Should Geary follow example of Walker, Hurn and Davis and hand over Captaincy?

[Sanctorum]

Several AFL clubs have decided to undertake generational change and hand over the captaincy to the next generation of players, currently Adelaide, West Coast Eagles and GWS..

The question is, should St Kilda do likewise for season 2020?

Jarryn Geary has been a long and faithful servant of the club, took over captaincy from Nick Riewoldt in 2017 and led the team for the past 3 years, a period where the team has failed to achieve success.

The club has clearly drawn a line in the sand in the past 6 months with the departure of Alan Richardson, and appointment of Brett Ratten to coach the team for the next 3 years.

I expect that Ratten has told the Board and senior management that the team needed to inject some quality experienced players into the lineup in order for him to bring success to the St Kilda FC.

This they have done by trading in some very good players: Bradley Hill, Paddy Ryder, Zak Jones, Dougal Howard and Daniel Butler.

In addition, the club recruited Jarryd Roughead in a key role across a range of responsibilities.

Ratten has identified that a major deficiency in the players is basic skills by hand and foot, and decision making, which has time and again resulted in turnovers that cost a lot of goals and led to losses.

With so many very significant changes, it would appear to me that it is now also time for St Kilda to complete the overhaul by appointing a new captain. Geary is now the oldest player on the list that the team fielded in 2019 - Paddy Ryder shades him by just 3 months.

He is recovering from two very serious leg injuries which at 32 years of age raises questions about his ability to return to his best form - his role has been primarily as a small defender to cover a running forward, has he got the leg speed to do that again.

Leadership aside, it has been noted many times that Geary even at his best does not possess elite disposal skills, and at 32 that situation is not likely to improve much if at all. It is extremely unlikely that he will get an extension to his current contract which expires at the end of 2020.

In summary, I believe that it would be in the best interests of both the player and the club for Jarryn Geary to pass the baton on to a younger player, in the same way that Nick Riewoldt did in his last year as a player.

As to who should succeed Geary, that's a subject that warrants a separate post!

[Bernard Shakey]

Geary should stand down. He will not be in our best 22 for much of the year!

[B.M]

Captain = overrated position

It should be Seb Ross imo

But either way, it won’t make any difference to how man games are won or lost.

[Scollop]

The club will probably adopt a wait and see attitude instead of biting the bullet. The op makes a lot of sense, and I think it's 50/50 whether Gears has the speed to be effective in 2020 and beyond.

Seb did a great job in Gears absence in 2019 and has always shown good leadership qualities.

He speaks well in his media commitments and has always represented the footy club well off the field

I agree with BM that it won't make any difference to our wins or losses but I reckon it's time for a change to the captaincy. It will symbolise a total overhaul and I think until we get to be a good team (making and winning finals) that more change is on the horizon both for the playing list and for those in charge

[Trev from the Bush]

Seb makes too many wrong calls at the coin toss. Stick with Gears!

[Nick_BlueNRG]

Geary should step down from being captain. He is no longer best 22 and will only play when we are hit by injuries.

We need to get as many games into Coffield, Clark, Long, Bytel, Phillips and Patton. These are the guys that will make our backline more daring and potent.

[B.M]

Geary will play R1

If you think otherwise, I’m afraid you have no idea

[Nick_BlueNRG]

Geary will play R1

If you think otherwise, I’m afraid you have no idea

I actually think you have no idea.

[B.M]

Let’s see if Jarryn plays then ok?!

[The Fireman]

Let’s see if Jarryn plays then ok?!

this

[Jacks Back]

For us to improve as a skilled team then Geary shouldn't be playing. If he is captain then how can he be dropped? It would look stupid. If he wasn't captain then it doesn't look so bad.

[Shaggy]

For us to improve as a skilled team then Geary shouldn't be playing. If he is captain then how can he be dropped? It would look stupid. If he wasn't captain then it doesn't look so bad.

Geary is best 5 on our list for the past 8 years unless injured. His potential replacements in defence are probably Paton or Long and both have a way to go before being considered best 5. Geary knows how to defend, get the ball and has courage in spades. These skills appear very under rated on saintsational.

[WellardSaint]

For us to improve as a skilled team then Geary shouldn't be playing. If he is captain then how can he be dropped? It would look stupid. If he wasn't captain then it doesn't look so bad.

Geary is best 5 on our list for the past 8 years unless injured. His potential replacements in defence are probably Paton or Long and both have a way to go before being considered best 5. Geary knows how to defend, get the ball and has courage in spades. These skills appear very under rated on saintsational.

