The NRMA Insurance Western Sydney Wanderers have today announced the Captaincy Group of Robert Cornthwaite, Mark Bridge and Brendan Hamill for the remainder of the Hyundai A-League 2017/18 season.
Voted in by the players, the trio will assume leadership responsibilities within the squad, with Cornthwaite continuing to skipper the side and Bridge and Hamill serving as deputies.
After joining the Red & Black in July 2016, Cornthwaite has developed into an integral part of the Wanderers defence and has since made 24 appearances for the club across all competitions, scoring three goals.
A fan-favourite both on and off the field, Cornthwaite is the fourth captain in the club’s history following Michael Beauchamp, Nikolai Topor-Stanley and Dimas Delgado.
“For me to have those two [Bridge and Hamill] alongside me and working together, it’s something I’m looking forward to,” said Cornthwaite.
“This team has a lot of great leaders but of for the boys to vote them in I’m sure it’s something very special for them.”
Born and bred in Western Sydney, Bridge is a Wanderers Foundation Player having joined the club back in June 2012.
He remains one of the most decorated players in Wanderers history and is the only player to have won the Wanderers Medal for Player of the Year on two occasions.
Bridge’s 121 appearances for the club is second only to Nikolai Topor-Stanley’s 125, while his haul of 34 goals for the club puts him second on the club’s all-time goal scorers list.
“To be selected by the boys to be part of the leadership group is a big honour. We are a big club and we all want to achieve more for the club,” said Bridge.
“As a group we are very strong, we are committed and we want success. I’ve been part of successful teams at the club before and this is the best group I have been a part of to date.”
A Chipping Norton junior, Hamill is now in his fourth season as a Wanderer.
The 24-year-old defender arrived at the Club in 2014 after spells at Melbourne Heart and K-League side Seongnam FC and went on to play a key role in the Wanderers’ AFC Champions League conquest that same year.
An Australian youth international, Hamill has now made 59 appearances and netted three goals for the club; the last, a header in Sydney Derby XVI.
“It’s a huge honour, I’m from Western Sydney, I’m a local lad and to be voted in by the players and have that respect from the group is very special,” said Hamill.
“Nothing changes with day-to-day stuff, there are plenty of leaders in this team and it is business as usual. There’s a new philosophy we have to learn and we want to play attractive entertaining football and we want to get results.”
