Inspirational triple premiership player Joel Selwood will again lead the Cats as captain for the fifth consecutive season.
Announced at the club’s season launch in Melbourne on Tuesday night, Selwood retained the captaincy as part of a new-look leadership group which mirrors the transition of Geelong’s playing list ahead of the 2016 premiership season.
New members include star recruit Patrick Dangerfield, classy midfielder Mitch Duncan and 2015 Carji Greeves medallist Mark Blicavs. The trio join Selwood, vice-captain Harry Taylor and mainstay Tom Hawkins to form the six-man team.
Selwood says the honour of captaining the club in its 157th year is one he still relishes as the club continues to build towards success.
“It’s a great honour, like it has been the previous years that I’ve done it before,” Selwood said.
“In a transition period where we’ve gone out to the trade table and got a few players across, there’s some great energy around the place.”
“We’re working towards something – to a team that we really want to be, playing late-September, early October this year hopefully.”
Mark Blicavs and Mitch Duncan are the youngest members of the new-look leadership group, with Duncan previously a member in 2014.
Their captain believes the added responsibility will only elevate their games to the next level.
“Mitch has been in the leadership group before but has grown up a lot since the last time he was in there,” Selwood said.
“He’s about to take his footy to the next level and he understands that. Being a leader of this footy club is going to help him, I think.”
“Mark is a leader who shows what he does out on the field, trains well, is always out there. He has great voice and great relationships within the playing group.”
Regarded as one of the top players in the competition, Patrick Dangerfield arrived at Simonds Stadium on a wave of hype and excitement following his trade from Adelaide in October last year.
But it has been his work with players like Nakia Cockatoo and his effort on and off the training track that have impressed the playing group more than his freakish ability.
“Patty brings across the experience from Adelaide that he’s had in the leadership group there,” Selwood said.
“We’ve been super impressed with him from what he’s brought already but we expect that he’ll bring more of that in the years to come.”
Veteran premiership players Corey Enright and Andrew Mackie have stepped aside from their long-standing leadership roles after each making a substantial contribution.
Both members of the 2007, 2009 and 2011 premiership winning sides, the two highly-regarded defenders will, however, continue to set the standard for the playing group.
“We would like to thank Andrew and Corey for their services to the leadership group,” Selwood said.
“Corey is about have his second child. Andrew’s got his second child already. It’s about more time that they want to put into their footy and look after themselves, which will help the side anyway.”
“They’ve been great support for me and the whole playing group, in saying that, for a number of years now.”
Harry Taylor has retained the vice-captaincy after a stellar 2015 season, whilst Tom Hawkins also retains his position in the leadership group after leading the Cats goal kicking for the fourth consecutive season.
GEELONG CATS 2016 LEADERSHIP GROUP
Joel Selwood (captain)
Harry Taylor (vice-captain)
Mark Blicavs
Patrick Dangerfield
Mitch Duncan
Tom Hawkins
