Former St Kilda and North Melbourne star Nick Dal Santo says that Collingwood’s leadership group for the upcoming season has an intriguing mix.
The Magpies last week announced that Scott Pendlebury will continue to captain the club with Steele Sidebottom remaining as vice-captain. Taylor Adams, Jeremy Howe and Lynden Dunn rounded out the group.
Dal Santo told SEN Afternoons that he liked the group’s diversity and the difference in opinions that they may have.
“The interesting part is that three of them – Howe, Adams and Dunn – are from other football clubs,” he said.
“Pendlebury and Sidebottom have grown up in the Collingwood regime – whatever they believe in, whatever they are taught from the age of 17 or 19, it’s a Collingwood way. When you come from different football club, you see the game differently in regard to on-field performance, training standards, disciplinary action.
“I like to have a leadership group that has different perspectives. If they’re all Collingwood-raised players, they’re going to roughly to have the same opinion or the same outcome on a particular matter.”
Dal Santo said that dynamic, coupled with the mixture of ages and playing ability should help drive the club forward, although questioned if Dunn was part of the Magpies best 22.
Dunn played 17 games in his first season for Collingwood havign crossed from Melbourne at the end of 2016.
Pendlebury said that Dunn had an immediate impact.
“The moment ‘Dunny’ walked in the door you took note of his voice around the track and the locker room, and the experience he brings I think is invaluable for our young group. It’s a great reward for Dunny,” he said last week.