You'd think so.

See, this would have been the perfect time for Stevens to be captain.
Kouta could have stood aside from any official captaincy, remained in the leadership group while Stevens becomes captain and Lappin is elevated to Vice Captain to reward him for sticking with us.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

Kouta is a Club Legend...a true Carlton man, been with us since he was knee high to a grasshopper. Brilliant player. Magestic personality. Full of character.

I remember during the season, numerous objective commentators discussing how much heart he showed this season, and in particular games when virtually no-one else seemed to have any heart at all. Kouts has a huge heart. I'm so glad he made it at Carlton, and now he's a two time Club Champion and right on the cusp of 250 games.

Yeah...and what of the issue of the captaincy?

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

Everything mentioned above, in my mind, relative to my own experiences having watched/played footy, is what the Captain of a footy club represents.

I forgot to mention he also was awarded Best Clubman in 2005, further indication of the character he exhibts around the club.

I have it from a very good source that Kouta will captain in 2006 and Stevens will captain in 2007.

He should be Captain next year but from this statement he sounds prepared to hand it over to Stevens in 2007.
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/footy/common/story_page/0,8033,17230221%5e19742,00.html

More importantly, it sounds like he'll play on in 2007 even though he'll receive less money and we'll still be a struggling side.
A markedly different attitude to Camporeale who has taken his bat and ball and gone home because he couldn't stomach losing or lead this side.

What has Stevens done PJ to make you sit back and exclaim "yep this bloke has to be captain!"? In my opinion, Stevens has done very little so far to suggest that he would make a good captain. He's a fantastic player whom I rate very highly but I think it's questionable as to whether or not he's captaincy material.

If Stevens can show leadership qualities and general signs that maybe he deserves to take the captaincy in the future, then I'm all for him being appointed captain down the track. However, I don't want it to be an automatic handover to someone who would only be made captain because of his stature in the Carlton side. I think the jury is still well and truly out on whether Stevens should or should not be made captain.

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

And yet Kouta was given the captaincy in the same fashion.

I believe Stevens would make a good captain because he actually gives a shit about the club. He's all business on the field and IMO he bleeds for the club. Doesn't get sucked into any bullshit from the oppositio, seems to be somewhat of a mentor for the younger kids and leads by example.

Granted this year wasn't his best year, but it wasn't a good year for the club.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

Yeah but Barnaby French gives a shit about the club, is a player to whom I'm sure some players look up (literally and figuratively!), Cory McGrath I'm sure cares for the club, the younger blokes would as well, Thornton certainly cares, if anything sometimes he cares too much! PJ you're referring I feel to a select minority whose commitment might have been questionable. But I think the majority of players would care for the club?

Doesn't get sucked in by the opposition? Hmm maybe not as much as Campo pj but there were games this season when Stevo was distracted by close-checking taggers, look at the match against Brisbane where Selwood really put him off his game. Granted it's probably out of frustration more than anything else but there was some petulance at times. Then again that's not necessarily always a bad thing.

All I'm saying is that at this stage there is insufficient evidence to mount a convincing case that Stevens deserves to captain this footy club. As I've said, I don't think Kouta is a great captain either but he's captain now and we have to live with it.

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

PJ wrote:

Now that is a very ordinary observation.
What drives u to show such disrespect for a carlton legend. He was a deserved B&F winner this year, albeit in a year when there was noone challenging him for the trophy. The threadbare nature of our list is not kouta's fault.

A good leader has to have a bit of mongrel in him and Kouta doesnt have this.
I would of thought they could elect a new guy and see how he goes however I must admit the cupboard is bare on this one.
Bentick has only played a few games but he is obvious leadership material.Has lead an under 18 premiership team and from all reports is a level headed man.
Can we break convention and make him captain.What is there to gain by keeping Kouta captain.

Stevens in my view isnt leadership material.There isnt really anyone else.

Who mentioned anything about Kouta being responsible for the state our list is in?

Kouta, while good in some games, was extremely ordinary in others. His attitude towards the pill was unlike him and if he wasn't a shadow of himself before he certainly is one now.

I hardly think my comment was disrespecting Kouta. More or less a general summary of his season this year.

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

I respect Kouta and love him as a player just as much as everybody else but I think we as a club are starting a fresh with a new era of players and culture within the playing group so I think its time for a change. Stevens should be appointed based on the example he sets on and off the field and more importantly I think he will be around when this club again becomes a true final's chance - Kouta may not.

I don't think the MC thought that or he wouldn't have won the B&F.

BW, have you got anything else to add to the discussion other than using that comment as grounds for your short arguments?

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Writer for SuperCoach Paige www.scpaige.com.au
Twitter - @johnfeeney24

I wonder what people's "criteria" for a captain is?

No I don't as I'm not in a position to comment on who would make the best captain. I respect the decision of those that are & will get behind whoever they choose. How about a few people here do the same?

im with PJ here i think. not entirely though. i dont think kouta was an embarrasment this year, it showed true character and spirit to come back from the last few years and have a midfield presence. lets not forget he racked up almost the highest number of total minutes played in the afl, and was valuable in just about every game he played.

as far as the captaincy goes, i think this year would be a good year for the big man to hand the captaincy over to either bret thornton or jarrad waite. everyone has given criteria like-"bleed blue blood, commitment, dedication" all those terms and more describe two of the most important cogs of our metaphorical engine.

dont get me wrong, stevo has done a hell of a job since crossing over, i just dont think he would make the best captain we could possibly have....and hell, whats wrong with establishing a leadership group, made up of 4-5 players who rotate the captaincy each week....nothing wrong with that....who ever said the captain needed to be one person? i think it may instill a more tight knit unit if our team had 4 or 5 guys that were looked to for the on field duties....

but hell, what would i know, im just a loyal supporter who bleeds blue blood.

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Back like a raging case of pubic lice

With respect PJ you have yet to come up with any substantial arguments yourself as to why Stevens should be made captain? It's easy to trot out the general 'players look up to him, cares for the club' assertions but you haven't provided any specific reasons as to why Stevens should be captain. What is unique about Stevens at this stage? What really puts him ahead of the rest in terms of leadership potential? You're happy to criticise Kouta as captain and downplay his Best and Fairest win but you fail to provide convincing, specific and detailed arguments for your contention that Nick is captaincy material.

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Formerly Blues-Back2003.

stevens should be made captain or anyone else because when things are bad you dont continue down the same path over and over again...
We know Kouta is an average captain however we dont know what Stevens will do with the captaincy...
Also Kouta is too distant from our kids to be captain and he has little in common with what the club will be doing over the next few years...

Ps the club thought about giving the captaincy to Stevens but didnt .. (recently) because they dont think we have any REAL leaders..

Still.. thats not an excuse to contine along the road of sameness.

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