The young talent that has helped lead the Tamworth Swans' emergence from the North West AFL doldrums and has the club excited about the future is no better encapsulated than in their new captain.
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Adam Cruickshank is set to lead the club for the 2020 season, and at 21 is their youngest captain in the last 15 years, if not ever.
Coach Paul Kelly said the midfielder was "a natural choice".
He has "a good knowledge of footy", is a good talker, and - one of the hardest workers on the field - is held in high esteem by his team-mates.
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"All the boys look up to him," Kelly said.
Having only played his first game of AFL two years ago, for Cruickshank the appointment came "as a bit of a surprise".
"But it's a great privilege and I'm very happy to do it and I can't wait to actually play," he said.
Someone who likes to lead by his actions, he spoke about learning to be a leader as being his greatest challenge at the moment.
A locksmith at North West Locksmith's, Cruickshank played league all through his junior and high school days, but - through his mum - had a connection to AFL and said he always liked the game growing up.
So when Kelly's son Tom, who he had gone to primary school with, suggested he came down for a run around he thought why not.
He found it "a blast" and over the ensuing two seasons has become one of the Swans' best.
Emerging from what was a "frustrating" couple of months in lockdown, Cruickshank said it has been great to get around everyone again and get the Sherrin back in the hands.
"We're all a good bunch of mates at the club so it was just good to be able to do something social with your mates in a way being away from them for two-and-a-half months," he said.
He was fortunate that he lives with a couple of Swans in Jayden Taylor and Harrison Hague so was able to kick the ball around with them. The latter is playing his first season of AFL.
Now as they turn their attention to the 2020 season, the Swans are intent on continuing on the upwards trajectory they have been on the last couple of years.
"Last year was a really good season for us. It didn't end obviously the way we wanted it to but it was a good platform building into this year to hopefully go one step further and make the grand final," Cruickshank said.
To do that, he said they do need to become a bit more structured in the way they attack.
"I think we have a very good team scrapping around the ball and putting effort in, I think we're one of the best teams at it, but I think being that bit more cleaner with the footy will really take us that next step," he said.
