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Ive played my last game as captain. Milan Lucic Jersey . It was a pretty enjoyable match to go out on, and I won the toss.It will take some adjusting to running around without that title next year. Will I run out onto the ground second, or last? Im not sure where Ill fit.Captaining the Saints for the past 11 years has been an incredible honour and its something Ill certainly miss, but the time is right for someone else to lead the club.Leadership is something Ive always prided myself on, and Ill continue to lead strongly next year - it just wont be in an official capacity.Ive always maintained that whatever is in the clubs best interest, I would do. If me continuing in the role was the right move, I was committed to leading again. Richo and I have discussed the captaincy on multiple occasions over the past three years and that dialogue continued this year. Based on the development of our younger leaders, we have decided its time for someone else to step into the role.Im totally comfortable with the decision, but I have to admit I have a bit of an emotional attachment to being captain. Its a position I have a lot of respect for and I guess its shaped my identity to a certain degree. Im honored to have held the position for such a long period of time, so therell be a little bit of an adjustment now. Ill have to do a few things differently to allow the next person to grow the way they need to.Despite captaining a few teams in my junior days, I certainly wasnt 100 percent ready to be skipper when I first took it on in 2005. However, like any young leader I grew into it. In Robert Harvey, Fraser Gehrig, Andrew Thompson and Aaron Hamill, I had a plethora of fantastic mentors to learn from and they offered invaluable council. In making this decision now, we have afforded the next captain the same level of support as theyll still be able to utilise me, Leigh Montagna and a few other senior players as sounding boards.Captains are constantly challenged and the ability to learn on the job is imperative. Ive always been an assertive leader - which is one of my great strengths. But on occasions that strength has become a weakness when I have been either too demanding or demonstrative. I recall challenging a young player publically in a team meeting and it had a really adverse effect on them for probably a month - it crushed their confidence. In my eyes I was just holding them accountable in front of the group but they obviously didnt view it the same way. Thankfully the player involved rebounded after that down month and hes now a really strong player for us, but I had to realise everyone is different, and I couldnt treat everyone the same. This is but one lesson any new captain must learn and Im excited about the opportunity to help fast-track my successors development in areas such as this.Ill have to try to tread a fine line next year in some respects, ensuring I allow our next skipper to make his mark, but driving high standards for the good of the team will never be something I refrain from doing.Obviously a captain does more than just toss the coin at the start of the game and interact with media.Essentially the captain is an extension of both the playing and coaching groups; a bridge between the two. As captain Ive always been in constant dialogue with coaches, understanding their messaging and making sure the players understand that. Since Richo has been coach, in our last meeting before taking the field, hell go through our plan as to how we can win and how we want to play, but then Ill discuss expectations around effort and execution of everyones role. If there are any new players in the team Ill address them in front of the group on what we expect from any player pulling on a Saints jumper.Ive always been strong at articulating a message during the pre-game or half-time speech so everyone understands it and is inspired by it. Although after 11 years Im sure Ive been quite repetitive at times and sounded a bit like a broken record! Thats the challenge that comes with longevity in the role - trying to keep the message fresh and finding different ways to keep the group motivated.Being captain can definitely consume you - youre constantly thinking about the group and its biorhythms. Im not sure if that feeling will reduce because the title is gone - Ill have to wait and see.Looking back at my time as captain is an interesting one. We went through a period of strong, sustained success under Grant Thomas and Ross Lyon without quite reaching our ultimate goal, and then soon after we committed to a deliberate, transparent rebuild. That period was particularly challenging given the expectation to keep winning and play finals. When you fall short of that, its tough. That challenged me in different ways as a leader but Im potentially even more proud of the group through that period than I was when we were absolutely flying. With the group we had through that period of sustained success it was easier as captain because we had so many leaders. So to see how far weve come in the past couple of years, watching the young guys become strong leaders, Im really proud of that.Its always difficult judging leadership from the outside, but two captains I have an enormous amount of respect for are Bob Murphy and Luke Hodge. Murphy really inspired me last year with what he was able to do with a similar group at the Bulldogs - we had similarly strong teams in the late 2000s and both went through serious rebuilds, but Bobs leadership through that really impressed me me. Hodgeys done everything and clearly three flags as skipper speak to his success as a leader. I like his uncompromising style. He appears to hold his group incredibly accountable and is so ruthless on the field. Theyre my two standouts from the current crop of captains.As for who I think will take over from me, its difficult to settle on one name. Thats a good problem to have and is a reflection of our even spread of candidates. Itll probably come from the young guys in the leadership group currently - Jarryn Geary, Jack Steven, David Armitage, Mav Weller and Jack Newnes are all exceptionally strong leaders who have supremely high standards. Thats why Im stepping down now - because there are a number of really good leaders coming through.The club will certainly be in great hands with whoever we choose as captain, and Ill do everything I can to support them. I also know Ill be first to mock them if they stumble during their first pre-game address! Cam Talbot Jersey . Parker had 26 points and eight assists and San Antonio beat Toronto 112-99 Monday night. "We won that game because of Tony Parkers aggressiveness," Spurs coach Gregg Popovich said. "His juice; his aggression all night long. Boyd Gordon Jersey . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. www.authenticoilersshopnhl.com/wayne-gretzky-jersey/ .ca! Kerry, Two nights after the Scott-Eriksson incident in Buffalo, the Bruins returned home to play San Jose. In that game, Zdeno Chara put a check on Tommy Wingels that clearly targeted his head.COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Jose Goncalves and Diego Fagundez scored in second-half stoppage time to give the New England Revolution a 2-0 victory against the Columbus Crew on Saturday. Goncalves in the 91st minute got his first career goal by heading a corner kick from Lee Nguyen. The ball skipped past goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum as the Revolutions A.J. Soares provided a distraction in front. "It was a good ball from Lee at the back post," Goncalves said. "I was in a great position. I was just thinking, I will not miss it." Three minutes later, Nguyen took advantage of a turnover to pass to Fagundez for his sixth score of the season. "We had quality chances," Columbus coach Robert Warzycha said. "We didnt allow the other team to create as many chances as they are used to. Oscar Klefbom Jersey. They didnt create too much until they scored the goals." New England (7-7-6) ended a two-game losing streak that included a 2-1 loss at Colorado on Wednesday when Goncalves own goal was the difference. "The other night he was disappointed," New England coach Jay Heaps said of the defender. "I knew he was carrying this team tonight. He wanted to win this game more than anything. You could tell the way he defended, the way he played all night. To get the winner was a special thing for him." 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