Subiaco Announces 2019 Senior Leadership Group

Following the announcement of Leigh Kitchin as captain of the Subiaco Football Club for the 2019 season, the remainder of Subiaco’s leadership group and leadership structure can now be revealed.

In the Subiaco senior squad Kitchin will oversee a leadership group of eight players, with three new faces to the group this season.

Former AFL trio, Josh Deluca, Angus Litherland and Ben Newton are all first time members of a Subiaco leadership group, that was unanimously chosen by the playing group and endorsed by the Subiaco coaching staff.

“It is a great reward for Josh, Gus and Ben to be chosen by their peers as new leaders of our club,” senior coach Beau Wardman said.

“We believe the addition of the three new leaders helps to provide good transition and sustainability of our leadership group.”

Joining captain Kitchin, Deluca, Litherland and Newton are four key leaders, with Lachlan Delahunty, Justin Joyce, Hayden Kennedy and Jordan Lockyer all remaining in the leadership group for 2019.

This group of eight have all been influential figures around the club in recent years, with all members of the group having played in last year’s league premiership win.

“We believe the leadership group is a great mix of players comprising a wide range of ages, varied experience levels at AFL and WAFL level as well as players originating from our regional and local Subiaco programs,” Wardman said.

The club has looked to further strengthen their internal leadership structure, with the commencement of an official emerging leaders program for the 2019 season.

This program will be overseen by the club’s influential coaching mentor Kellie Properjohn and outgoing captain Kyal Horsley who will continue to provide leadership on and off field in this new capacity.

Coach Wardman saw this as a chance to use Horsley’s unique experience and standing within the group.

“We believe this will be innovative within the competition to run a program which will lean off Kyal’s experience as the group’s mentor,” Wardman said.

“It also aims to provide these players an opportunity to grow their skill set off field in 2019 working closely with both Kyal and Kellie.”

Jack Beverley, Greg Clark, Jack Mayo, Jacob Miller, Nick Menegola, Ben Reid and Ben Sokol will make up the emerging leaders program.

Clark, Miller and Sokol were regulars in the Subiaco league team in 2018, playing in the league premiership, while Beverley, Mayo, Menegola and Reid all played in minor grade premierships.

“This group of seven players were selected in conjunction with the senior group and coaching staff as those who we believe underpin the value of the club,” Wardman said.

“This group show potential to be leaders of the club in future and ensures sustainability of our culture and leadership moving forward.”

The Subiaco Football Club congratulates all of the players who will make up this expanded leadership group in 2019.