By Travis Paranby
Collingwood's Nick Maxwell is the latest VFL-developed player to become an AFL captain.
Maxwell joins Hawthorn premiership skipper and Liston Trophy winner Sam Mitchell as ex-VFL players to be appointed to an AFL clubs highest leadership position.
Maxwell was unveiled as the Magpies new AFL captain today, just six seasons after showing his potential at Northern Oval.
Maxwell played the 2002 season with North Ballarat after missing out on an AFL listing following his junior career with the Geelong Falcons in the TAC cup. He was then snapped up by the Magpies with selection 15 at the 2002 AFL Rookie Draft.
"I'm honoured to have my name alongside the greats of the club," Maxwell said.
"I'm more excited than daunted. I've been given this position because of what I've done in the past. I'm not going to change anything about myself.
"I played at the Geelong Falcons and didn't get selected straight up. To come through a bit harder route, to see guys like Tarkyn Lockyer on a rookie list and to see how hard they had to work, it's made me a better player and a better person."
Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse praised Maxwell's determination to make the elite level.
"We watched a young Nick Maxwell down at the Geelong Falcons and he got spoken about but he didn't go anywhere except for North Ballarat," Malthouse said.
"North Ballarat is a very good football club and they took him in.
"He displayed a wonderful attitude wanting to fight through what appeared to be an ended career. He conducted himself in such a great manner and we were fortunate enough to snare him."
Collingwood president Eddie McGuire said there may be more "illustrious" footballers than Maxwell to take over the cpataincy but Maxwell's new role was endorsed unanimously.
"When I look down the list and Nathan Buckley handpicked Nick to take on his famous number five guernsey, he's won a Gavin Brown Award - doing the hard things... and the year before a Darren Millane Award for the best clubman and that is not an accolade we give out lightly at Collingwood, it adds further weight to the decision we made," McGuire said.
The versatile Maxwell has played 94 AFL games since debuting in 2004.
Last Modified on 13/01/2009 17:41