hamilton said the club is determined to have an environment where the players challenge each other.
""The emerging leaders group has been created to fast track some young potential leaders in the club and again this was done by player vote,""he said.
Club veterans, Dustin Fletcher and Scott Lucas, will take up senior mentoring roles this year.
“Dustin and Scott didn’t nominate for the leadership group so they weren’t involved in the nominating process. They are going to take on a mentoring role to assist the leadership group and assist the younger players and really work with different members of the playing group.
“They are really excited to take on that role this year which is great for them and the team. “
Hamilton said the leadership group would have input into all elements of club procedures in order to create a positive environment for its players.
“The leadership group is only one element of that leadership program but it's an important one and we want to make sure they are leading the club in the way we do everything,”he said.
“We want them to have involvement in the way we train, the way we prepare, the way we play.""
