With two weeks to go until the 2023 AFL season starts, all 18 clubs have been busy deciding who will be included in their leadership groups, with nine sides introducing new captains for the season ahead.
Of those changes, ten are first-time captains, while GWS star Toby Greene has retained his role after being named as the Giants' sole captain.
Here is each club's captaincy and leadership group for the 2023 AFL season.
Adelaide
Captain:ย Jordan Dawson
Leadership Group:ย Tom Doedee, Ben Keays, Reilly O'Brien, Brodie Smith
Dawson was appointed captain this season as Rory Sloane steps down after four years in the role. It is only Dawson's second season as a Crow, after he was added to the leadership group halfway through the 2022 season.
Brisbane
Captains:ย Harris Andrews, Lachie Neale
Vice-Captain:ย Hugh McCluggage
Andrews has been elevated to captain this season after being vice-captain since 2019, as he and Neale proved to be the clear captaincy options after a player vote. This is McCluggage's first season as vice-captain after he was selected by the club at Pick No.3 in the 2016 AFL Draft.
Carlton
Captain:ย Patrick Cripps*
Vice-Captains:ย Sam Walsh, Jacob Weitering*
Carlton has not officially confirmed their leadership group for 2023, however, it is assumed that Cripps will captain Carlton for a fifth season, whilst Walsh and Weitering were elevated to co-captain status in 2022.
Collingwood
Captain:ย Darcy Moore
Leadership Group:ย Taylor Adams, Jeremy Howe, Brayden Maynard
Father-son product Moore will take the reigns as Collingwood captain this season, as Scott Pendlebury decided to step down after nine seasons in the role, making him Collingwood's longest-serving captain. This season, Maynard is a new addition to the leadership group, joining Adams and Howe.
Essendon
Captain:ย Zach Merrett
Vice-Captain:ย Andrew McGrath
Having been dropped from the leadership group in the 2020 season after initially being a part of it as young as 20, Merrett, a two-time All-Australian, has been appointed captain following Dyson Heppell's decision to step down. Former No.1 selection in the 2016 AFL Draft, Andrew McGrath, will support Merrett as vice-captain.
Fremantle
Captain:ย Alex Pearce
Vice-Captains:ย Andrew Brayshaw, Caleb Serong
Leadership Group:ย Jaeger O'Meara, Sam Switkowski, Hayden Young
Following an injury-riddled 2022 season where he only managed seven appearances, Nat Fyfe has handed the captaincy duties over to Alex Pearce. Switkowski and Young are new additions to the leadership group, whilst O'Meara has been an instant inclusion after he was traded to Fremantle from Hawthorn in the off-season.
Geelong
Captain:ย Patrick Dangerfield
Vice-captain:ย Tom Stewart
Dangerfield has been elevated to the captaincy role after Joel Selwood retired following Geelong's premiership win last season. The 2016 Brownlow Medal winner and AFL Players' Association President is supported by four-time All-Australian defender Tom Stewart. The pair were previously co-vice-captains together throughout the 2022 season.
Iconic duos of the Geelong Football Club ๐ฑ Congratulations to our new Captain and Vice Captain #OneInHoops
— Geelong Cats (@GeelongCats) February 25, 2023
Gold Coast
Captains:ย Touk Miller, Jarrod Witts*
Vice-Captain:ย Sam Collins*
Leadership Group:ย Sean Lemmens, Nick Holman, Noah Anderson*
Gold Coast has not yet confirmed its leadership group for the 2023 season, but are unlikely to make any changes after they appointed Miller and Witts co-captains in 2022. Lemmens, Holman and Anderson were also new inclusions to the leadership group last season.
Greater Western Sydney
Captain:ย Toby Greene
Vice-Captains:ย Stephen Coniglio, Josh Kelly
Leadership Group:ย Tom Green, Harry Perryman, Sam Taylor, Connor Idun
Having been a part of the Giants' first-ever AFL game against the Swans in 2012, Greene has been a crucial part of the club's development and has been appointed sole captain for the first time in 2023, following elevation from his status as co-captain in 2022. Coniglio and Kelly, who were also co-captains last season, have been appointed co-vice captains.
