Asked to nominate, at the annual pre-season assembly of AFL captains, the skipper he admires most, Fremantle's new figurehead termed his Western Bulldogs equivalent "the grandfather of football".

Murphy chuckled heartily when this description was relayed shortly afterwards.

"It sounds like a compliment," the 34-year-old said.

"But the more I think about it now I'm not too sure ..."

Coincidence or otherwise, leadership change in AFL playing groups is in vogue.

The number of new captains this year - 10 - outweighs those who have held the title in seasons past.

Newbies have assumed, or are sharing, top leadership posts at Brisbane, Essendon, Fremantle, Gold Coast, Hawthorn, Melbourne, North Melbourne, St Kilda and Sydney in 2017. Dayne Beams, Dyson Heppell, Fyfe, Tom Lynch, Steven May, Jarryd Roughead, Jack Viney, Jack Ziebell, Jarryn Geary and Josh Kennedy are the men with those jobs. Which spells widespread change across half the competition's clubs.

Meanwhile, familiar captains remain in place at Adelaide, Carlton, Collingwood, Geelong, Greater Western Sydney, Port Adelaide and the West Coast Eagles. Richmond is expected to formalise the reappointment of Trent Cotchin.

In this latest edition of captains spending a full day and night speaking with AFL bosses, a hoard of media - Thursday's free-for-all with press was capped to an hour - and each other, it's little wonder multiple heads were searching for cues.

Roughead admitted to being among them because although he's played 231 senior games he's also taking over captaincy from Luke Hodge at Hawthorn, at age 30, and so, "we walk in today and there's a whole lot of us who are new".

As happy as Fyfe was for the opportunity to pick the brain of Bulldog Murphy, he was equally pleased for the rare extended window with Essendon's Heppell and Gold Coast's May.

"Because we're all in similar positions about trying to normalise and find our routines on how we go about this whole captaincy thing," the Brownlow medallist explained.

Had he drawn any conclusions from the skippers' talkfest?

"I've come up with some confidence that they're all dealing with some of the similar concerns that I am," Fyfe said.

"And it's nice to be able to bounce some information and ideas around, and get a feel for what other clubs are doing."

Geary this year takes St Kilda's captaincy reins from a large pair of hands - Nick Riewoldt's - that held them for 11 seasons. It's early days, but the 28-year-old who projects a relaxed and balanced disposition, has a firm philosophy that football ultimately needs to be a fun place for footballers.

"And particularly with the group we've got I think knowing your playing group is really important," Geary said.

"Trying to make things fun and not being so serious all the time."

Essendon's Heppell, another outwardly laid-back and friendly character, has been thinking along the same lines as his St Kilda equivalent. Hierarchical set-ups in player groups might have worked in successful clubs over time, but the 24-year-old Bomber doesn't think it's the go in 2017.

"The key, I think, is just getting to know your teammates," Heppell said.

"Knowing how each one reacts and knowing the best way to get through to them."

Like Fyfe, Heppell pointed to Murphy - football veteran, though entering just his third season as Dogs' skipper - as a prime example.

What, then, does old "grandfather" footy think this new-wave of AFL captaincy is going to be all about?

Murphy, true to form, offered an insightful description. "I think it's definitely moving away from the macho, follow me I'll run through brick walls," he said.

"I think it's becoming a lot more rounded and a bit more vulnerable. That's my instinct."