Werribee’s new captain Robbie Castello. 66476 Picture: SARAH MATRAY
By MICHAEL ESPOSITO
EVEN though Robbie Castello was considered the natural fit to take over the Werribee captaincy this season, he certainly wasn’t just handed the armband.
He had to prove to new coach Scott West what his former coaches already knew, that he was a committed, dedicated and authoritative leader.
“I sat down with Scott, and he said just because I was the player here the longest and played the most games at the club doesn’t mean I’d be automatic captain,” Castello said.
“He’s come in with fresh eyes and wanted to find out things for himself. I just did the hard yards and I just did the things I’ve been doing for the last four or five years at the club and hopefully I’m doing the right thing by the club and presenting myself as a leader at the club.
“It’s a massive honour. I’ve been at the club for eight years, it’s like a second home now, so to be up there on the board with a few other names like Pods (James Podsiadly), Dom (Gleeson) and Trav Robertson, it’s massive honour, so I’m looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity.”
Castello noted the trend of Werribee’s three previous
captains continuing their football careers at Geelong (Podsiadly to the Cats’ AFL side, Gleeson to the Cats’ VFL side, and Robertson to Geelong
Amateurs as coach), but said he had no future plans to travel West.
Castello has been at Werribee for eight years and been vice-captain for three, and said the desire to become skipper became stronger as his stature at the club progressed through the years.
“When you first come to the club tour fighting to make the list like every other kid and then as things go on you set yourself little goals,” he said.
“A few years in you get in the leadership group and the next aim is to work your way up, and I think like any kid you’d love to be captain of a club, so to get the opportunity has been a massive thing for me.”
Castello said he encouraged the open exchange of ideas between players, rather than a do-as-I-say approach to leadership.
“We’ve got a pretty good culture at the footy club and we will hopefully look to improve that, but it’s a very open club,” he said.
“We’ve got good young leaders at the club and we’re definitely open for ideas.
“I know everyone has their say that’s the best way to be I think. If everyone’s got their opinion and say the club’s going to be in a better state.”
Kyle Hartigan has been named vice-captain, while Sam Wormald and Will Sullivan are deputy vice-captains.
