Patrick Cripps has been unveiled as Carlton’s sole captain for the 2022 season with young guns Jacob Weitering and Sam Walsh also elevated into leadership roles.
Cripps had shared the role with Sam Docherty since the 2019 season, but will lead the side by himself as a part of a revamped leadership team under new coach Michael Voss.
The 26-year-old’s two deputies will be Weitering and Walsh, with Walsh particularly touted by many around the AFL as a future captain himself.
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Despite no longer sharing the role with Docherty, who stepped down from the role at the end of last year, Cripps paid tribute to the veteran defender for helping him grow as a leader.
“It’s been an absolute honour to have held the captaincy alongside Doc for the past three seasons – it’s largely thanks to him that I’ve grown to be the leader I am today,” he said in a club statement.
“I’m now really looking forward to taking the next step this year under a new team of coaches and alongside [Weitering] and [Walsh].
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“The leadership of our group does not stop with just the three of us. We are fortunate to have both established and emerging leaders across every line and our focus this season will be bringing that out in one another – it is a collective responsibility for us to start to earn respect and we’re already putting in a massive amount of work to get that.”
Voss said he and the club had “complete belief” in Cripps, Weitering and Walsh leading Carlton into the future.
“Since arriving at the club, I have seen first-hand the incredible passion Patrick has to bring team success to this football club,” he said.
“Equally, both Jacob and Sam set the standards for work-rate and professionalism and have earned the opportunity to lead as co-vice captains.
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“A strong culture is centred around great leadership, we certainly have that in these three players who have a terrific understanding of what is required to drive standards at the elite level.
“I have no doubt as this group builds its connection with one another with the more time we spend together, the responsibility of leadership will be shared right across the board – which we have already started to see great signs of.”