Chaplin, 22, has been touted as a future skipper of Port Adelaide since arriving at the club at the end of 2003 and was a surprise omission from the Power’s 2009 leadership group.
But the young Victorian, who spent time with the leadership group in an unofficial role last season, said he was more than happy to take a backseat next year.
“This season I really want to concentrate on footy and, with the leadership, take a bit of a backwards step in that. I haven’t been put in the leadership group, but that’s not going to change me as a person, I’m still going to voice my opinion and be that leader on track,” Chaplin said on Wednesday.
“I thought last season wasn’t a great one for me, personally. I think the way I finished off 2007 was probably the best footy I’ve played, so to go in last year with some real confidence and then not to play as well as I would’ve liked or up to my expectations was a little bit disappointing.
“I probably think I concentrated on leadership a bit too much last year, so I’m going to take a bit of a backwards step and concentrate on my footy.”
Port Adelaide’s fourth captain will emerge from the eight-man leadership group, which consists of Chad and Kane Cornes, Shaun Burgoyne, Dom Cassisi, Dean Brogan, Brendon Lade, Steve Salopek and Daniel Motlop
Of that eight, three- Cassisi, Brogan and Kane Cornes- have been in and out of the Power’s official leadership group over the past few years.
Kane Cornes and Cassisi, who are two frontrunners for the top job, were both left out of the group in 2007 but worked diligently to get back in for the 2008 season.
Chaplin said he could draw on the experiences of the star duo.
“Obviously, Kane wasn’t voted in [the leadership group] in 2007, but to his credit he bounced back and really improved his leadership skills. He became more unselfish, as we told him to be, and it was fantastic for him,” Chaplin said.
“It’s great for a guy, who has won two best and fairests, to be in there now. He’s become a real leader at the club and you can see his transformation.
“It’s something I’ll look at and it’s the same with Dean Brogan; he got left out and has been put back in there and Dom too. It’s fantastic to these guys and something I can look to and, hopefully, turn around.”
Port Adelaide has not ruled out adopting the use of dual captains for the first time in club history and Chaplin said it was important the eight-man group worked together to cover the loss of Warren Tredrea, who has removed himself from any official leadership role.
“Each guy is strong in certain areas and not so strong in others, so it’s going to be interesting to see which way the club goes,” he said.
“Guys are efficient in one area, but might not be in the other area and then another guy might be efficient in that area. We balance out pretty well, but whoever gets captain, it’s not really going to matter.
“The guys in the leadership group are going to cover each other and be good in areas that others aren’t. In the end, everyone is a leader on field. There’s just one guy that tosses the coin, calls heads and decides which way he’s going to kick.”
