Star midfielder Ellie Blackburn will serve a second season as standalone captain of the Western Bulldogs AFLW side.
The 25-year-old has been part of the Bulldogs’ leadership group since the AFLW competition’s inception and was co-captain when the team achieved its 2018 premiership success.
Blackburn, a two-time All Australian, will again be supported by Brooke Lochland as vice-captain in 2021.
They will guide a leadership group of seven players following a player voting process, which includes Izzy Huntington, Kirsty Lamb, and new additions Bonnie Toogood, Bailey Hunt and Ash Guest.
Head coach Nathan Burke said he has no doubts that Blackburn is the right person to lead from the front.
“One of the staples of being a great leader is leading by example, and Ellie absolutely has that covered,” Burke said.
“This pre-season, she has really taken her fitness, training and attention to detail to a new level, and the other players have recognised that as well.
“The other side of it is having that maturity – Ellie has developed an ability to have deeper conversations and understand her teammates’ situations, their thoughts, and their feelings, and be able to relate to them on that level.”
Burke said Toogood, Hunt and Guest would all be great additions to the leadership group.
“‘Guesty’ brings the experience – this is her third AFLW club, and if you look at our leadership group, it is quite young, so having ‘Guesty’ there will bring that wiser experience,” he said.
“Bonnie and Bailey bring an unrivalled, unbounded enthusiasm - they care a lot for their teammates, and they’re extremely encouraging and motivating, which is really contagious for the other players.
“To give the three of them a bit of a formal authority will really cement what they bring to the team.”
Burke also praised experienced leaders Lauren Spark and Hannah Scott, who are not part of the formal leadership group for this season.
“There’s some people that don’t need formal titles to do what they do – ‘Sparky’ and Hannah are definitely in that category,” Burke said.
“They are both experienced, bleed red, white and blue, and will do anything for the team and the club - that won’t change.
“I know they will still be the leaders they always have been - they just won’t have the title to go along with it.”
