AFLW Senior Coach Daniel Harford says a larger leadership group in 2019 provides guidance across the whole breadth and depth of the playing group.

Harford said the playing group was pleased with the announcement of Bri Davey (captain), Katie Loynes (vice-captain), Darcy Vescio, Sarah Hosking, Shae Audley and Kerryn Harrington as the Blues’ new leaders. 

“The girls all got a vote on who they thought would be the best people to lead them throughout this season. It’s important for them to have a say in who leads the club,” he said.

“The votes were tallied up and we went with the top six which is a little bit more than last year but it’s really important, I think, to cover the breadth and depth of the group 

“We got the six best candidates I think as well.”

Davey will helm the side for the second consecutive year, despite spending season 2018 sidelined with a raptured ACL.

Hardford said the 24-year-old had developed her leadership capabilities over the last year.

“It’s no surprise Bri Davey is our captain again for 2019 despite the fact that she had a bit of a setback last year in AFLW. What she did do is grow as a leader and as a person around the football club,” he said.

“Not being able to compete week in week out, which she so loves, got her to another level of emotional maturity as well as an ability to mingle amongst the group. Not only is she one of our finest players, she is a terrific competitor and demands great standards.

“She has got great respect among the playing group, let alone the footy club, let alone the competition so she is a natural to be the captain again.  The girls are rapped and Bri is pretty rapped to do that as well.”

Katie Loynes was elevated to Carlton’s leadership group for the first time following a season that saw her co-win the Blues’ 2018 best and fairest.

Harford said the 32-year-old displayed both on-field and off-field leadership skills.

“I’m super excited about Loynes. She has enormous experience in women’s football and football in general,” he said.

“She is a great leader of people. She is a teacher by trade so her messaging to teammates is always really well thought out and let her alone her performance as co-best and fairest from last season.

“I think it was a great appointment by the girls to get her so high up in the leadership group and appoint her vice-captain.  She’ll be great and great for Bri."

Harford said Vescio, Hosking, Audley and Harrington possessed a diverse range of qualities that rounded out the group well.

“Shae is one of the great characters in football. She’s got a really good balance of serious and light. She demands the best of her teammates,” he said.

“Kerryn Harrington has a high-performance background through her basketball and her standards at training will get us going in the right direction.

“Sarah Hosking was vice-captain last year; keeping her in the leadership group is really important. Her ability to lead the group and set the standard is growing every week.

“Darcy Vescio is clearly one of the stand-out players in the competition. She brings great calm, poise and composure to the group. Her ability to think through the scenarios at training is a stand-out.

“The fact that we have those six girls picked out by their peers as the leaders of the group is a feather in their cap and a very exciting start to the 2019 season.”

Carlton host newcomers Geelong in a practice match at Ikon Park this Saturday from 11am, before kicking of its AFLW season against North Melbourne on Sunday February 3.