Following the announcement of his decision to stand down as Brisbane captain, Dayne Zorko has endorsed Hugh McCluggage as a future skipper of the club.
McCluggage, 24, has established himself as an elite midfielder and a consistent performer in the Lions’ squad.
Zorko named current vice-captain Harris Andrews, Brownlow Medallist Lachie Neale and McCluggage as the three “clear candidates” to replace him, with the latter his choice, should he feel he is ready to lead.
“More than likely (Andrews is the leading candidate). Harris has been the vice-captain for the last three years under myself. He’s a really well respected voice amongst the playing group and around the club, he does everything right, he’s a really vocal leader,” Zorko told SENQ’s Pat and Heals.
“The other candidates are someone like Lachie Neale and Hugh McCluggage.
“Hugh for me is the one that probably has the ability to do it, whether maybe he’s a little bit too raw at the moment or he wants to find his feet a little bit more, that’s a decision the club will have to make.
“For me, he would be the perfect fit.
“It’s a big process and I’m sure the club will make the best decision possible. Those are the three in my mind stick out as the clear candidates to take over the role.”
Zorko talked through his decision to pass on the role, saying he made the call on Monday.
“There’s been a few times in this pre-season where I’ve come into the (SENQ) studio and said I’m not sure what I’ll quite do,” he said.
“I firmly believe the club is in really good hands going forward and I guess for me it was a little bit of a decision that I’d rather step down on my own accord than potentially have Fagan tap me on my shoulder at the end of the season and say, ‘hey mate I reckon it’s time we move on’.
“I think it’s the right decision. I think the timing is really good. Obviously I’ll still be there to support whoever takes over as captain and guide them in whatever way I possibly can, but just stepping back from those formal roles will hopefully allow me time I can spend with family and of course to get my body right to have the best possible year I can.
“I’d only really made the decision on Monday morning with Fagan in his office that it was probably the right thing at the right time to step aside and let someone else take over.
“Judging by a few of the faces in the room and even talking to a few of the boys in the room after the meeting they said, ‘we didn’t see that coming, who are we going to vote for now?’.
“It’s a wide open race. Whoever does become the new captain and what that new leadership group looks like, I’ll be there to support them.”
Zorko has had a strong pre-season with the Lions, finally injury-free after many niggles.
Veteran defender Daniel Rich told SEN last month that the 33-year-old was in “career-best shape”.
“The little man, he’s one of my good mates, he’s doing extremely well and he’s probably in, to be honest, nearly career-best shape,” Rich told SEN’s Dwayne’s World.
“I suppose probably the last two and a half, three years for him has been pretty interrupted with what’s happened, what he’s had to do with his body.
“He’s had continuity, he’s just in ripping shape and almost seems like he’s 25 again.
“I don’t want to pump him up too much, his head will get too big.”
