The Captaincy Conundrum
So then - who is it going to be?
There have been a fair few mumblings across multiple platforms over the past week and a half about who should be appointed as the 2022 captain of the Hawthorn Football Club.
As teams get back into training it is always a point of interest – especially in recent years for the Hawks where we have gone for a short-term captaincy solution – think Roughy, Stratts and Big Boy.
In the past few days we have seen St Kilda’s Jarryn Geary step down from the captaincy post at his club, while Luke Shuey at West Coast and Scott Pendlebury at the Pies have emphatically stated they want to continue in their roles. Pendlebury had his wish granted, even though there are many Collingwood fans who believe the winds of change sweeping through Pie Land should have included a change of skipper.
So where does that leave Ben McEvoy? Who is in line to be his heir apparent? And what are the chances that those vying for the role will be appointed for 2022?
The role is significant in Hawthorn history – 16 of our past 17 captains have won flags at the club, spanning the last 61 years going back to 1961. Richard Vandenberg is the only captain in that time not to win a medallion, but his value to the role he played is unquestionable.
For now, we run our eyes over the top captaincy candidates and look at who is most likely to get the gig for the upcoming season.
Ben McEvoy
Likelihood: 9.5/10
Big Boy is the clubhouse leader to retain the captaincy, after putting in a solid year leading the group in 2021.
Having taken over from Stratts at the start of last year, we thought we would see a return of the full-time ruck version of Ben McEvoy – after he sacrificed himself in 2020 to become a makeshift defender.
Despite the intention he spent a lot of time forward last season with Ned Reeves being given decent ruck time and Jon Ceglar also getting a few games as the number one in the middle.
But regardless of where he lines up on the ground in 2022, McEvoy always gives 100 per cent, wears his heart on his sleeve, leads by example and is an ideal person to again take up the role through another development season.
It is hard to see him being dethroned – the next captain should be a long-term leader of the group - and given the demographic and status of other candidates, he fits the bill perfectly.
James Sicily
Likelihood: 8/10
One of the obvious choices to lead the club at some point, Sicily has everything you would want from a leader – passion, commitment, leadership and someone who bleeds for the club and jumper.
The argument against would be the fact that his infamously short fuse (which gets overblown by those not at Hawthorn) is not something you want lingering with the leader of your club.
Having said that, the year out of the game and the amount of time spent in a coaching capacity has surely given him some perspective, and a chance to mature as an individual throughout that time.
It feels as though Sic should focus on his recovery in 2022 – unhindered by all the official duties that would come with the captaincy role - and concentrate on getting back to being the gun we know that he is on-field.
Taking this into account, it would be a perfect succession plan for 2023 to give Big Boy one more year and hand the reins over to Sic the season after.
And you get the feeling that Sammy Mitchell would just love having Sic as the leader of the club – very possibly our next premiership captain.
Tom Mitchell
Likelihood: 8/10
Unfortunately for Titch, his best chance of getting appointed as captain may have come and gone. He was one of the favourites of taking over from Stratts having come back in 2020 from that horrific leg injury, and finishing runner-up in the PCM.
But having been overlooked at the time for McEvoy, his captaincy papers may have been stamped.
The case for is glaringly obvious. Our best player, our most consistent player, always in the game, always around the contest. Always performing even when other players go missing, and leads by example.
The case against may simply come down to age, and therefore how long he would have the role for in the overall picture of the squad being assembled at the moment.
He could end up winning more PCM’s than any other player in history (bar Lethal of course), and it will be a shame that he doesn’t finish his career with the title of HFC captain on his resume, but this one seems a case of wrong place, wrong time.
Jaeger O’Meara
Likelihood: 7/10
Looks like a leader. Speaks like a leader. Wins the popular vote.
However…
We just can’t see how his on-field performances for the brown and gold have been good enough – nay, consistent enough, to be given the role.
The knock on JOM has been around consistency. Huge chunks of games where he goes missing, followed by several games in the season where he goes missing and a propensity to miss the occasional game just when we need him because of his chronic knee injury.
Beautiful and damaging to watch at his best, he is just not the guy that you can count on to pull the team out of a rut and doesn’t put his hand up to take responsibility in our midfield often enough.
Like Titch, you also feel as though his best chance to get the gig was the start of 2021, but after being passed up it seems unlikely that he will get the nod this time around.
Jack Gunston
Likelihood: 5/10
Unfortunately for Jack it would be a huge risk to appoint him into the role having missed effectively the entire 2021 season with his back injury.
The year prior he won the Peter Crimmins Medal so his value to the team is unquestionable, and while he may have been earmarked for the main leadership role in the past, it looks to have passed Gunners by as well.
Similarly to Sic, his 2022 should be focused on getting his body right and back to playing his best footy on the field.
If he can do that and play 15+ matches in 2022, he will automatically inspire all his mates around him, regardless of whether or not he has the © next to his name on the team sheet.
Liam Shiels
Likelihood: 3/10
Another who may have been up for consideration at the start of 2021, Shiels would be an uninspiring choice to be elevated into the role.
As per the Hawks Insiders ‘Best 22’ selections for 2022, Shiels often struggled to get a game, or was listed as an interchange player.
He should be focusing on fighting and retaining his spot in the team throughout 2022, and making sure he increases his output on-field – especially from an efficiency point of view.
Having said that, given his experience, his standing within the club and the fabric he brings to the culture at Bunjil Bagora, he would be a lock to be part of the selected leadership group.
Left Field: Blake Hardwick
Likelihood: 2/10
We know it is unlikely to happen. But wouldn’t he be just a fantastic candidate?
Clearly more highly regarded within the four walls of the club and by the brown and gold faithful than he is by the rest of the footballing fraternity.
Clearly worthy of the number 15 being handed to him by The General.
As tough as nails, always plays his role, always protecting his teammates, and one of the first on our list you’d want to have next to you in the heat of battle.
He puts his body on the line time and time again and is inspiring with the way he goes about it. A huge part of the next wave of HFC success, and while we don’t think it would happen, if he was to be appointed as our next captain we would certainly be here for it!
Dimma would be a great choice for mine.
What about Worps?