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Cornes: Who the heck is Melbourne’s next captain?
SEN • August 2nd, 2025 1:00 pm
Who will be the next captain of the Melbourne Football Club?
That was the question on the lips of Kane Cornes this week in the wake of the Demons’ horror loss to St Kilda last Sunday.
Max Gawn has been captain at the Dees since 2020 but at the age of 33, he might not have too many seasons left as skipper.
Cornes discussed the situation with former Melbourne star Gerard Healy on SEN’s Sportsday.
“We mentioned on The Agenda Setters about Max Gawn as captain of the Melbourne footy club and whether it’s time at the end of the year for someone else to take the captaincy,” Cornes said.
“We all agreed that no it’s not, because why would you take it off Max.
“Then I thought, just say if Max retired tomorrow, who the heck would be Melbourne’s next captain?
“I cannot for the life of me find a viable candidate to captain Melbourne after Max Gawn. This is a big issue for that footy club.
“Trent Rivers doesn’t look like a captain to me. Is he the one?
“Jack Viney could do it for a year but it’s not ideal to give it to a 31 or 32-year-old.
“Who is going to be the next captain of Melbourne is a question I was thinking far too much.”
Healy said supposes former joint skipper Jack Viney could do the job if needed.
“I think the answer is Jack Viney who was his co-captain only a few years ago,” he said.
“But he’s not the next long-term captain. That person either is not at the club or hasn’t emerged at the club yet.”
Cornes then wondered if Kysaiah Pickett could possibly be the man.
Cornes: “Could Kozzie do it?”
Healy: “I don’t know Kozzie well enough.”
Cornes: “Either do I, but I don’t think it’s a silly suggestion though with how competitive he’s playing.”
Just last week Gawn himself suggested on Channel 7’s Front Bar that Jake Lever would be the next skipper of the Demons.
The Dees next meet West Coast at Marvel Stadium on Saturday.
