*** its official ****
Jake King to lead the Richmond Tigers * Matt Windley
* From: Herald Sun
* February 10, 2011 8:19PM IN A move that will surprise many, much-maligned Jake King will captain Richmond in matches against Carlton and Collingwood on Saturday night.
Voted in by the leadership group and coaches, the 56-game midfielder will lead in the absence of Chris Newman, who will have a delayed pre-season start.
King was at the crossroads at the end of 2009, after the arrival of coach Damien Hardwick and a late-season suspension for striking Collingwood's Alan Didak.
King, 26, paid tribute to Hardwick, who he credits with helping turn his career around.
"He's played a massive part," King said.
"Playing the same sort of style to myself has actually helped him understand me and also helped me to be able to understand where he's coming from and know what's right and wrong.
"I know you're meant to learn that as a young kid, but both of us, I suppose, are set in our ways.
"He's been really good. He's helped tweak a few things and he's been really positive."
King said the reaction from his teammates since the announcement had given him extra confidence in his own game.
"The boys have been really good. They've been behind me 100 per cent," he said.
"I think that's the biggest part - knowing that the boys trust you.
"It makes you grow an extra leg and really boosts your confidence."
With the Tigers to play games one and two on Saturday night, the club's coaching staff will have to make do with a makeshift coaches box in a corporate hospitality area behind one of the goals at Etihad Stadium.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/jake-king-to-lead-the-richmond-tigers/story-e6frf9jf-1226003943625
