On Monday morning, with the whole group back together for the first time to begin pre-season training, Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge formally announced the Club’s 2018 leadership group.

At the end of the 2017, during the exit interview process, the players were asked to put their votes forward as to who they wanted to see lead them into the new season, and with that Easton Wood was named captain, and Marcus Bontempelli named vice-captain.

Joining them were Jack Redpath, Jason Johannisen, Lachie Hunter and Jordan Roughead.

Here’s what the coach had to say about each of them.  You can watch the full video here.

Jack Redpath

“The thing that came out in your recommendation was that [you] regulate that professionalism and the spirit side of things as much as anyone.  He’s really honest in the way he talks.  And to do that… that’s what we’re urging you all to do; it’s to walk the walk.

“If you’re prepared to mention it, it means you’ve got solid grounding.  It was a great realisation for Mapes and I sitting in the room, and I think Ash might have been in there too, that your teammates think of you like that.”  

Jason Johannisen

“Obviously ‘J’ has built his game up to a certain level, but we’ve really noticed over the last couple of years how vocal he is, the direction he provides on ground.  The on field and off field stuff, and that growth, it’s a real credit to you, mate.

“It’s a real credit to you to join the leaders.”

Jordan Roughead

“The big feller is, I suppose, a shining light, especially with his extra-curricular stuff off field, a great social conscience, he’s got a focus with the women’s footy as well as Ladder.

“Injuries last year but fought his way back to give us some guidance and it’s fantastic, mate, that you’ve come back to the formal leaders.”

Lachie Hunter

“You’ve been a real leader the last few years.  Even last year when we were searching, just to create that opportunity again, you as much as anyone hung in there, and were doing everything you could for the team in different roles.

“I know you’re really influential across the whole group both on and off the field, and it’s really important that you were recommended by the vast majority, mate.

“It’s fantastic that you’ve joined the leaders, and think about that in your own way and form your own leadership style.”

Marcus Bontempelli

“Marcus has the qualities that we all aspire to have.  Ultimately he’s a great example of some who doesn’t do a lot wrong… doesn’t do anything wrong really.   And that’s his struggle as every mother and father tries to marry their daughter off to him over the ensuing years because he is that kind of a character.

“But we’re very fortunate to have Marcus, not only for the kind of person he is, but as we know he is a very, very powerful player who’s had an enormous impact on the competition and our football club.”

Easton Wood

“Congratulations mate, it’s a big thing to lead an AFL club in the formal sense, there’s a lot of responsibility attached to it.  Ultimately you’re a buffer for your teammates and you take up a load that’s overbearing at times and you’re ready to do that. 

To be able to balance your playing performance and the extra-curricular side of it and represent the club in such a unique way, I think we’re all excited to see how that eventuates.

“I often think of you and relay to you and your character and your persona, to your brother.  Because we know McLeod Wood, we’ve met McLeod Wood … Boys, McLeod is in the military; two tours of Afghanistan. 

“We had McLeod in a couple of years ago on ANZAC Day to speak to us, and that old throwaway, and question, ‘would you want him in the trenches with you’, when you think about McLeod who’s a formal freedom fighter for good and representative of our country in the military….  When you ask the question of Easton, would you want him in the trenches with you, the emphatic answer is definitely ‘yes’ for many, many reasons.

“He’s already done a little bit of an apprenticeship, we know that, and to now go on this journey, we need to help him.  We need to look out for signs with him that it’s draining him a little bit because you do get pulled from all angles.

“So, congratulations mate, it’s exciting to work with you and see you forge your own identity as captain of the club.”