MELBOURNE has placed its leadership in the hands of youth, appointing youngsters Jack Trengove and Jack Grimes as co-captains for 2012.

Trengove will enter the record books as the youngest ever full-time VFL/AFL captain. He will be 20 years, 211 days when he plays in round one against the Brisbane Lions.

The 22-year-old Grimes has played just 32 matches in four injury-interrupted seasons and will be one of the least experienced captains in history in terms of games played.

Trengove has played 37 games since his debut in 2010. Joining the pair in the Demons' new leadership group are Clint Bartram, James Frawley, Colin Garland, Mark Jamar, Nathan Jones and Mitch Clark, who only joined the club during trade week in October.

Ex-skipper Brad Green has been removed completely from the group, and former leaders Aaron Davey, Jared Rivers and Brent Moloney have also missed out.

Melbourne coach Mark Neeld said Trengove and Grimes had earned their positions through their actions since his appointment.

"I acknowledge that the group is young," Neeld said.

"It has the potential to lead the Melbourne Football Club for a long time.

"[Trengove and Grimes] have become captains by leading by example.

"I only have their actions and behaviours over the last four-and-a-half months to go by, and they've been terrific.

"I expect them to continue to act in that manner, and to grow and develop their leadership skills over time.

"I've got no doubt that they'll do that really well."

Neeld said that when he started in his role he was "absolutely certain" that he wanted only one captain, but had been unable to split Grimes and Trengove.

He also said he was unconcerned at the duo's inexperience.

"I'm not a fan of using birth certificates with leadership," Neeld said.

"It's about the way they go about it."

Both new captains said they were surprised and honoured when told of their appointment, and predicted that their leadership style would be based around care for their teammates.

"I'm definitely not the loudest bloke in the team and I don't really plan to change that at all," Grimes said.

"I like to think that I'll talk when something needs to be said and hopefully let my actions do the talking.

"Jack Trengove talked about care, and I think that's what we'll be all about: care for our teammates and care for the club."

Trengove also said he wouldn't be the most outspoken captain.

"I'll just go about my business and try to bring everyone along.

"A lot of the great past and present leaders around the AFL are those type of leaders, that have the ability to raise the standard and pull everyone in the group along with you.

"That's something that as a group we're going to work on."

Neeld met with Green on Thursday to explain that he wouldn't be part of the Demons' new generation of leaders.

"I'm a new coach and it was the hardest thing I've had to do so far," he said.

"To sit down with a player who has nearly played 250 games and is the captain of an AFL club, and I sat face to face in the office and told him that he wasn't going to be captain of the club.

"It was harder for Brad to hear than me to deliver, but it's part of the job."