The Sydney Swans have appointed Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker and Dane Rampe as co-captains to lead the team for the 2019 season.
Kennedy, a three-time Club Champion, three-time All Australian and 2012 premiership midfielder, led the Swans to back-to-back finals appearances in his two-year tenure as sole skipper.
A pair of vice-captains with different backstories will carry the mantle with Kennedy throughout the 2019 campaign.
Parker, 26, joined Sydney from Langwarrin in Victoria with pick 40 in the 2010 AFL Draft.
A member of the Club’s 2012 premiership team, Parker has played 173 games in red and white, has claimed two Bob Skilton Medals, was runner-up in 2018 and was presented an All Australian blazer in 2016.
Born and bred Sydney local Rampe, who last week inked a three-year contract extension, joined the Swans as a rookie in 2012 after missing out on four drafts, earned All Australian honours in 2016 and has played 138 games in six seasons.
Swans coach John Longmire says the appointments of Kennedy, Parker and Rampe as co-captains is a great outcome for the Club.
“Josh has clearly been one of our most consistent and important performers for a long time now, but what has been particularly impressive in his last two seasons as captain is his ability to develop our next generation of leaders,” Longmire said.
“To be able to add two more players with captaincy experience to our playing group alongside Josh, Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack, really broadens the leadership capabilities within the team.
“I’ve long said that leadership isn’t about set numbers – it’s about the right people for the job.
“So it’s a fantastic outcome to be in the position where we have three outstanding and deserved co-captains in Josh, Luke and Dane, who will help lead and drive the group.
“We’ve seen what a competitor Josh has been over the journey, but to now have two just as driven, hard-working and all-round good people in Luke and Dane join him as co-captains is a great result. As co-captains, they’ll each bring their own strengths to the role.”
The Swans have a long history of the co-captaincy leadership model.
Following Stuart Maxfield’s decision to step down as captain in 2005, Barry Hall, Brett Kirk, Leo Barry, Ben Mathews, Jude Bolton and Adam Goodes rotated through the captaincy for the remainder of the season, leading the Swans to their first premiership since 1933.
From then until 2016, shared captaincy has been the norm for the Sydney Swans.
Recent Sydney Swans captains:
- 2005: Barry Hall, Brett Kirk, Leo Barry, Ben Mathews, Jude Bolton, Adam Goodes
- 2006: Leo Barry, Barry Hall, Brett Kirk
- 2007: Leo Barry, Barry Hall, Brett Kirk
- 2008: Leo Barry, Craig Bolton, Brett Kirk
- 2009: Craig Bolton, Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk
- 2010: Craig Bolton, Adam Goodes, Brett Kirk
- 2011: Adam Goodes, Jarrad McVeigh
- 2012: Adam Goodes, Jarrad McVeigh
- 2013: Kieren Jack, Jarrad McVeigh
- 2014: Kieren Jack, Jarrad McVeigh
- 2015: Kieren Jack, Jarrad McVeigh
- 2016: Kieren Jack, Jarrad McVeigh
- 2017: Josh Kennedy
- 2018: Josh Kennedy
- 2019: Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker, Dane Rampe
