Fremantle’s Emma O’Driscoll backs leadership group after unusual captain call

Fremantle defender Emma O’Driscoll has full confidence in her side’s leadership group after the unusual call to name Ange Stannett as captain, despite the fact she will not take the field this season. The reigning Dockers club champion sustained a season-ending ACL injury in pre-season training but was still chosen to take over the captaincy role from Hayley Miller who has led the club for the last three seasons. But O’Driscoll says the right call was made and the decision was made with the team’s best interest in mind. “There’s a lot of external noise as to why we voted in a non-playing player as our captain but I think it’s just a testament to Ange Stannett’s character, she’s a great human being her empathy is second to none and she wants to bring the group and connect everyone together and bring them along for the ride,” she said. The 23-year-old believes Stannett will still have plenty of influence from the sideline and that incumbent captain Hayley Miller will play an equally important role in driving team standards. “I think it’s going to be really beneficial having three vice-captains out there as well in Laura Pugh, Aine Tighe and Hayley Miller,” O’Driscoll said. “Hayley has had the most impressive off-season and pre-season of her career I’m so excited to see her play her role but also she’ll still be tossing the coin each week, so will Laura so will Aine and they’re going to be our on-field leaders as well as Braz and I.” The All-Australian half-back is a new inclusion in Fremantle’s leadership group along with Collingwood recruit Ash Brazill and backed the selection process which led to Stannett’s appointment. “The players all voted and then our full-time staff voted as well so no one outside the program really, everyone that was full-time here were the only ones that voted which I think is really important because often the club don’t actually know a lot of what’s going on within the four walls,” O’Driscoll said. “We’ve had six girls in as well which in the past we’ve only had five so I think the change is going to be really positive.” O’Driscoll has been a hugely popular member of Fremantle’s side for years and said maturing as a player has been an important part of her leadership journey. “Coming in as a 19-year-old and not actually knowing the game very well was really tough and it’s something that takes time to develop,” she said. “For me having more knowledge of the game enables me to not only play my role more consistently, but I can actually pass on that knowledge as well because I’m comfortable doing what I do now “There’s so much to learn and I’m surrounded by some of the best leaders in the competition.”