Click here to view the photo gallery

The Gold Coast SUNS has selected its leadership group for the club’s first ever AFL Premiership season.

Gary Ablett will be the club’s first AFL captain.

He will be supported by Vice Captain Nathan Bock and Deputy Vice Captain Campbell Brown.

The remainder of the leadership group comprises Tasmanian young gun Maverick Weller, big name recruit Michael Rischitelli, last year’s captain Marc Lock, fellow Queensland-raised talent Zac Smith, and tough mid-fielder Daniel Harris.

With the GC SUNS’ April 2, 2011 AFL debut now just 74 days away, the appointment of the club’s inaugural leaders represents an important milestone in the club’s short exciting history.

The clubs leaders were selected by the players during a closed vote at the club’s pre-season training camp at Mooloolaba in December.

Ablett said he was humbled by the privilege of leading the club into its first season of AFL Premiership football.

“Every player wants the respect of his peers and to be chosen as captain by the players makes the honour of leading the side incredibly special.”

The GC SUNS captaincy role would be a multi-faceted challenge, he said.

“We are a new club and with that comes the responsibility of being a leader not only for the players on and off the field but also for the club more broadly. A significant part of my role will be to ensure we as players adhere to our club values and that the club as a whole extends its reach out into the Gold Coast community for all the right reasons.”

Senior Coach Guy McKenna said he was delighted with the make up of the club’s first leadership group.

“We empowered the boys to make the decision and, as we thought they would, they’ve repaid our faith.”

“Gary is an exceptional talent and a mature leader-by-example. He demands respect not only for his on-field deeds over nearly 200 AFL games but because of his approach to the training track and his attitude around the club in a more general sense. Campbell and Nathan are cut from the same cloth. They all approach their football as consummate professionals, they communicate clearly and they show the way by their actions as well as their words.”

He said the leadership group’s mix of youth and experience was crucial.

“We quite deliberately ensured the inclusion of a young leadership element by insisting the boys vote for players both above and below the age of 22. The game doesn’t stand still. Although our focus is very much on the 2011 season, we always need to keep one eye to the future. Maverick Weller, Zac Smith and Marc Lock are exceptional young men who will not only add plenty to our group in their new roles, but the experience will be invaluable in terms of exposing them to what it takes to be a true leader at this level.”

Interestingly, the first to hear about the Captaincy were the Gold Coast SUNS members and partners who received an early morning audio blast from Gary who spoke of his delight at being chosen as the Clubs inaugural leader.

Click on the players names to view their player profiles | Gary Ablett | Nathan Bock | Campbell Brown | Maverick Weller | Zac Smith | Marc Lock | Michael Rischitelli | Daniel Harris