VFL stalwart Dan Capiron is set to lead the Geelong Cats in 2024, announced as captain ahead of Round 1 of the Smithy’s VFL Season.

The intercepting defender is entering his eighth season at GMHBA Stadium, having played at Frankston across the 2015 and 2016 seasons, and finished runner-up in the Club’s VFL best and fairest last year.

Capiron is joined in the leadership group by Vice-Captain Brayden Ham, Bailey van de Heuvel and Marcus Herbert.

Ham joined the Cats ahead of the 2023 VFL season, having previously been at Essendon, where he played 45 AFL games across four seasons.

The 24-year-old had an injury-interrupted first season at the Cattery after suffering a hamstring tear against Werribee in Round 4 last year, but came back to ultimately make 12 appearances in the Hoops, and has an impressive pre-season behind him as he looks to make an impact in 2024.

Van de Heuvel also joined Geelong last year after spending the previous two seasons with Footscray in the VFL, and impressed with his intercepting work in defence – ranked top five in the league – and was invited to the State Draft Combine in October.

The 25-year-old finished fourth in the Club’s VFL best and fairest last year, with his composure, reliability across half-back and clean aerial skills features of his game.

South Warrnambool footballer Herbert made his first couple of appearances for the Cats in 2021, combining the state league matches alongside his NAB League commitments with Greater Western Victoria Rebels, before joining the program on a more regular basis in 2022.

With great agility and the ability to weave his way through traffic, the 21-year-old had a breakout 2023 season when he moved into defence.

Capiron, who, like van de Heuvel, was ranked top-five in the league for intercepts last season, was Vice-Captain at the Cats last year, and had his first taste of the captaincy when he stepped up as acting captain when Angus Byrne missed several games through injury in the second half of the season.

The experienced defender said he still felt privileged to be a Geelong VFL player, and was humbled to be selected to lead the Cats this season.

“It’s very humbling – it’s not something I thought I was going to get at any stage soon,” Capiron said.

“I know the VFL system, especially at Geelong, is a finite thing. To be here as long as I have – I think it’s my eighth year now – I feel very privileged just to be here every day. So I’m fortunate in that regard, and then to be a representative of the playing group now with this role, it’s something that’s very exciting.”

Capiron noted how well his fellow leadership group members had already set themselves up as leaders over the pre-season.

“Brayden has obviously got that AFL experience. He’s got a wealth of knowledge and explains himself really, really well, especially with roles, structures and little tips and tricks for the younger blokes as well, and they really resonate with that,” Capiron said.

“Bailey came along in leaps and bounds last year. Very impressive, it’s not often you come across a 200-plus-cm player who can move as well as he does and mark the ball like he does.

“Even with his experience at Footscray prior to being at Geelong, he’s been awesome with that experience and being vulnerable, and being able to put that across to the other boys as well and not being shy to try to impart his wisdom on other people, which is awesome.

“Marcus is only 21, which is hard to believe, he’s very impressive, ‘Disco’. The way he moves the ball off half-back and the way he sees the game is very impressive – I’d love to be able to see the game like he does, and be able to hit the kicks and hit the decisions that he does.

“So, again, he’s not shy in imparting his wisdom that he’s got from his short journey in the VFL, but his journey across his whole football (experience) and in life, he imparts that whenever he needs to, and it’s awesome to see.

“It’s a very good leadership group coming through, and I’ll be leaning on them a hell of a lot, just as they will me.”

Geelong’s VFL team opens its 2024 campaign against Werribee this Saturday at GMHBA Stadium, as part of a double-header with the Club’s VFLW team.

First bounce is at 2.05pm, and will be streamed live and free on afl.com.au and the AFL Live Official App for those unable to attend.