CHARLOTTE Simpson has labelled her appointment as captain of the Geelong Falcons as a “big privilege” ahead of this weekend’s opening round of the NAB League Girls season.
Simpson, a father-daughter draft prospect at both Geelong and St Kilda with her dad Sean playing at both clubs across his 121 VFL/AFL games, will lead a three-person leadership group with Ash Van Loon and Mia van Dyke announced as her deputies.
Talent Manager Tom Lonergan told the 17-year-old St Joseph’s product she would skipper the Falcons ahead of training at Deakin University on Friday night.
“(I’m) very shocked, but very excited,” Simpson, who is part of the Vic Country Academy, said. “It’s a big privilege to be captain.
“I’ve been here a few years and really look up to the girls who have been previous leaders in the group.
“I’m really, really excited for this year, and (being captain) makes it really exciting to get into.”
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As well as leading the Falcons on the field, Simpson also aims to be a leader off the field by acting as a conduit between the playing group and the coaching staff.
“I want to be someone that all the girls can look up to, and they feel like they can come to me and ask me, ‘do you think there’s anything I need to work on?’,” she said.
“Or someone that if they think there is anything they need to talk to the coaches about, but they’re not feeling too comfortable to talk to them that they can come and get me, and I can do it for them or come with them.
“I just want to be someone they can relate to.”
Coach Paul Corrigan said it was no surprise her peers voted her into the role, with Simpson’s football knowledge standing out among the group.
“Even pre-Christmas, she was injured a little bit and off the track, but she still has a real presence around the group,” he said.
“He ability to see things at training and be able to educate the girls in a drill, and sees what’s happening in a drill, and the way she talks, personifies who she is.
“I think that presence is felt in the way she talks, and also when you see her play like she did last year, the girls look up to her.
“It’s a really good reward for her, and I’m looking forward to her having a really good season.”
The Falcons open their season on Sunday with a clash against Dandenong Stingrays against Deakin Uni at 11am.
Twitter: @tom_king79
