Joel Selwood will extend his record as Geelong’s longest serving captain, as he heads up a seven person player leadership group for 2019.

Selwood will be joined in the PLG by Patrick Dangerfield and 2018 best & fairest winner Mark Blicavs, while All Australian defender Tom Stewart joins the group for the first time, with Mitch Duncan, Harry Taylor and Zach Tuohy rounding out the leadership team.

“The 2019 player leadership group represents a diverse group of players that each brings outstanding leadership qualities to the table,” Geelong’s general manager of football Simon Lloyd said.

“Importantly the group display the values that we should all aspire towards. This group will consistently deliver and lead the group on what the Geelong Football Club stands for. In addition to the group, we have a number of experienced and senior players that will continue working with our younger players as they forge their AFL careers.

“We are fortunate to have so many strong leaders within our club and we are confident this group will deliver outstanding leadership at both a team and a club level.”

Selwood has already captained the Cats a record 162 times, including 12 finals as skipper. He surpassed Reg Hickey’s record as longest serving Geelong captain early last season, and will enter his eighth season as the Cats on-field leader. Selwood has captained Geelong in 59.6% of the games he has played since entering the AFL in 2007.

Blicavs, who claimed his second best & fairest, becomes co-vice captain with Dangerfield. Now a veteran of 133 games, Blicavs has served on the PLG since 2016 and adds the vice captaincy to his resume. Dangerfield will be vice captain for the second straight year.

Stewart continues to rise, having claimed his first All Australian selection in just his second AFL campaign. He added an assistant coaching role with the Cats AFLW squad to his workload and his impressive leadership around the group sees him elevated to the PLG for the first time.

Taylor, who will reach the 250 mark this season, has been a member of the PLG since 2010, while Duncan first joined in 2014 and Tuohy in 2018.