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Scott Burns has been appointed Collingwood captain for the 2008 season.

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire and senior coach Mick Malthouse announced at the Lexus Centre on Thursday that the 247-game veteran has been selected to fill the position vacated by Nathan Buckley, who retired at the end of the 2007 season.

Collingwood also officially announced the structure of its five-man leadership group, with Josh Fraser named Burns’ vice-captain and Tarkyn Lockyer, Nick Maxwell and Scott Pendlebury the three deputy vice-captains.

In discussing the decision, Malthouse spoke highly of Burns as both a player and a person.

"The decision came down to integrity and respect," Malthouse said.

"I remember coaching against Collingwood and seeing Scott Burns come through with the diligence in the way he played, the integrity he was thought of within the community, and the respect that he gained form the opposition as well as his team mates."

Speaking of the leadership group as a whole, Malthouse said it was important to get the right balance.

"When the boys were elected in this leadership group, it became so easy for us to look at the group and say ‘we know that the players have made the right choice, we’ll back them up because it clearly is the right choice’.

"From there we’ve been able to dissect it and have a look, and give the young players such as Scott Pendlebury an opportunity to look at how leadership groups are run, and look at Josh as a vice-captain, who’s been a leader ever since he arrived here."

"We think we’ve got a very well tiered group who can learn from each other and get back up form each other."

Burns, 33, is regarded as one of the toughest and most respected Magpie midfielders of the modern era.

"I’m not going to change too much in terms of my leadership around the place," explained Burns.

"I guess if I was 25, 26 I’d be a lot more nervous, I’m pretty comfortable now. I just see it more as, not really about me, but just a step for the football club for this year and for the future.

"In terms of age, and Mick's talking about mentoring blokes through, I guess my style is not going to be a hierarchy as such, it’s going to be more about empowerment, and I think that’s going to be the best path for us to the next step."

While thrilled to be honoured with the role, Burns, who is almost ready to resume from a calf injury and will play one VFL practice match before round one, says his focus is fully on that first clash with Fremantle at the MCG.

"It’s a terrific honour, not just because of what the club stands for, you know you’ve got all the supporters each week that come and support us, so I’m not only representing the players at certain things but also them.

"As far as I'm concerned I’ve got round one in two weeks and that’s what I’m preparing for, I’m not really looking too much further ahead than that."

Burns' senior playing career has spanned 13 seasons at Collingwood after being drafted from South Australian club Norwood with the 90th overall pick in the 1992 national draft. Burns made his debut in round one of the 1995 season against Carlton at the MCG.

He enjoyed his finest seasons in the grand final years of 2002 and 2003 when he finished second and third respectively in the Copeland Trophy voting, while also being judged the club’s best finals player in 2002.

Also a recipient of the Darren Millane Memorial Trophy as best clubman in 2004, Burns’ potential was recognised in 1995 when he was named Collingwood’s best first-year player.

His appointment comes at a time when the emerging Collingwood side, which boasts some of the best young talent in the competition, is without its captain and vice-captain from 2007 following the retirements of Buckley and James Clement.

But with Burns now at the helm the players still have an experienced, respected player to lead them into battle as the team strives to improve on its preliminary final finish in 2007.