Almost a quarter of the Gold Coast's Suns' list has been included in the club's leadership group for 2016, but there is no change at the the top.
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The expansion side have, however, included a trio of uncontracted young guns in the group, which will again be headed by Gary Ablett.
The Suns on Sunday unveiled a new leadership structure for the coming season, one featuring four tiers of positions. Dual Brownlow medallist Ablett maintains the stand-alone captaincy, with forward Tom Lynch, midfielder Dion Prestia and defender Steven May vice-captains.
Experienced quartet Michael Rischitelli, Nick Malceski, Jarrod Harbrow and Matt Rosa have also been announced as leaders. Rosa, 28, joins the leaders without having yet played for the Suns, traded to Queensland last October after 168 games for West Coast. The fourth tier of leaders consists of young West Australian pair David Swallow and Jaeger O'Meara.
Prestia and O'Meara have been given their positions despite both being linked to moves to Victoria at the end of the year. Both players' contracts expire at season's end, with Prestia tipped in some quarters to join Melbourne. O'Meara has put off contract talks as he recovers from the serious knee injury that kept him out of action last season. Lynch is also out of contract, but expected to re-sign.
Entering his second year as the Suns' coach, Rodney Eade said the club did not have enough leaders during a challenging 2015, in which it dealt with a host off-field indiscretions, and languished in 16th position. "Last year was a difficult year for our football club, but we believe it will be one of the most defining in our history. Only time will tell how important the year was for our growth, but we believe we have taken some significant steps forward and put the right measures in place for sustained success," Eade said on the club's website.
"Last year we didn't have enough leaders. This year we have a large group of players who have all put their hand up and want to accept the challenge to build a stronger, more accountable culture. That is a huge positive not just for this coming year but for identifying and developing and mentoring the candidates who will be ready to step into key leadership roles in the coming years."
