Adelaide’s AFLW team will have a standalone captain for the first time, with Chelsea Randall set to lead the team for the fifth straight year.
Randall was voted in as captain by her teammates and the decision was endorsed by the Club’s Board of Directors and senior management.
She will be supported by a three-person leadership group with Angela Foley, Sarah Allan and Eloise Jones also recognised by their peers.
It is the first time 21-year-old Jones has had an official leadership role, while Allan was in the group last year and Foley has been a member since the first season.
Randall said she can’t wait to lead the team again in 2021 and continue to develop the emerging leaders.
“I feel absolutely honoured and privileged to lead this amazing group of women, alongside Angela Foley, Sarah Allan and for the first time, Eloise Jones,” Randall said.
“Our members and supporters should be extremely excited for this leadership group, they are incredible leaders and people.
“I look forward to working with them throughout the season and to continue the legacy of former leaders such as Erin Phillips, Courtney Cramey, Jessica Foley, Marijana Rajcic and Sally Riley.
“We have a number of leaders that weren’t named in the leadership group and that is what makes our group so special, having so many natural leaders.”
Crows AFLW senior coach Matthew Clarke said while Randall is the obvious choice for captain, the team is lucky to have a great depth of leadership.
“Chelsea is the natural leader of the group with Erin stepping aside from leadership roles this year and Chelsea had unanimous support amongst the group,” Clarke said.
“She’s obviously on her way back from a long-term injury but has trained the house down throughout the pre-season and is back to her brilliant best so we’re really happy that Chels will be our captain for season five.
“Pleasingly, we are seeing the next wave of players come through into leadership roles with the appointment of Eloise Jones to support Chelsea, Ange and Sarah.
“We’ve also got a great depth of leadership who don’t have a formal title – Marijana, Erin, Stevie-Lee Thompson, Deni Varnhagen, Ebony Marinoff and Anne Hatchard.
“We’re blessed with that ability to have multiple strong leaders within the group and while formal recognition of those four is a really nice moment, we do draw on the experience of a broad subset of players.”
Randall and her team won their trial match against GWS on Sunday at Norwood Oval ahead of their season opener, set to be played on Saturday, January 30.
