Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury continued to lead by example as he actively participated in the Pies' pre-season session this morning, which he wasn't required to attend given that the was open for first to fourth-year players.
Pendlebury appeared to be his silky self, moving freely as he continues to recover from the lower leg crack that ended his 2021 campaign prematurely.
Magpies coach Craig McRae spoke on Pendlebury's drive when prompted by the media during his presser at the Holden Centre.
โYeah, he's one of those guys that just comes back and wants to lead from the front," McRae said.
โSo there's a couple other senior guys that don't have to be here at this time. He was really nice and they want to take the first step with usโ
Later, McRae was asked whether he had any discussions with Pendlebury about his role as the Magpies captain moving forward, to which he reinforced his previous stance on the matter.
โI have, yeah. Sort of repeating what I've said publicly before, it's up to Pendles to decide what his future is," McRae told the media.
โAs the captain, I'll give him the space to do that. I haven't put a timeframe on it yet but based on what we're saying here is he's pretty hungry to lead, regardless if he has a title or not.โ
Pendlebury recently signed a two-year extension that is set to keep him at Collingwood until the end of the 2023 season.
The 33-year-old has held the captaincy since 2014, and with a new era set to commence at the Holden Centre, he may need to make room for the club's next great leader sooner rather than later.
If he were to hand over the captaincy, the Pies do have a couple of viable options to take the mantle and run with it.
The obvious choice is Taylor Adams, the hard-nosed midfielder is one of the most ferocious players in the league when it comes to attacking the footy.
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His energy and attitude would be crucial when trying to engrain the club's new identity into the plethora of young players on Collingwood's list.
However, the darkhorse option is All-Australian Darcy Moore. Moore displays a quiet confidence that is quite capable of captivating and galvanising this young Magpies' side.
This is especially true when taking into account how cerebral Moore is in his playing style, as he's typically well-positioned and an excellent on-field communicator, and like Adams attacks the ball without fear.
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Whatever the outcome in regards to the future captaincy at Collingwood, Craig McRae has an excellent leader at the helm currently and others who are ready to assume the position in an instant when the time is right.
