WHEN MARK Neeld spoke to the media at the start of Melbourne’s pre-season campaign on October 31 last year, he announced the club’s leadership group was wide open.
He was straight to the point when he said there was no leadership group at that point.
“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’,” Neeld said at the time.
“The reality is I don't know them. I’ve seen them train once.
“The leadership group at Melbourne and the captain … will be determined by their behaviours and actions over the pre-season.”
Neeld added that he would make the final call on the 2012 leadership group, but the players would have “some input”.
Fast forward to Friday, February 3 and Melbourne has announced its 2012 leadership group.
Although it was announced sooner than first anticipated, it has been thorough and extensive.
On Thursday afternoon, eight new leaders were informed they would lead Melbourne Football Club in 2012.
The entire squad was then told after Friday morning’s training session at Casey Fields.
Melbourne announced the leadership group at a media conference held in the MCG board room at 1.30pm on Friday. It was the culmination of more than four months work.
Neeld had strongly emphasised his ‘clean slate’ message from the outset.
This was despite the fact Melbourne had selected its 2011 leadership in January last year.
However, that group, consisting of captain Brad Green, co-vice-captains Aaron Davey, Brent Moloney and Jared Rivers, plus leadership members Jack Grimes and Nathan Jones, was selected under former coach Dean Bailey’s reign.
Under Neeld, it was now a ‘clean slate’, which was reinforced strongly throughout the club’s pre-season.
Neeld was adamant in his message that all players had the opportunity to demonstrate their leadership qualities.
Given the Demons had transformed their football department, it was felt the leadership group needed to be reviewed under the new regime.
And with Melbourne’s list the fourth youngest in the AFL in 2012, the club also saw an opportunity to appoint a leadership group for a lengthy period. With Grimes and Trengove now at the helm, the duo have the ability to play - and lead - for the next decade.
Although there was input from the players, this leadership group decision was primarily made by Neeld and the coaching group. It was then recommended and endorsed by chief executive Cameron Schwab and the club’s board.
Melbourne then took measured steps to determine the makeup of the leadership group structure.
Although Grimes and Trengove are 22 and 20 respectively, they are both outstanding young men with exceptional leadership qualities, which were highlighted well before they were drafted by Melbourne.
Neeld was clear in his expectations in regard to the leadership, which he laid out when he arrived from Collingwood, where he coaching great Mick Malthouse’s right-hand man.
He left no one in doubt that players had to show they were leaders by their actions and behaviours over the pre-season.
And the club’s eight new leaders - Grimes, Trengove, Clint Bartram, Mitch Clark, James Frawley, Colin Garland, Mark Jamar and Nathan Jones - have all demonstrated that strongly over the pre-season and in the lead-up to 2012.
2012 Leadership Group
Jack Grimes (co-captain)
Jack Trengove (co-captain)
Clint Bartram
Mitch Clark
James Frawley
Colin Garland
Mark Jamar
Nathan Jones
