CARLTON CEO Cain Liddle said former skipper Marc Murphy will continue to play a guiding role for his teammates at the Club in 2019.

Liddle told SEN Mornings Murphy - who was named in the Blues’ 2019 five-man leadership group - was keen to offer support to the new co-captains in their first year at the helm. 

“I know Murphy spent a lot of time with Paddy (Cripps) after Sam was injured in terms of how they would manage the group moving forward. He’s playing a really important leadership role there,” Liddle said.

“The leadership of the likes of Murph and 'Simmo' (Kade Simpson) just becomes more and more important as the group develops. To Murph’s credit, when he made the decision that he wanted to step away from the captaincy, he certainly made it really clear that he wanted to stay involved in leadership.

“Murph has been around the Club a long time. He’s a Carlton person. He’s as desperate for success as anybody.”

While an ACL injury obtained during the Blues pre-season campaigned ruled out joint-captain Sam Docherty from playing in 2019, Liddle said Cripps will not be left alone in on-field leadership duties.

According to Liddle, the 23-year-old, who captained the side for nine games while Murphy was sidelined with a plantar fascia injury last season, will also be supported by the entire leadership group.

“Both Dochs and Crippa have a leadership group them – Simmo, Murph and Ed Curnow – so there’s responsibilities on all of those boys now to help Paddy Cripps."