The Brisbane Lions have appointed premiership stars Harris Andrews, Hugh McCluggage and Josh Dunkley as Co-Captains for the 2026 AFL season.
Andrews, who has led the Lions to back-to-back flags as Co-Captain, remains in the role for a fourth consecutive season after being re-elected.
While McCluggage and Dunkley both step into the shared role having been Co-Vice Captains for the last two years.
Brisbane Lions senior coach Chris Fagan said the club saw it as a logical decision to name all three players as captains.
“It was quite unique to have three guys that are more than capable of being great captains at your one club at the one time,” Fagan said.
“If you have three good people than why not have three captains.
“For us, leadership is a teamwork thing so to have three captains reinforces that philosophy and we work really hard to build leadership density at our footy club.
“These three are our best trademark players, they are fine young men, they are different personalities, so they bring different strengths to the table.”
Fagan spoke glowingly of all three captains, starting with Andrews who he said remains in the role for a fourth season because he ticks many boxes.
“Harris is a champion player to start with and a champion bloke who is so enormously respected by his teammates and is a two-time premiership captain for a reason,” the Lions coach said.
“He cares deeply about the team, in games he steps up in the big moments, is a total professional, has a growth mindset and is a great man for the community - so he just ticks so many boxes.”
Fagan explained all three offer different strengths - labelling Andrews ‘the thinker’, McCluggage ‘the emotional intelligence’ and Dunkley ‘the enforcer’.
“Hugh’s growth from the quiet young Vic country lad that he was when he first turned up to the club to now has been exceptional,” he said.
“He isn’t a loud leader, but he is a leader by example and has incredible emotional intelligence, so if I want a read on the group he will give me the best read that I can get.
“Dunks is impatient for results but also a very encouraging guy, he is incredibly honest – disarmingly so at times - if he has something on his mind, he will be the first to walk into my office and just tell me.
“And look at the way he plays, he is a rare beast that tries every bit as hard on defence as he does on offence. If there’s ever a man who would do a job for the team it is him.”
The Lions full eight-man leadership group consists of Jarrod Berry, Cam Rayner, Jaspa Fletcher, Will Ashcroft and off-season recruit Oscar Allen.
“We have real leadership density and are really proud of the entire leadership group,” Fagan said.
“We are still building on our young group underneath, and in our team, we have plenty of guys who have been in the leadership group before which is a great advantage.”
The newly appointed Co-Captains and leadership group will officially be presented at the Club’s 2026 season launch tonight in Brisbane.
