NEW SENIOR coach Mark Neeld has declared Melbourne’s 2012 leadership wide open.
Speaking on the first day of Melbourne’s pre-season campaign, Neeld made his presence felt when he effectively said there was no leadership group at the moment, and that it would be selected next year.
In 2011, the Demons were led by skipper Brad Green, vice-captains Aaron Davey, Brent Moloney and Jared Rivers, and leadership group members Jack Grimes and Nathan Jones.
But Neeld said all positions were open, including the captaincy of Green.
"My stance on the leadership group is that I have taken over a blank canvas, and I am not in a position to go to the CEO and the board and say right now 'these people should be captain or these people should be part of the leadership group'," he said.
"The reality is I don't know them. I’ve seen them train once and Brad’s not even here - he’s part of the International Rules group, so I’m not in a position to endorse anyone as part of that.
“The leadership group at Melbourne, and the captain, will be announced in March. It will be determined by their behaviours and actions over the pre-season."
Neeld said he would make the final call on the 2012 leadership group, although he added the players would have “some input”.
Asked if it was time for a fresh captain, Neeld was also respectful of Green, who is currently captaining Australia in the International Rules series.
“After one session, it’s a bit harsh [to say],” he said.
“He (Green) wasn’t even here [at training], so we’ll wait until March - we’ll give him four months.”
With James Frawley and Jack Trengove also representing Australia, Neeld said he was comfortable with the trio being away for the start of pre-season training.
“An ideal world says the competition that we all belong to and the game we all belong to needs to be promoted,” he said.
“That’s a vehicle the AFL has chosen to promote the game, so that’s fine.”
Speaking on the first day of Melbourne’s pre-season campaign, Neeld made his presence felt when he effectively said there was no leadership group at the moment, and that it would be selected next year.
In 2011, the Demons were led by skipper Brad Green, vice-captains Aaron Davey, Brent Moloney and Jared Rivers, and leadership group members Jack Grimes and Nathan Jones.
But Neeld said all positions were open, including the captaincy of Green.
"My stance on the leadership group is that I have taken over a blank canvas, and I am not in a position to go to the CEO and the board and say right now 'these people should be captain or these people should be part of the leadership group'," he said.
"The reality is I don't know them. I’ve seen them train once and Brad’s not even here - he’s part of the International Rules group, so I’m not in a position to endorse anyone as part of that.
“The leadership group at Melbourne, and the captain, will be announced in March. It will be determined by their behaviours and actions over the pre-season."
Neeld said he would make the final call on the 2012 leadership group, although he added the players would have “some input”.
Asked if it was time for a fresh captain, Neeld was also respectful of Green, who is currently captaining Australia in the International Rules series.
“After one session, it’s a bit harsh [to say],” he said.
“He (Green) wasn’t even here [at training], so we’ll wait until March - we’ll give him four months.”
With James Frawley and Jack Trengove also representing Australia, Neeld said he was comfortable with the trio being away for the start of pre-season training.
“An ideal world says the competition that we all belong to and the game we all belong to needs to be promoted,” he said.
“That’s a vehicle the AFL has chosen to promote the game, so that’s fine.”
