Tweet
link
Footscray coach Steve Grace has revealed the VFL club is likely to appoint co-captains this season following the retirement of Jordan Russell.
The decorated defender shared the captaincy with Mark Austin at the Dogs in 2015 and ’16 before officially taking on the job solo last year.
However, Austin managed only 17 games for Footscray in the two years he was co-captain as Russell played in two premiership-winning sides (2014 and ’16), earned two VFL Team of the Year selections and claimed a best-and-fairest in a successful four-year stint at Whitten Oval.
In a blow, reigning best-and-fairest Nick Jamieson — who would have been a contender for the role of skipper — has departed because of work commitments.
“It’ll be a different model to what it’s been over the past years, where we’ve only pretty much named the one captain and not a leadership group,” said Grace, who is preparing for his second season at the helm.
“This year there’s likelihood that there’s possibly co-captains and there’ll be a four or five-man leadership group below that. We’re trying to grow the breadth of depth of leadership with a young group.”
Grace said the top leadership roles would be given to members of Footscray’s VFL-listed crop, pointing to the difficulty an AFL-listed player would have taking on the role given the extra commitments at the top level.
The Dogs have secured former Essendon and Port Adelaide forward Angus Monfries, who has crossed to the club after a 13-year AFL career.
The 211-gamer managed just one senior game for the Power in 2017, with shoulder issues and soft tissue complaints hampering his bid for regular AFL selection.
He missed all of 2016 as a result of bans handed to 34 Essendon players over the doping saga.
But Monfries has been training with Footscray since the second week of pre-season and will take on an assistant coaching position and a part-time role at the Western Bulldogs in addition to his playing duties.
It is expected the 30-year-old will make a significant contribution on the field after the Dogs progressed to the semi-finals last season.
“It’s not just what we expect — it’s what he expects. He’s got high expectations,” Grace said.
“He’s an impressive young guy. Very affable … he’s got a great rapport with the young players already.
“He’s always been a smart player. We know he’ll be a great asset to our VFL program, but he’ll also be a really good game-day asset for our AFL young forwards. There’s benefit to both programs.”
Josh Prudden will play for Footscray after being delisted by the Western Bulldogs but an off-season shoulder reconstruction means he is likely to be a “slow-starter” to 2018.
Rueben William (Brisbane Lions), Lachlan Sullivan (St Kevin’s), Aaron Trusler (Sandringham Dragons), Dennis Symeopoulos (Old Xaverians) and ex-Collingwood rookie Lachlan Smith (Kyabram) have signed on.
Jordan Staley, Shaun Wyatt, Jayden Foster, Anthony Barry and Gabe Hamilton have departed.
Footscray will start its campaign against Sandringham on April 7.
Footscray coach Steve Grace has revealed the VFL club is likely to appoint co-captains this season following the retirement of Jordan Russell.
The decorated defender shared the captaincy with Mark Austin at the Dogs in 2015 and ’16 before officially taking on the job solo last year.
However, Austin managed only 17 games for Footscray in the two years he was co-captain as Russell played in two premiership-winning sides (2014 and ’16), earned two VFL Team of the Year selections and claimed a best-and-fairest in a successful four-year stint at Whitten Oval.
In a blow, reigning best-and-fairest Nick Jamieson — who would have been a contender for the role of skipper — has departed because of work commitments.
“It’ll be a different model to what it’s been over the past years, where we’ve only pretty much named the one captain and not a leadership group,” said Grace, who is preparing for his second season at the helm.
“This year there’s likelihood that there’s possibly co-captains and there’ll be a four or five-man leadership group below that. We’re trying to grow the breadth of depth of leadership with a young group.”
Grace said the top leadership roles would be given to members of Footscray’s VFL-listed crop, pointing to the difficulty an AFL-listed player would have taking on the role given the extra commitments at the top level.
The Dogs have secured former Essendon and Port Adelaide forward Angus Monfries, who has crossed to the club after a 13-year AFL career.
The 211-gamer managed just one senior game for the Power in 2017, with shoulder issues and soft tissue complaints hampering his bid for regular AFL selection.
He missed all of 2016 as a result of bans handed to 34 Essendon players over the doping saga.
But Monfries has been training with Footscray since the second week of pre-season and will take on an assistant coaching position and a part-time role at the Western Bulldogs in addition to his playing duties.
It is expected the 30-year-old will make a significant contribution on the field after the Dogs progressed to the semi-finals last season.
“It’s not just what we expect — it’s what he expects. He’s got high expectations,” Grace said.
“He’s an impressive young guy. Very affable … he’s got a great rapport with the young players already.
“He’s always been a smart player. We know he’ll be a great asset to our VFL program, but he’ll also be a really good game-day asset for our AFL young forwards. There’s benefit to both programs.”
Josh Prudden will play for Footscray after being delisted by the Western Bulldogs but an off-season shoulder reconstruction means he is likely to be a “slow-starter” to 2018.
Rueben William (Brisbane Lions), Lachlan Sullivan (St Kevin’s), Aaron Trusler (Sandringham Dragons), Dennis Symeopoulos (Old Xaverians) and ex-Collingwood rookie Lachlan Smith (Kyabram) have signed on.
Jordan Staley, Shaun Wyatt, Jayden Foster, Anthony Barry and Gabe Hamilton have departed.
Footscray will start its campaign against Sandringham on April 7.
Comment