Richmond are playing down the mystery surrounding their yet-to-be-unveiled leadership group despite fronting Thursday's annual AFL captains' function without an official skipper and despite some pressure from within the club to reach a decision.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Trent Cotchin looks certain to captain the club for a fifth successive year, but the Tigers' determination to establish a structure capable of developing his potential successor is understood to be behind the delay.
Having sent their most recent leadership consultant, Gerard Murphy, packing midway through last season due to an acrimonious dispute, the club's new conveyor, Shane McCurry, came on board at the end of January and has only recently completed his player sessions.
Fairfax Media understands that after a three-year absence, Jack Riewoldt will also play a role in the new-look leadership group, which loses Brett Deledio. The club will almost certainly not head down the Melbourne path, which chose to appoint co-captains.
Football bosses Neil Balme and Daniel Richardson are believed to have told the club's board they are determined to put in place the most appropriate structure for the Tigers whose on-field leadership has been widely criticised in recent years.
The club's decision to further tinker with its leadership structure signifies a recognition that a group of emerging or developing leaders, including players such as Nick Vlastuin and David Astbury, need to be identified although Richmond have not yet decided whether to name those less experienced players as part of an official leadership structure.
As the Tigers continue to manage their relationship with Dustin Martin's unconventional manager Ralph Carr in the hope that the reigning Jack Dyer medallist will agree to the club's five-year contract offer, they have insisted the leadership process is one which requires significant analysis.
Collingwood bucked the trend earlier this week by reducing their leadership group to three.
Cotchin will meet the commission on Thursday as part of a more youthful group of captains - Nick Riewoldt, Jobe Watson, Gary Ablett, Jarrad McVeigh, Kieren Jack and Luke Hodge have all been replaced with nine new captains inall.
The recently decorated 2012 Brownlow medallist, Cotchin is expected to be officially announced as Richmond captain as soon as Friday and certainly before next Thursday's season-opener against Carlton.
