Harry Grant has credited two AFL greats for helping him mature as a leader as he prepares to lead the Kangaroos as captain for the first time this weekend.
The Melbourne hooker, who also revealed that he would sign a long-term extension to stay with the Storm despite free agency looming on November 1, paid tribute to the influence of Trent Cotchin and Joel Selwood have had on his evolution as a leader in the game.
Cotchin, a three-time premiership captain for Richmond, and Selwood, who won four flags with Geelong including one as skipper, have worked with the Storm providing leadership advice.
While they no longer hold official roles with the club, both remain confidants of Grant, who takes over the armband from the injured Isaah Yeo (concussion) for the Kangaroos in game two of the Ashes series.
“They have been awesome for me,” Grant said after training in London ahead of the Test at Everton’s Hill Dickinson Stadium on Saturday night [Sunday morning AEST)].
“The big thing for me is that there are different ways to skin a cat. The way Joel went about his business … the Geelong footy club was very different to the way we did things. He instilled a lot of confidence and trust in me around what I was doing was right and that I was on the right path.
Former Geelong great Joel Selwood has worked with the Storm as a leadership coach.Credit: Getty Images
“Over the last couple of years, ‘Cotcho’ has dived into some different things in the way he went about his business. He is really big on connection. Ultimately, the biggest thing for me as a leader, is that you prepare and play well, and [Storm coach] Craig Bellamy is the best at doing that and making sure you get your job done. You can put time into the nice stuff, the fluffy stuff, but you have to play well.”
Grant said he was ready to sign off on a contract extension with the Storm this week while chairman Matt Tripp was in London.