What makes a great captain?

When Brett Kirk was voted by his peers as the 2010 AFL Players’ Best Captain it was a fitting end to a remarkable career and showed the level of respect he had earned during his 241 games at the top level.

The Sydney warrior was the ultimate team man and had built a career based on one simple principle – put your head over the ball when it is your turn.

As Brett spoke about a discussion he had with his uncle many years earlier, it was clear that this award meant so much to him because it had been voted by his peers.

“Brett, why do you keep putting your head where it shouldn’t be? You keep getting knocked out. Is it for the money, is it for the ego?” his uncle said.

Brett’s response was instinctive. 

“It’s because I don’t want to let my teammates down,” replied Kirk.

It is this desire for respect that is shared throughout the AFL.

That is why for players, the MVP awards are so highly regarded.

As we approach the 2011 awards, the question of who will be voted this year’s Best Captain is intriguing as the style of leaders are as varied as they are talented.

We have leaders who let their actions do the talking, with Chris Judd an obvious example of a man with the X factor who has the rare ability to win a game off his own boot and lift those around him to greater heights and quite often victory.

While up North, Jonathon Brown, the fearless leader who Fitzroy legend Kevin Murray described as “the kind of guy you want to run out next to because he makes you feel ten feet tall” continues to crash packs and set the example for his teammates with little regard for his own wellbeing.

And down the road, the little marvel Gary Ablett has taken his game to another level and clearly has the admiration of his young teammates as he unites the new Gold Coast franchise who look certain to topple many of the top teams in the coming years.

Gary’s former teammate, Cameron Ling is also sure to feature as the Cats continue to take on all comers and will feature heavily in September which may likely see him shaking hands with Collingwood’s Nick Maxwell who has been an inspired choice of captain since taking over from Scotty Burns in 2009.

Over in the West, we have the experienced duo of Matthew Pavlich and Darren Glass who lead their respective teams with experience and have carried themselves with class both on and off the field for many years now and are a great example to young kids finding their feet in the big league.

Then there are also a series of new Captains who step into the role with fresh enthusiasm and have been quick to stamp their authority.

Born leader and 2010 AFL Players’ Most Courageous Player Luke Hodge has combined his courage, smarts and incredible skill with the mantle of being the leader of the Hawks and has excelled in the role.

While it took two men fill the void of Brett Kirk, with Adam Goodes and Jarrad McVeigh being the perfect combination and both continue to torment opponents with their ability to weave in and out of traffic and get their teammates into the game, bringing the Swans crowd to life.

While Jobe Watson and Matthew Boyd have thrived in their new roles and individually have arguably had their best years to date and will feature heavily in the Players’ MVP.

It has been a tough year for the South Australian clubs and few can underestimate the job of low profile pair Nathan Van Berlo and Dominic Cassisi who have led with great dignity in the city of churches and have certainly earned the respect of the industry.

The St Kilda Football Club have also faced many challenges and Nick Riewoldt has shown resilience both on and off the field and it appears his leadership has led his team to turn their season around and look a genuine threat in the race to the finals.

And finally three veterans in Brent Harvey, Brad Green and Chris Newman continue to lead from the front with very similar values to that of Brett Kirk and are the kind of clubmen that every team dreams of and both will feature heavily when the voting takes place