Kennedy takes the reins from co-captains Jarrad McVeigh and Kieren Jack, who have elected to step aside from their captaincy roles but will remain in Sydney’s leadership group.  


Swans senior coach John Longmire said Kennedy’s appointment was a credit to his consistency and character.

“Josh is a highly-valued member of our leadership group who consistently sets high standards every week and is a significant driver of our team’s performance,” Longmire said.  



“There’s no doubt that his teammates feel his presence when they run onto the field with him – he’s got a rare ability to lift those around him.

“As captain, we know Josh will do a terrific job and will enjoy tremendous support from our other leaders, including Kieren and Jarrad, who have been outstanding in their roles.

“A key indicator for quality leadership is to ensure that you hand over the job in the best shape possible. Kieren and Jarrad have certainly achieved this. I would like to thank them personally for the support they have provided, and will no doubt continue to provide.

“I would also like to congratulate our new vice captains Dan, Dane and Luke on their appointments. All three lead by example with their hard work on and off the field to drive our team’s values. We know our Club’s leadership is in good hands.”

Outgoing captain Jarrad McVeigh said the time felt right to hand over the role.

“We’ll be right beside Joey to help him along the way and we will be right behind our new vice captains, sharing our experiences,” McVeigh said.

“This is about handing over the baton to the next group who will take our football club into the future. It happened for us – Craig Bolton stepped aside for me and Adam Goodes did the same for Kieren, so it’s a natural progression.”