SCOTT Pendlebury will captain Collingwood for a sixth season as the 2018 grand finalist announced an unchanged leadership group for 2019.
Pendlebury, the third longest serving Magpies skipper, will again be supported by Steele Sidebottom as vice-captain and fellow leaders Taylor Adams, Jeremy Howe and Lynden Dunn.
The Magpies will give added responsibility to this group by allowing them to run their training session at Olympic Park from 10am on Saturday morning, as they prepare for their opening JLT Community Series clash with Fremantle at Joondalup on Monday.
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In a video released on the club's website in which coach Nathan Buckley addressed the players, he revealed the plan for the team leaders to take charge, stressing that coaches would only assist if asked.
Buckley said the initiative was a response to the reduced role of team runners, which would require players to make more decisions on the run during games.
"We're continuing to ramp up and find those opportunities where you guys run it, where you guys lead it, where you guys control it and make adjustments according to our plan and preparation on game day," Buckley told his players.
Pendlebury, who has played 277 AFL games and won five club best and fairests, expressed pride in once again being awarded the captaincy but reinforced his determination to spread the load to help the Pies' quest for success.
"Leadership isn't an individual responsibility in team sport, though. It has to be a collective strength. A whole of squad mentality," the 31-year-old said.
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"Which is why we need not only Steele, Tay, Howey, Dunny and myself taking charge but everyone who pulls on the jumper. If we have that underlying strength we won’t be an easy proposition for anyone."
Collingwood also named its official group of emerging leaders, which features gun ruckman Brodie Grundy, forward Jamie Elliott, midfielder Adam Treloar and defenders Darcy Moore, Brayden Maynard and Tom Langdon.
Longest serving Collingwood captains
161 Nathan Buckley
153 Syd Coventry
125 Scott Pendlebury
123 Tony Shaw
116 Wayne Richardson
105 Phonse Kyne
104 Nick Maxwell