Hawthorn
Captain:ย James Sicily
Vice-Captains:ย Luke Breust, Dylan Moore
Leadership Group:ย Sam Frost, Jarman Impey, Mitch Lewis
After a standout 2022 season where he was selected in the 40-man All-Australian squad, Sicily has been rewarded with the Hawthorn captaincy after Ben McEvoy's retirement. Three-time Hawks premiership player and four-time leading goalkicker Breust has been included as vice-captain.
Captain:ย Max Gawn
Vice-Captain:ย Jack Viney
Melbourne's leadership remains unchanged once again for the 2023 season, with the pair leading Melbourne to their drought-breaking premiership in 2021. A statement fromย Melbourne Mediaย recognises the leadership pair as "a formidable duo."
North Melbourne
Captains:ย Luke McDonald, Jy Simpkin
Leadership Group:ย Ben Cunnington, Nick Larkey, Ben McKay, Jack Ziebell
As North enters a new era under coach Alastair Clarkson, they've elevated their 2022 vice-captains to captaincy status this season after a player and coaches' vote. Ben McKay is the only new addition to the leadership group. North Melbourne general manager of football, Todd Viney, said: "From the vote, we couldn't split Luke and Jy in terms of the influence they've had on the playing group and the club."
Port Adelaide
Captain:ย Tom Jonas
Vice-Captain:ย Ollie Wines, Darcy Byrne-Jones
Unchanged for the 2023 season, Tom Jonas will once again captain Port with the help of vice-captains Wines and Byrne-Jones. Jonas has a 66% win rate as captain, whilst Wines was the 2021 Brownlow medallist and claimed a Rising Star nomination in his debut game back in 2013. Byrne-Jones was first included in the leadership group in 2020.
Richmond
Captains:ย Dylan Grimes, Toby Nankervis
This is Grimes and Nankervis' second season leading as co-captains as the triple premiership players aim to take the Tigers to a new level once again in 2023.
"Together they are great drivers of our culture and values and excellent contributors on and off the field," General Manager of Football Tim Livingstone said if the pair.
St Kilda
Captain:ย Jack Steele
Vice-Captain:ย Callum Wilkie
Leadership Group:ย Tim Membrey, Seb Ross, Jack Sinclair
Jack Steele has once again been appointed as St Kilda captain for a third season, with Callum Wilkie newly appointed as vice-captain.
Wilkie told saints.com.au: "I love this club and want to do the fans and my teammates proud in our 150th year."
Sydney
Captains:ย Callum Mills, Luke Parker, Dane Rampe
Leadership Group:ย Lance Franklin, Will Hayward, Isaac Heeney, Jake Lloyd, Tom Papley
The Swans welcome two-star players in Isaac Heeney and Will Haywardย to their leadership group for the first time this season following the departure of Josh Kennedy and Harry Cunningham. They also welcome Jake Lloyd back to the group.
West Coast
Captain:ย Luke Shuey
Vice-Captains:ย Tom Barrass, Jeremy McGovern
Shuey leads West Coast this year for a fourth consecutive season, whilst former premiership captain, Shannon Hurn, continues to help lead the club in an unofficial role. McGovern supported Shuey as vice-captain last season, whilst Barrass has been elevated to vice-captain and had been widely viewed as a potential captain if Shuey did not assume the role again.
Western Bulldogs
Captains:ย Marcus Bontempelli
Vice-Captain:ย Jack Macrae
Leadership Group:ย Caleb Daniel, Taylor Duryea, Aaron Naughton
Bontempelli and Macrae have been appointed as captain and vice-captain respectively once again, whilst their extended leadership group also remains unchanged. However, the Bulldogs believe that leadership is not limited to those with an official role.
"We value contributions from the entire playing group and encourage individuals to bring their own leadership qualities to collectively add connection throughout the season," Bontempelli told the club's website.
