I now have visions of Sal repeating this while rocking backwards and forwards... Mags has been a great servant to the club, but IMHO he's given us very little this year as either a half or as a captain.

I completely agree with you but this is not the kind of club that will take the captaincy off him.

Get a half back who can control the game and you will see a different McGuire

to be fair to Mags, history shows that he has always been a slow recoverer from long injuries. He hasn't had a captains knock this year but how many games has he actually played? If he is still playing next year then he will be captain. Ablett if rumours are to be believed will retire at the end of the season

It'll be McGuire, primarily because Hetherington is wedded to the "golden generation" and happy to let them pick and choose their own exits from the club.

It shouldn't be though. There's an argument over whether McGuire can still do it at this level on a regular enough basis, even without having the burden of captaincy on him.

Is Ward a leader? Given his own mental health issues should the club be putting that additional pressure on him or just letting him get on with his own game?

I'd be tempted to sound out Ryan Hall on whether he fancies the job. Speaks well, good understanding of the game, isn't afraid to put his head in where it's going to hurt and take the hard carries. Respected by his peers and an automatic selection when fit.

Read Keith Senior's book. That will tell you why Hall wouldn't be captain. Don't think communication is Hall's greatest attribute.

The comments you make about Ward are ridiculous. Just because he's had depression, he can't be captain?

With respect Seniors book is over 5yrs old players can improve in all departments with experience.

I don't wanna start $hit here but this is the problem with mental health and sociaty.

If you brake a leg or do a knee knobody says you can't be captain. But admit you have had mental illness and now your damaged goods and not fit for more responsibility.

It's the old once you go off sick with stress you can't get a promotion.

This is the problem.

I think Wards honesty and his maturity makes him the best man for the job.

To be fair I didn't read Andy's comments that way. There's no reason at all Ward can't be captain, and I'm sure he'd be a very good one, but it's a lot to ask of anyone coming back from a year out to both find their game again and lead the club.

I know Mags hasn't been out for a year (more like six months) but the comments made seem just as applicable to our current captain who I'm a massive fan of but has been utter $hite this year.

Regarding the comments that is why I said I don't want to start $hit. But intended or not it's the assumption he's damaged goods. Mental illness is no different from a long term knee injury like Mcguires.

To judge them different is the absolute issue with mental health and is what initiatives like state of mind is all about.

As someone who has experienced depression, I'm not saying he's damaged goods at all.

I'm saying that when you're in a depressive episode, the last thing you want is to have to engage with other people let alone be responsible for leading and inspiring them. Stress can also be a contributing factor to bringing on depressive episodes, and making Ward captain would both increase his workload and his stress levels by placing more media work and responsibility on his shoulders.

I'm just not convinced that's healthy for him as an individual right at this moment in time, irrespective of whether or not it's right for the club. The health - physical and mental - of the players need to be the prime consideration.

Yeah I don't think Hall is captain material. He (and Ablett) now are probably similar to Senior around the late '00's......one of the leaders of the team but not THE leader.

We need a group of leaders. The aforementioned time period, whilst Sinfield was captain and had Peacock, you also had Senior, JJB, Diskin, McGuire who all formed a part of a wider group of leaders in the team.

Agreed and I honestly wasnt having a go as I've had a battle or 2 over the years. If any player is going through that they shouldn't be expected to play. I'm just of the opinion that mental illness can be a one off or reoccuring like any other injury. It's something sociaty needs to get much smarter with especially in regard to our athletes who we assume are superhuman especially in RL.

Stevie ward should be the captain.

I think Maggsy will be captain next yr. Ward is a possible captain the year after but the lad needs time. An injury like hes had can take months to recover from even when back playing. We seem to be just seeing Sutty coming back fully from a similar injury although my understanding is Wards was much more complicated.

I think everyone knows just because Ward had depression doesn't mean he can't be a captain but it might be a extra pressure for him that he might not want or need, but personally I think Stevie would be a great captain he seems to have the right attributes and has proven he is a hard working person to get through what he's got through. Another candidate for me would be Hall because he is a very senior player and could do the job for a few more years, but Stevie Ward would definitely be the captain for years to come if he stayed all his career.