Cats reveal new captain

THE Geelong Cats have announced its 54^th VFL/AFL captain and its first new captain in 12 seasons.

The new captain has succeeded the club’s and the AFL’s longest-ever serving captain, Joel Selwood.

Patrick Dangerfield and Tom Stewart will lead the Geelong Football Club in 2023 as captain and vice-captain respectively.

Dangerfield becomes the Cats’ 54^th VFL/AFL captain and its first new captain in 12 seasons,

Dangerfield and Stewart were both vice-captains in 2022, a position Dangerfield has held since 2017 having been included in the club’s leadership team upon his arrival at the Cattery one year earlier.

Club captaincy is the latest addition to Dangerfield’s list of achievements. Since 2016 when he returned home to Moggs Creek and joined the team that he grew up supporting, he has become a Brownlow Medallist, a three-time Carji Greeves Medallist, a Leigh Matthews Trophy winner, an AFLCA Player of the Year winner, and as of 2022, a Premiership Player.

Across the course of his career, Dangerfield has earned eight All Australian blazers and been named vice captain of the All-Australian team in 2018, and captain in 2020.

His leadership within the broader AFL industry has been widely recognised for many years, and he has served as President of the AFL Players’ Association since 2018.

Stewart’s leadership was recognised similarly quickly following his addition to the Cats’ AFL list. He made his AFL debut in 2017 and joined the Cats’ leadership team not two years later ahead of the 2019 season.

Widely recognised as the general of the Cat’s defence and among the best defenders of his generation, Stewart has earned All-Australian honours in four out of his six years in the competition and was the 2021 Carji Greeves Medallist.

The Cats have named their leaders following a selection process that included consultations with Cats players, general manager of football Simon Lloyd, senior Coach Chris Scott, and Cats chief executive officer Steve Hocking before the appointments were ratified by the board.

The Cats have chosen to appoint the positions of captain and vice-captain in its designated player leadership group for the second consecutive year, however the leadership responsibilities for the team are shared and fulfilled by a broad group of senior and emerging leaders within the squad.

Scott noted how both Dangerfield’s and Stewart’s leadership had been formative for the playing group and the entire club.

“Pat and Tom are wonderful representatives of a group of players who know what it takes to unlock excellence at the highest level of our sport,” he said.

“The likes of Tom Hawkins, Cam Guthrie, Mitch Duncan, Mark Blicavs – these people are just the latest generation of players who model what we aspire to be as a club. Pat and Tom and the entire playing group know they have their support, and we all know how fortunate we are to have them at our club,” Scott said.

“When Pat arrived, he influenced our club for the better, on the field but most significantly off it. He has and will always strive to positively influence our people and our culture, which is ever evolving. He’s found a way to embody who we want to be as a football department.”

“As hard as Tom is on field, is as hard as he works off it. To make himself, his team, and his club better. He’s incredibly well respected by everyone who knows him, plays with him, and plays on him. And that respect is well-earned.”

After being invited to assume the captaincy, Dangerfield spoke of his continued joy and privilege at representing the hoops.

“I love walking into this football club every day. We have fun and we work hard,” he said.

“Playing for the Cats has been everything I dreamed it would be since I was a little kid. To continue to represent Geelong, and the players, the club, and the community who make it great – many of whom I’ve aspired to be like my whole life – is an honour.

“I’m incredibly lucky to be part of a group of players who push each other to great heights and support each other in all things. Together as one in hoops we’re excited to see where the next chapter in our journey takes us.”

Speaking of his appointment as vice-captain, Stewart noted the support he’d been given to expand his leadership in recent years.

“Being in this role over the last five years is something that I’ve really treasured, and to continually grow and develop in this capacity is something that I’m really proud of,” he said.

“We’ve got that right balance of knowing exactly what we want and how to get it, but also having that thirst and that drive to continue to grow and develop. We know what we want to achieve. It’s going to take a hell of a lot of work, but we’re really excited for what’s ahead.”

Geelong will head to Queensland for its practice match against the Brisbane Lions at Brighton Homes Arena on Thursday March 2 at 7.10pm.