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Murphy, Gibbs survive Carlton leadership revamp

Carlton have unveiled a new-look leadership group, with captain Marc Murphy and Bryce Gibbs the only survivors.

Feb 16, 2016, updated Feb 16, 2016
Marc Murphy retains the captaincy while South Australian Bryce Gibbs loses the vice-captaincy but remains in the leadership group. Photo: Joe Castro, AAP.

Marc Murphy retains the captaincy while South Australian Bryce Gibbs loses the vice-captaincy but remains in the leadership group. Photo: Joe Castro, AAP.

The club confirmed today that five teammates will join the pair in a group that has grown from five to seven.

Veteran Kade Simpson will be the only vice-captain, replacing Gibbs and Mark Jamison in the role.

Jamison and Sam Rowe are out of the leadership group, which was already without Geelong trade Lachie Henderson, while rising stars Patrick Cripps and Sam Docherty become two young inductees.

Cripps is widely-regarded as a future Blues captain.

Ed Curnow is in the leadership group for the first time, while Simpson and Andrew Walker return after a year’s absence.

The 28-year-old Murphy told the Carlton website: “I love the footy club and I couldn’t be prouder to be appointed captain.”

“I was pretty confident [of being reappointed],” he said.

“I think we’ve got a lot of great leaders at the footy club and I felt the boys have been right behind me and supported me the whole way through.

“Obviously having a whole new coaching staff, you’ve got to prove yourself and I think it’s a really good opportunity to do that.”

Carlton endured a tumultuous 2015, with record-breaking coach Mick Malthouse sacked a third of the way through the season.

Caretaker coach John Barker saw out a campaign which ended with the Blues claiming the wooden spoon.

Barker applied for the fulltime head coaching position, but was edged out by Brendon Bolton, the highly-regarded Hawthorn assistant coach.

Barker then accepted a position as the Blues’ stoppages coach.

Returned leadership group member Walker said ‘Murph’ had the “full support of the whole playing group”.

“But I think the process we had to go through was part of having a fresh start for the whole club,” Walker said.

“You have to go through a process to get the best leadership group and obviously the best captain and people to lead from the front.

“Once again, ‘Murph’, being the true professional that he is, led from the front and obviously was the standout again.

“It just shows the character of the bloke.”

-AAP

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