The former Newcastle Jet was told shortly before kick-off that he would be leading out the side and he was thrilled.

"It was a special moment for me," said Kohler. "It's the first  time I've ever captained a team. It would be an honour (to be given the captaincy for the season) but I think there's a few people who can captain this team. Whoever does will do a fantastic job.

"Whoever the captain is I think they'll be happy to get performances like that (the win over Brisbane Roar) week in and week out."

Coach Ian Ferguson has yet to make a decision but felt Kohler's efforts over recent weeks had made him a worthy choice for Sunday's first Fury game in Townsville.

"Paul has been one of our most consuistent players over the pre-season," said Ferguson. "He's shown some good leadership qualities in the last two or three games and I decided to give him it (the armband) at the last minute."