Fremantle might let their captaincy emptiness run till only a fortnight earlier than their first recreation after six-year skipper Nat Fyfe stood down on Tuesday.
Dockers gamers will vote and the membership’s hierarchy can even have a say in who takes over from the twin Brownlow medallist, however that call received’t be rushed.
Fremantle soccer supervisor Peter Bell says it might even run into early March, doubtlessly leaving simply days earlier than their spherical one assembly with St Kilda on March 19 for a brand new captain to make their mark.
It might additionally imply the Dockers take to the sphere for pre-season video games with no captain in place. The membership has a match-sim in opposition to Adelaide deliberate for February 24 and an official apply match in opposition to Port Adelaide on March 2.
Bell additionally mentioned Fyfe drove his personal choice to step down, however admitted conversations round his management future had been ongoing as he watched a lot of 2022 from the sidelines.
The choice to delay the decision was to provide the best attainable alternative for gamers to place their hand up with management throughout a gruelling pre-season.
“It will happen we’re hoping by the end of February or early March at the latest,” Bell informed SEN.
“The reason for it is we wanted to give players opportunity to lead and that’s not just the leadership group, or people that will end up in the leadership group, that’s everyone.
“Pre-season is tough and we have been proud at how some of our other young leaders are leading through a tough period and we want to give as much opportunity to as many people as possible.”
Bell mentioned taking the burden of captaincy off Fyfe would imply he might give attention to getting his physique proper and taking part in extra soccer this season.
“They’re never straight-forward, but the answer is there’s always constant discussions with players and their leadership and Nat and his leadership,” he mentioned.
“Nat spoke about this at the press conference yesterday, over the previous year he’s had some frustrating moments and challenges with his body and missing a lot of footy last year allowed him to sit back and watch how the team developed and how the leadership developed.
“I know him as having a lot of conversations with people within the footy club, his teammates, certainly the coach, myself at times and others within his own inner sanctum about what would be the best thing for the footy club moving forward and certainly what would be the best thing for him to get back out on the park.
“It does take a lot of your energy and I think that Nat saw the possibilities of him being able to divert that energy solely into playing as being a real positive thing as well as being comfortable with the leadership depth we have at the club.”
It comes as one of many main candidates for the job, younger midfielder Caleb Serong, admitted to being shocked by the news and declared he wished to captain the membership.
“One day I’d love to be captain of the footy club. I think it’s a really humbling role to hold and I guess the way we do it with the players having such a large say… to have their full backing and feel like they want you to lead them would be really humbling and I guess a privilege to do,” he informed Triple M.
“But to be honest until yesterday it was the last thing on my mind, all I was focusing on was getting myself right for round one and getting the team to a point where we can really attack this season and get back to where we were last year and further.
“That’s where my focus still lies, this process will take care of itself, but it’s a really exciting period for the club because as has been documented there are probably a few guys that could take the role, which is really exciting.”
Serong, midfield working mate Andrew Brayshaw and finals stand-in Alex Pearce are thought-about the main candidates for the position.
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
