Scott Pendlebury believes leadership from the entire playing group will drive the club’s 2018 campaign, after being elected captain for a fifth season alongside vice-captain Steele Sidebottom.



A peer vote based on the group’s values and behaviours saw the midfield duo unanimously selected by their teammates during the club’s pre-season camp on the Gold Coast.



They’ll have the support of a wider leadership group featuring Taylor Adams, Jeremy Howe and Lynden Dunn.



Pendlebury said while he and Sidebottom take on the official titles, the entire playing list has a role to play in influencing the success of the group.







Scott Pendlebury has led Collingwood in 81 matches since becoming captain in 2014.



“As we mature as a group, more players are willing to drive the behaviours that we are about as a side. The football program places a lot of trust in the individual and it’s up to us to display all the right behaviours and drive the standards behind closed doors to give us the best shot come match day,” Pendlebury said.



Sidebottom stepped in as captain for the final six matches of 2017 following a season-ending finger injury to Pendlebury. The 27-year-old led the side to three wins and a draw, going on to win his first Copeland Trophy as the club’s best and fairest player.



Adams and Howe return to the leadership group, while Dunn takes on the role for the first time as a Magpie.



“The moment ‘Dunny’ walked in the door you took note of his voice around the track and the locker room, and the experience he brings I think is invaluable for our young group. It’s a great reward for Dunny,” Pendlebury said.







Lynden Dunn, who was a revelation in his first season as a Magpie, has been named in the club's leadership group for 2018.



An emerging leaders group was also selected with Jamie Elliott, Brodie Grundy, Brayden Maynard, Darcy Moore, Tom Langdon and Adam Treloar to work closely with the club’s Leadership and Culture Manager Nick Maxwell to develop the leaders that will drive the club into the future.



“The emerging leaders are a crucial part of the program, it provides an underbelly of leaders coming through and hopefully next year or in a few years’ time we’ll see these players form the senior leadership group,” Pendlebury said.







Darcy Moore and Brayden Maynard celebrate their first win as Collingwood players during their debut season of 2015.



Collingwood’s General Manager of Football Geoff Walsh said the players elected in both the senior and emerging groups were fully supported by the Collingwood board and football executive.



“The process led by ‘Maxy’ was driven largely by the playing group’s values. The individuals selected certainly live those values and more importantly influence those around them to do the same,” Walsh said.



“Building depth of leadership on our list has been a priority over the past 12 months and will continue to be a focus into the future. While Scott and Steele will lead the side in a title sense, we feel they have a really strong support network around them with the extended leadership group and the emerging leaders that have been identified.”



Collingwood’s 2018 leadership group

Captain: Scott Pendlebury

Vice-captain: Steele Sidebottom

Leadership group: Taylor Adams, Jeremy Howe, Lynden Dunn

Emerging leaders: Jamie Elliott, Brodie Grundy, Tom Langdon, Brayden Maynard, Darcy Moore, Adam Treloar