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Sport Nation
Cornes: The clubs that must change captains for 2026
SEN • October 28th, 2025 9:57 am
Kane Cornes and Sam Edmund have done a temperature check on who should be captaining all 18 AFL clubs.
After a hectic trade period, which saw a number of current captains leave - or attempt to leave - the SEN Breakfast hosts had their say on who should lead and who should move on.
The vast majority are unlikely to make changes heading into the 2026 season but players and staff will evaluate their individual team values in the new year before voting on who best represents them.
So who leads well and which clubs need a change?
__Jordan Dawson __
Cornes: "Dawson is an exceptional leader, one of the better captains in the league now and could easily have been All Australian. He is 28 so can do this for four of five more years. They would want to start to fast track some others under him but not sure who the candidates under him are."
Lachie Neale and Harris Andrews
Edmund: "I heard a whisper they might change the model and they go with one or one is replaced and they stay with co-captain set up
Cornes: "It's hard to change when it’s worked so well but Andrews has emerged as a generational leader. The model has been terrific and I don’t generally like the co-captain model.
"Spectacular success at Brisbane though. Andrew is a signature leader at the club. He deserved to lead it in his own right. I doubt they would change after a premiership.
Patrick Cripps
Cornes: "I wouldn’t be opposed to a change but you would want to have Walsh’s signature. He is the next captain and can lead the next gen. His burden is getting his body right as well as captaining.
"Carlton are in a challenging spot form a culture point of view. Play it safe, Cripps one more year and get Walsh to commit. Change it under voss or a new coach if things don’t work out.
Darcy Moore
Cornes: "Is it this year for Nick Daicos? It’s a big call. I think the safe thing is Moore again, it’s in safe hands. Do you want to play safe or have a fraction more flair? He is too easy to play against (Moore) he has good games, the final against Adelaide for example but far too often he is exposed.
"Far too often he gets bags of goals kicked on him. I would change but I think they will play it safe.
__Zach Merrett __
"It wont be Merrett, can be and shouldn’t be. You cant have the captain trying to burn the place down which is what he was trying to do. McGrath is the obvious choice for a few years. He speaks so well and his form was good in the back end of last year.
"They will put processes in place to fast track the next gen of leader. Durham is the obvious one for me. They're in a good space with a couple of young ferocious leaders coming through."
Alex Pearce
Cornes: "I was surprised when he was named captain. Alex Pearce has really impressed me, there wont be a change there. Seron and Brayshw are young. I’ll be surprised if he is not Captsin soon but Pearce for a couple more years."
Patrick Dangerfield
Cornes: "I doubt hey will play Geelong every week which isn’t ideal. But who is it? I don’t see an obvious answer, Jeremy Cameron? Why not? He plays like a captain. They have some work to do Geelong in terms of identifying the succession plan. Maybe its Max Holmes but he doesn’t appear a natural leader to me."
Noah Anderson
Cornes: "An excellent decision and one I questioned at the time. What a great decision. He was terrific in accepting that responsibility. If you think someone is too young, look at oah Anderson an great called from Dimma."
Toby Greene
Conres: "I have said it was perhaps time to relieve Greene but it’s all in good hands. It will be Tom’s, I would be ok if that was now but it feels like Greene wants to do it for another year."
James Sicily
Cornes: "For me, Will Day is the spiritual leader of Hawthorn, not dissimilar to Butters at Port. If you went to see Hawks without knowing or seeing the game before, you’d think Day was the captain."
"James Sicily, did a good job in the back half of the year and has grown into the role nicely. There's a perception he lets his team down but not really. He's in control I would love to see Day but he has other focuses."
Max Gawn
Edmund: "You look down the list and they’ve lost everyone. There is no one long term. There will have to be a bridging captain there."
Cornes: "Viney has done it and could do it but that doesn’t solve a problem of the young ones. Gawn is one of the best leaders we have ever had in the game but like Geelong they need to fast track some others."
Jy Simpkin
Edmund: "They're on the record as saying Simpkin wont be captain."
Kane: "It's too early for Harry Sheezel, it’s Larkey for sure, I'd love to see him captain the club then Harry long term. Larkey plays with his heart and soul. He is one of the players I admire most in the league. He deserves to be captain and it will be awkward for Simpkin. Good time for a change."
Connor Rozee
Butters could do it too They love Connor Rozee, Butter should be the other one but you cant give it to him knowing he's probably leaving.
Toby Nankervis
Cornes: "Wouldn’t mind seeing a change here. Taranto could do it, he could be long term. You cant question his efforts. It will make people laugh but I think he could be a great leader. I have questioned his damage by foot, I've always admired the way he leads.
Edmund: "He has played a very important role in a very young group. I’d stick with Nank and wait for a long term option."
Jack Steele
Cornes: I can't have it (Wilkie) because he is shopping himself around in the off season, how is it different to Simpkin? He clearly considered leaving. Wilkie has lost me. It's unusual to have a potential captain of your club to go look at other clubs.
"Merrett cant be captain for the same reason as Wilkie and Simpkin. Wilkie has tried to milk the club, force them into paying him more and it has not been a team first action that befits a captain."
Callum Mills
Cornes: "Errol Gulden, I think he looks every bit the captain. He is so young but he seems 25. Would be an excellent captain."
Liam Duggan & Oscar Allen
Cornes: "Liam Baker, it’s pretty simple decision."
Marcus Bontempelli
Cornes: "We will leave it in his capable hands I think, no need to change."
