ANDRE Gianfagna has played 39 Victorian Football League games with the smooth-moving half-back a favourite at the Northern Blues.
In just 42 games Brent Bransgrove has established himself as one of the fiercest and most courageous second-tier players, with his ferocious attack in the midfield a hallmark of the Preston-based club.
This season the relatively inexperienced pair assume the captaincy from Northern Blues icon Adam Iacobucci, with new coach Robert Hyde regarding the duo as the perfect replacement.
Gianfagna and Bransgrove are opposites at the Blues - but both said the captaincy was an unexpected honour after being unveiled last month.
"I think it sort of just came about," Bransgrove said.
"We were unsure of Iacobucci's situation up until about Christmas and then after he left (for Strathmore) we were in the mix.
Gianfagna has already outlined the leadership style he will bring to the club, striving to be an approachable captain and said it was a "huge honour".
"I've been there six years now and played under some really, really good captains," he said.
"I want to make it a fun club, but a hard-working club. We've had pretty lofty standards with two grand finals and a preliminary final the past few years, so we want that to continue and we want our twos to start winning some games and put some pressure on the senior guys as well."
As for the partnership with Bransgrove?
"He plays more up forward and midfield than me, while I'm down back, so it's pretty perfect.
"You can't get a more inspirational bloke than Brent Bransgrove. A year and a half ago he was told he'd never run again with his hips and now he's captain of a VFL club, so it's a great effort by him."
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Last Modified on 07/03/2012 13:39