SOME captains, even the most inspirational, can take time to grow into their leadership skin. Others seem almost born for the role.
Two of this season’s new skippers, Adelaide’s Nathan van Berlo and Hawthorn's Luke Hodge, are good examples.
For some time, Hodge has been able to lift his teammates with individual bursts of brilliance, while his uncompromising attack on the ball and man has almost demanded they emulate his example.
Off the field, however, Hodge’s leadership skills have taken longer to develop. While he is now a down-to-earth and effective spokesman for his club, one of his former skippers, Richie Vandenberg, recently told The Age, Hodge’s appetite for “a good time” and “mischief” in his early years at Hawthorn had delayed his rise to the captaincy.
Van Berlo, however, came to the Crows seemingly ready-made to lead.
His combined on-field and off-field qualities convinced teammates to elect him into the Crows’ leadership group after just three seasons and 53 games, at the age of 21.
At the time, Adelaide coach Neil Craig was adamant the appointment was not a token attempt to introduce young blood into the leadership ranks.
“He is not there for the experience, he is there because he can do the job required,” Craig said.
Van Berlo’s predecessor, Simon Goodwin, said his leadership skills were obvious from “day one”.
After van Berlo was announced as skipper in December last year, Goodwin told The Advertiser: “He has a great head on his shoulders, leads by example on and off the field, is a good communicator and wants the best for the club and other players.
“Put it all together, and he's the total package.”
A good example of van Berlo's on-field leadership came in round 20 last season against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.
With Goodwin out injured, van Berlo was acting captain. With one minute left in the game, the Crows led by one point.
Taking matters into his own hands, van Berlo ran the length of the ground to mark 45m out from goal on a tight angle. He then went back and kicked truly to seal a seven-point win for his team.
But Adelaide CEO Steven Trigg said, as naturally as leadership had come to van Berlo, he had worked at it.
“Nathan has immersed himself in the art of leadership, and worked hard on improving his effectiveness as a previous member of the leadership group,” Trigg said in December.
Predictably, the 24-year-old van Berlo downplayed his own leadership skills when he spoke to the AFL Record recently.
Read the full story in the round-six edition of the AFL Record, available at all grounds.
