A champion player doesn’t always make a champion captain, that’s just fact, not just in the AFL but all sport.
Fremantle star Nat Fyfe is a prime example of this, one of the best players this game has seen whose on-field talent failed to translate as a leader.
Fyfe stood down as captain on Tuesday, saying it’s the right time for the club to select a new leader and for him to focus on his own form and his new role as a forward this year.
Fyfe’s record as a captain isn’t great, he led the Dockers on 91 occasions for just 37 wins, a win/loss per centage scrapping just over 40.
Whilst acknowledging Fyfe’s stardom as a player, Kane Cornes believes the dual-Brownlow medallist was more focused on himself rather then his role as captain.
“His record as a captain is 37 wins and 54 losses which is not great, he didn’t captain a final and he was of course injured last year for Fremantle’s push for finals,” Cornes told SEN’s Sportsday.
“He’s got a great individual record, two-time Brownlow medallist and one of them was as a captain in 2019, it’s the right call for him to step down.
“I’m certain he wasn’t a great captain, and that’s fine, some great players don’t always make great captains.
“I was always thought it was a little bit more about Nat Fyfe the individual more so than the team.”
As for who will become Fremantle’s next skipper, the club said they’ll make an announcement in the coming weeks, but Cornes believes young star Andrew Brayshaw is the clear pick to become the club’s tenth captain.
“I haven’t even considered Brayshaw's age, I just watch him play,” Cornes added.
“He just looks like a captain, I thought he led the side so well last year, he’s the best defensive midfielder in the competition.
“I’m not concerned, I’d be shocked if he wasn’t named Fremantle’s next captain.”
Fremantle kick off their 2023 campaign against St Kilda on March 19 at Marvel Stadium.