‘Selfless’ Power skipper Boak steps down for team

TRAVIS Boak has quit as captain of AFL club Port Adelaide.

Boak has stepped down after six years in the role, paving the way for Ollie Wines to take over the captaincy.

“I’ve hit 30 now and I’m at the back end of my career so I think it’s a good chance for a change of direction,” Boak said in a statement yesterday.

Wines, 24, has been Port’s vice-captain for the past two seasons and is expected to be ratified as the next skipper early next year.

Boak, originally from Torquay, said it was the “right time” for him to hand over the captaincy.

“The club is in a good position with everything that has been set up off the field and on the field,” he said.

“So it’s a perfect opportunity for the next person to come in and take the lead and push the group forward.

“I’ll still be a leader around the club and whoever takes over next, I’ll be there to support them.

“We’ve got a strong leadership group and a lot of senior players and I’ll be one of those who’ll be there to guide and provide advice as much as I can.”

Boak last season headed a seven-man leadership group with Wines, Tom Jonas, Brad Ebert, Hamish Hartlett, Charlie Dixon and Tom Rockliff.

Boak is the club’s mostcapped captain, leading in 137 games since taking over from Dom Cassisi in 2013.

Power coach Ken Hinkley said Boak had made a selfless decision to step down.

“Travis always does what is right and what is best for the team,” Hinkley said. “And no matter what, nothing is going to get in the way of Trav’s ultimate goal, which is team success. We are in a pretty lucky situation where we’ve now got three or four people who I think could clearly step up.”