{"id":323455,"date":"2025-12-02T20:21:10","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T20:21:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/323455\/"},"modified":"2025-12-02T20:21:10","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T20:21:10","slug":"predicting-every-afl-teams-next-captain-afl-news","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/323455\/","title":{"rendered":"Predicting every AFL team’s next captain – AFL News"},"content":{"rendered":"


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With leadership change looming at some clubs and long-term planning underway at others, we forecast who’s next in line to captain each club in 2026 or beyond.<\/p>\n

Some clubs have laid a solid leadership foundation as they enter, or remain in, the premiership window, while others will look to re-shuffle their leadership as they prepare to build their next premiership team.<\/p>\n

AdelaideMax Michalanney<\/p>\n

The Crows look as if they have an established leadership group for the next few years as they enter the premiership window. Since arriving from Sydney at the end of 2021, Jordan Dawson<\/a> has led the young Crows superbly since taking over from Rory Sloane<\/a> in 2023. Alongside his leadership group of Darcy Fogarty<\/a>, Ben Keays<\/a>, Alex Neal-Bullen<\/a> and Reilly O’Brien, Dawson looks the man to take the Crows to their next premiership.<\/p>\n

When Dawson’s time as captain comes to an end, young defender Max Michalanney<\/a> looks the obvious choice to lead the Crows. Calm, composed and competitive, Michalanney is a ready-made leader.<\/p>\n

After taking him at Pick 17 in the 2022 Draft as a father-son selection, he has missed just a handful of matches through injury. Michalanney’s hard-nosed style of play, composure in big moments and ability to play important roles for Matthew Nicks<\/a> make him the perfect candidate to become the Adelaide Crows’ 10th captain.<\/p>\n

Embed from Getty Images<\/a><\/p>\n


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