Worst captain in the AFL

[westcoastpanther]

Well I posted in the Port thread before I read the rules and apparently you can't bag players from those clubs in their own threads. I also read I must have been fishing for comments when I stated that Dom Casissi is the worst captain in the AFL.

I don't think there is a more uninspiring, ordinary player when compared to all the other skippers.

When Port were in Pt Lincoln this year Martin Leslie asked Chocco what he thought the problem was with Port in 2009 when they had reasonable starts but fell away in the second half and failed most times to arrest the oppositions momentum when they would run away with the game.

Chocco replied that his senior players were too quiet and did not lead the younger ones when the ante was upped.

This is an onground failing and it rests with the skipper.

So to you Port posters, I was not fishing, that is my firm belief.

[Dutchy]

Hard to comment much but he certainly is no Kirk, Brown, Pavlich, Harley when it comes to leading your team.

One thing I will comment on though, and I did this before they announced their captain last year, is why does it take until Feb every year for Port to name their Captain and their leadership group?

Preseason is the time of the year the players spend so much time together and there is no formal leadership group in place for it? Preseason sets the tone for the whole year, there must be a leadership structure in place...

IMO it should be one of the first things done when the players return for preseason in November

[Booney]

Cassisi led us in Hard ball gets and tackles last year, surely that is a good start for a skipper, doing the hard things? And by his own admission would probably say he was not vocal enough in his first year in the role on the field, that will change this year.

But the on field "leaders" dont need to be in the leadership group. Tredrea,Chad and Chaplin should be and are very vocal on the filed along with Surjan who this season has been recognised with Vice-Captaincy.

Look to Melbourne for the worst skipper mate.

*Edit - reply to Dutchy*

Why not give players all summer to show their value as a leader? Why pick the group in November. What if one or more of the group relax and take the foot off the pedal over summer and the group see's it. Counter productive IMO. I tend to agree with you though, I think when they return from Xmas,perhaps 2 weeks after that it should be decided.

[westcoastpanther]

Cassisi led us in Hard ball gets and tackles last year.

I could have done that at Port last year......

[Dutchy]

*Edit - reply to Dutchy*

Why not give players all summer to show their value as a leader? Why pick the group in November. What if one or more of the group relax and take the foot off the pedal over summer and the group see's it. Counter productive IMO. I tend to agree with you though, I think when they return from Xmas,perhaps 2 weeks after that it should be decided.

Cause if they are a worthy leader(s) they will be leading from the front from Day 1 of preseason setting the standard, making sure the youngsters are welcome and know what they need to achieve. If anyone relaxed Im sure the coaches could handle that one privately

[Booney]

Cassisi led us in Hard ball gets and tackles last year.

I could have done that at Port last year......

Proabably couldn't have done it for Arno Bay's B grade so your comment is really just pointless and is so far off the mark it isn't even remotely funny.

[westcoastpanther]

Cassisi led us in Hard ball gets and tackles last year.

I could have done that at Port last year......

Proabably couldn't have done it for Arno Bay's B grade so your comment is really just pointless and is so far off the mark it isn't even remotely funny.

My point was Port were considered to be very dissapointing in those areas in 2009. Dom was the best of a bad bunch in that dept....and indicates further that if they are his stengths as skipper he's lacking. Never going to be a game breaker, kick that important goal type captain. A first year rookie can chase and tackle, captains are meant to be elite.....

[Booney]

Brett Kirk a game breaker who can kick the winning goal? Widely regarded as one of the best captains in the AFL....

Tom Harley ( before retirement ) a game breaker? Nup. Sound resolute defender who led with his actions and I think even REB would agree he was not an 'elite' player. Like and Ablett,Scarlett .....

[Footy Smart]

I can see this as becoming a Port/Cassisi bashing thread and i dont tink its entirely correct. A captain can only DO and SAY so much. Cassisi did DO what was required of him as pointed out by Booney. But teams like Port who may be a tad mentally fragile when it comes to the crunch need a leader on each line and i dont think that happened last season.... that is my opinon from an outsider

[Booney]

I can see this as becoming a Port/Cassisi bashing thread and i dont tink its entirely correct. A captain can only DO and SAY so much. Cassisi did DO what was required of him as pointed out by Booney. But teams like Port who may be a tad mentally fragile when it comes to the crunch need a leader on each line and i dont think that happened last season.... that is my opinon from an outsider

Agreed. I think Surjan led from the back half and Tredrea from the front half ( as evidenced by his B&F ) and Cassisi in the middle. I expect Chaplin and Carlile to be more active this year along with Gray.

[westcoastpanther]

Brett Kirk a game breaker who can kick the winning goal? Widely regarded as one of the best captains in the AFL....

Tom Harley ( before retirement ) a game breaker? Nup. Sound resolute defender who led with his actions and I think even REB would agree he was not an 'elite' player. Like and Ablett,Scarlett .....

They have charisma, personality, come across as leaders of men. Dom does not, he's a battler, making the best of his ability.

Not the type of debate that can ever have a winner, but it's my opinion, and I'll have it. I only made it a separate thread to clarify from the Power thread that I'm not a fisherman.

The fact he was considered the best candidate highlights the lack of leadership at Port. Chad probably would have been good if he wasn't so self consumed and spent so much time sticking it to the crowd after one of his personal pieces of play.

*should add I'm also no serial Power basher, I don't mind watching them (SA parochialism in me)

[Wedgie]

Even I would put James McDonald ahead of Cassisi in this topic.
Can someone list all the captains?
I might even be able to find a few more.

[Booney]

From memory

Adelaide - Goodwin
Brisbane - Brown
Bulldogs - Johnson
Carlton - Judd
Collingwood - Maxwell
Essendon - Watson
Fremantle - Pavlich
Geelong - Ling
Melbourne - McDonald
North - Harvey
Richmond - Newman
Sydney - Goodes / Kirk ?
Port - Cassisi
West Coast - Glass ?
St.Kilda - Reiwoldt
Hawthorn - Mitchell

[OnSong]

Kirk and Glass are correct

[Wedgie]

If that list is correct I'd have at least 3 "worse" than Cassisi.

[Swooper16]

Matthew Pavlich for me.

[brod]

If that list is correct I'd have at least 3 "worse" than Cassisi.

Who join McDonlald on that list?

[Wedgie]

If that list is correct I'd have at least 3 "worse" than Cassisi.

Who join McDonlald on that list?

At the very least Newman and Watson, uninspiring to say the least.
Maxwell and Glass don't do much for me either.
Ling's untried but should be OK.

[OnSong]

I rate Nick Maxwell's leadership as high, if not better, than Tom Harley's.
Glass sets a good example too.
Bit harsh on both those lads.

[BluesBrother08]

How can you say Watson he hasn't even captained a match yet?