Jonathan Brown – one of the game’s most inspirational leaders – will share the responsibility of captaining the Brisbane Lions throughout the 2013 season.
The identity of Brown’s Co-Captain will be revealed before the start of the Premiership season.
The concept of appointing Co-Captains came about following a series of discussions with Senior Coach Michael Voss.
Brown, who was contemplating stepping down as skipper completely, believed the “time was right” to begin the transition for his eventual successor.
The leadership restructure also means he can concentrate more on his football, and share the often taxing demands that are associated with the role.
"It's good for the club, good for the players to share the responsibility and good for myself," Brown told The Courier Mail on Friday.
"We had a few discussions at the end of the year about stepping aside and looking to the future.”
"Vossy said he would like me to continue as a captain, but we will bring in a co-captain to bring that next generation through."
Brown believes there are a number of viable candidates at the Club who could capably fill the position.
"It's not just restricted to the guys in the leadership group," Brown said.
"There's a few guys that are more than capable of doing it now. They are really ready for it."
Such an initiative assisted Brown’s own development back in 2007, when he was appointed as one of five Co-Captains alongside Simon Black, Luke Power, Chris Johnson, and Nigel Lappin – a process he believes helped him mature into the leader he is today.
Voss also benefited from spending four years as Co-Captain alongside Alastair Lynch from 1997-2000, before ultimately taking the reins solely in 2001 and immediately leading the Club to a hat-trick of Premierships.
In 2013, Brown will embark on his seventh season at the helm – making him the equal third longest serving Captain in the Club’s combined history. He sits behind only Voss (10 years) and Fitzroy Legend Kevin Murray (8 years).
The Lions must now determine which player is best suited to join Brown as Co-Captain.
Jed Adcock and Daniel Merrett have generally shared the captaincy duties in Brown’s absence, but that doesn’t automatically mean they’re first in line for the permanent position.
Tom Rockliff, who was a member of the 2012 Leadership Group, would also be in line for the role, as would the likes of Daniel Rich, Jack Redden and Matthew Leuenberger.
Either way, one member of the 2013 Lions team is set to be named as the Club’s 53rd Captain.
BRISBANE LIONS CAPTAINS (1997-2012)
Simon Black (2007-08)
Jonathan Brown (2007-13)
Chris Johnson (2007)
Nigel Lappin (2007-08)
Alastair Lynch (1997-2000)
Luke Power (2007-08)
Michael Voss (1997-2006)
MOST YEARS AS CLUB CAPTAIN (ALL-TIME)
10 – Michael Voss (1997-2006) Lions
8 – Kevin Murray (1963-64, 1967-72) Fitzroy
7 – Roger Merrett (1990-96) Bears
7* – Jonathan Brown (2007-13) Lions
6 – Jack Worrall (1886-87, 1889-92) Fitzroy
6 – Fred Hughson (1942-47) Fitzroy
6 – Allan Ruthven (1948, 1950-54) Fitzroy
6 – Paul Roos (1988-90, 1992-94) Fitzroy
COMPLETE LIST OF CLUB VFL/AFL CAPTAINS
Abrahams, Owen (1962) Fitzroy
Adams, Bill (1926) Fitzroy
Alexander, Ron (1979-80) Fitzroy
Atkinson, Jim (1924-25) Fitzroy
Black, Simon (2007-08) Lions
Boyd, Brad (1994-96) Fitzroy
Brosnan, Gerald (1903-05) Fitzroy
Brown, Jonathan (2007-13) Lions
Bunton, Haydn (1932, 1936-37) Fitzroy
Cameron, Charles (1935) Fitzroy
Cashman, Jack (1934) Fitzroy
Cleary, Bill (1897) Fitzroy
Cooper, Jack (1912) Fitzroy
Chapman, Charlie (1929) Fitzroy
Curcio, Frank (1938-41) Fitzroy
Davies, Fred (1934) Fitzroy
Gale, Alan (1958-61) Fitzroy
Hayes, John (1966) Fitzroy
Hearn, Maurie (1942) Fitzroy
Holden, George (1917-18) Fitzroy
Hughson, Fred (1943-47) Fitzroy
Jenkins, Ern (1906-07) Fitzroy
Johnson, Chris (2007) Lions
Johnson, Wally (1916, 1919) Fitzroy
Lappin, Nigel (2007-08) Lions
Lethbridge, Chris (1921-22) Fitzroy
Lynch, Alastair (1997-2000) Lions
McSpeerin, Bill (1901-02) Fitzroy
McLennan, Harold (1911) Fitzroy
Merrett, Roger (1990-96) Bears
Merrigan, Harvey (1978) Fitzroy
Mickan, Mark (1987-89) Bears
Murphy, John (1973-77) Fitzroy
Murray, Kevin (1963-64, 1967-72) Fitzroy
Niven, Colin (1930-31) Fitzroy
Osborne, Richard (1991) Fitzroy
Parratt, Percy (1914-15, 1920-21) Fitzroy
Power, Luke (2007-08) Lions
Rattray, Gordon (1923, 1928)
Rendell, Matthew (1985-87) Fitzroy
Rogerson, Ralph (1965-66) Fitzroy
Roos, Paul (1988-90, 1992-94) Fitzroy
Ruthven, Allan (1948, 1950-54) Fitzroy
Sexton, Jack (1932-33) Fitzroy
Sharp, Jim (1908-10) Fitzroy
Sloan, Alec (1898-1900) Fitzroy
Smith, Norm (1949) Fitzroy
Stephen, Bill (1955-57) Fitzroy
Voss, Michael (1997-2006) Lions
Walker, Bill (1913) Fitzroy
Wigraft, Len (1927) Fitzroy
Wilson, Garry (1981-84) Fitzroy
Brown to share captaincy
Jonathan Brown will be one of two Lions Captains in 2013