Cale Hooker says the players are excited to be back for pre-season. Photo: Quinn Rooney
The Essendon playing group is set to have a 'fair bit of say' on whether Jobe Watson retains the captaincy, according to 2015 best and fairest winner Cale Hooker.
Brendon Goddard was the leader in 2016 following the unusual circumstance of the player bans. Hooker believes he should not be ruled out of contention, along with Dyson Heppell.
"We had a lot of say on it last year," Hooker told 3AW.
"We rank the players where they sit with our values, we'll do that over the preseason."
"It's hard to say who it's going to be."
Hooker says the Bombers' 2016 best and fairest winner Zach Merrett is also a future leader.
Monday was the first official day back for the banned Bombers, of which Hooker was one. The time away from the club has all the players eager to get back into it.
"I don't think the group has ever been this excited for pre-season," said Hooker.
In his time away from football this year Hooker went travelling, along with continuing his training and he also did a wine vintage with his father, which he saw as one of the positives of the ban.
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