Best 5?

Really...
Courage- yes
Skills- absent

[SAINT-LEE]

Captaincy is 85% about who leads the lads in rooms, practice and in actions.

Geary has always been a decent player not elite. However, his effort is 100% everytime he sets foot on the grounds.

That said, it is time for him. I wish he would pull the plug. I wanted Reiwoldt to pull the plug and nominate a up and coming.

Minus Ross we are bereft of leaders that are being followed by the lads. Several are developing and look great.

As much as I didn't and don't agree with Hanners being brought in, he definitely talks the culture at practices and has surprised me with his attitude.

If we weren't trading or dropping him in 2021, Jack Lonie has been a strong up and coming leader. With the trades, unless there's serious injuries, he finishes his Saints career in VFL.

Ross is good at media, culture talk; but he doesn't fully have the club following him.

So I guess Geary for the last year and 2021 I reckon Seb gets the nod.

[Life Long Saint]

We missed the boat totally to develop leaders and captains while our best leaders were still at the club.
Two years before Roo gave up the captaincy, we should have re-implemented the rotating captaincy. This model gave us the best spread of leaders I can recall in our football club.
We could have had around five or six genuine leadership options now if we'd have gone to that model.
But we only have two now, and I'm not wrapped with either option. Get Gresham and Billings into these leadership positions. Have co-captiains. I don't care. Just do whatever we can to get more leadership options.

[Beno88]

You only have to look at the complete leadership void we suffered this year to know Geary is the best and only option we have for 2020.

[CURLY]

I'm interested as to how people know what sort of leaders these players are. No idea how anyone would know that we have huge leadership void either.

[DJ Higgins]

All good captain's lead, great ones inspire. While Geary works hard and gives 100 % he isn't that good and should have been dropped multiple times last year due to form, not very inspiring.

Also how many other clubs would have him as captain or even in their best 22? Not many. He has had his time now give it on to a deserving recipient

[Beno88]

I'm interested as to how people know what sort of leaders these players are. No idea how anyone would know that we have huge leadership void either.

A lack of leadership is obvious when teams fail to stop the rot. There is no direction, no encouragement, no one to stand up and say enough is enough. Heads drop. This was evident a number times throughout 2019, particularly in defence.

Young teams need very solid leadership, both for the reasons above and to develop new leaders. In 2019 we lacked leadership and didn't seem to develop any new leaders. That's a leadership void in my opinion. The fact that there's still no obvious replacement for Geary backs that theory.

[terry smith rules]

All good captain's lead, great ones inspire. While Geary works hard and gives 100 % he isn't that good and should have been dropped multiple times last year due to form, not very inspiring.

Also how many other clubs would have him as captain or even in their best 22? Not many. He has had his time now give it on to a deserving recipient

Seriously do you even read what you have posted

FYI last year Geary played rounds 1 2 3 and 5 before injury returning in round 11 for half a game

He received coaches votes in rounds 2 and 5, so obviously close to getting dropped!!

Would you like to take us through those games where he should have been dropped

fqf

[DJ Higgins]

Seriously do you even read what you have posted

FYI last year Geary played rounds 1 2 3 and 5 before injury returning in round 11 for half a game

He received coaches votes in rounds 2 and 5, so obviously close to getting dropped!!

Would you like to take us through those games where he should have been dropped

fqf

I see your confusion. Last year was 2018 and there were plenty of patches of sub par performances that would have got other players a spell at sandy

[sunsaint]

You only have to look at the complete leadership void we suffered this year to know Geary is the best and only option we have for 2020.

you beat me to the bleeding obvious
it has been a problem for a while now
TO me there is one obvious successor and he should be fast tracked as VC in 2020
R Marshall

[sunsaint]

I'm interested as to how people know what sort of leaders these players are. No idea how anyone would know that we have huge leadership void either.

instead of taking a potshot
can you attest to knowledge as to other worthy alternatives
I would think the dearth of replacements in senior ranks is pretty clear
players like Hannebery and Carlisle spring to mind

[CURLY]

I'm interested as to how people know what sort of leaders these players are. No idea how anyone would know that we have huge leadership void either.

instead of taking a potshot
can you attest to knowledge as to other worthy alternatives
I would think the dearth of replacements in senior ranks is pretty clear
players like Hannebery and Carlisle spring to mind

How would I know or anyone else not at the club and around the players know. You can't judge leadership from a distance.

[magnifisaint]

Yeah, nah, maybe?
Whats the can't census??