Captainancy Candidates – Round 6

Captainancy Candidates – Round 6

Round 5 Recap – When It Actually Works

Round 5 was one of those weeks where everything lined up the way it was supposed to, which, as we all know, doesn’t happen every week.

Max Gawn delivered again with 131, Bailey Smith went large with 151, Max Holmes followed closely with 138, and Finn Callaghan finally produced the score that had been building with 135. Four Captain options, four strong returns, and for once it felt like the plan actually made sense while it was happening, not just afterwards.

Jack Sinclair was the only one that didn’t quite join in with 82, which is about the moment you remember that defenders are great… until they’re not.

On the VC side, Grundy’s 124 was solid enough, but the one that really stood out was Isaac Heeney’s 196 against West Coast. That’s the type of score where you look back and think, “yeah… that probably should’ve been more obvious.”

Once again, when West Coast are involved, the ceiling is always there.

Round 6 – Same Question

At this point in the season, things are starting to simplify.

Form matters. Role matters.

But matchup still quietly dictates everything.

So we start where we always start…

Who plays West Coast?

Fremantle vs West Coast

This week it’s Fremantle, and once again that puts a number of players straight into contention.

Caleb Serong and Andrew Brayshaw both look set for strong games. If Fremantle control possession, which they’re expected to do, both will find plenty of the ball and build their scores naturally. This is the type of matchup where midfielders don’t need to force anything, the game opens up around them.

Josh Treacy also comes into the conversation. His form has been strong, and against a defence that continues to give up opportunities to key forwards, he should get his looks again. If the supply is there, he won’t need many chances to make an impact.

But the key discussion centres around Luke Jackson.

Sean Darcy’s injury has opened the door, but what happens next is crucial. If Jackson is left to ruck on his own, everything points towards a massive score. More ruck contests, more involvement around the ground, and a matchup that consistently produces points for opposition rucks, it’s exactly what you look for in a Captain.

However, it’s unlikely to be that straightforward.

The expectation is that Fremantle will bring Mason Cox into the side, which makes sense structurally. That gives them a genuine ruck presence and allows Jackson to split his time more evenly.

If that happens, Jackson remains a strong option, but his ceiling is reduced. Sharing the ruck takes away some of those easier points and limits his overall involvement.

So while the matchup is still excellent, this becomes a decision driven by team selection.

If Cox doesn’t play, Jackson pushes right to the top of the list.

If he does, the play becomes more calculated. They play last game, so we can’t even do a VC option on Jackson.

North Melbourne vs Richmond – The Safe Path

If you’re looking for reliability, Harry Sheezel is right there again.

His season so far, 134, 124, 145, 97 and 127, highlights both consistency and ceiling. He finds the ball easily, uses it well, and is involved across multiple parts of the game.

Against Richmond, who continue to allow midfielders to get space, he shapes as one of the safest Captain options available.

Luke Davies-Uniacke also deserves a mention. Five straight tons to start the season shows consistency, and while the ceiling hasn’t quite been there yet, this is the type of matchup where that could change quickly.

Gold Coast vs Essendon – A New Opportunity

This game took a turn during the week.

What looked like a clear Noah Anderson play suddenly changed when he was ruled out following appendix surgery.

That opens the door for Christian Petracca.

Before his injury, Petracca was in outstanding form, posting scores of 170 and 152, and even in the game he was hurt, he was tracking towards another big total before finishing on 86.

If he returns at full fitness, he steps straight back into a high-impact midfield role, and against an Essendon side that still gives up points, the opportunity is immediately there.

Different name, same setup, and potentially the same result. 

Anyone bringing Petracca back this week, can go the whole-hog and put the C on him

Geelong vs Bulldogs – Friday Night Balance

Friday night presents one of the more even matchups of the round.

Geelong’s system continues to benefit Bailey Smith and Max Holmes, while the Bulldogs remain heavily reliant on Marcus Bontempelli.

The key factor here is the ruck.

Last week, the Bulldogs were completely beaten in that area, and Bont’s scoring suffered as a result. Geelong don’t present the same level of dominance, which helps, but the question is whether Tim English returns.

If he does, Bont’s outlook improves significantly.

If he doesn’t, there’s still some uncertainty.

Geelong have also been willing to use a tag this season, which adds another layer to consider and likely pushes Bont more into the VC conversation.

Smith and Holmes, on the other hand, continue to benefit from role and system, making them strong options again.

GWS vs Sydney – Friday Night Ceiling

Friday night continues to provide strong VC opportunities.

Brodie Grundy stands out immediately. GWS simply don’t have the ruck strength to match him, and regardless of who lines up against him, he should be able to control that part of the game.

Then there’s Isaac Heeney.

After last week’s 196, there’s not much left to say. His role is elite, his form is elite, and when Sydney get on top, he’s central to everything.

On the GWS side, Finn Callaghan continues to build, but the likely presence of a James Jordon tag makes him a much riskier option this week.

Hawthorn vs Port Adelaide – Tougher Conditions

Zak Butters was outstanding last week, but this matchup looks more difficult.

Hawthorn are structured, their ruck division is strong, and they don’t allow opposition midfielders easy access. Butters will still find the ball, but it may take more effort to reach a big score.

St Kilda vs Adelaide – A Role Emerging

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is starting to find his rhythm.

After his first 130+ score last week, even with attention, he now comes into a matchup where he should have more freedom. Adelaide haven’t shown a consistent tagging approach, which gives him the opportunity to build on that performance.

If his role continues to develop, another strong score is well within reach.

Melbourne vs Brisbane – The Safety Net

On paper, this isn’t the easiest matchup.

But Max Gawn has shown that matchup doesn’t define him.

Even with a relatively modest 131 last week, he still controlled large parts of the game. His ability to score in multiple ways gives him one of the safest floors in the competition.

He’s now averaging around 140 for the season, which is elite, and with Champion Data projecting him to go as high as 185 this week, the upside is still very much there.

With Melbourne playing late on Sunday, he remains the perfect fallback option if things haven’t gone to plan earlier in the round.

Final Thoughts – Captain & Vice-Captain

This round is all about using the timing of the games properly.

You’ve got strong Friday night options to take a shot, and then a perfect run home with reliable Captain choices.

Use that structure, but make sure you have a loophole option.

Captain Options
1. Max Gawn (Sunday) – Elite form, matchup-proof, and the ultimate safety net
2. Harry Sheezel (Saturday) – Consistent, reliable, and in a perfect matchup
3. Christian Petracca (Saturday) – Returns with elite scoring potential
4. Caleb Serong (Sunday) – West Coast matchup and high involvement
5. Luke Jackson (Sunday) – Huge upside, but dependent on team selection

Vice-Captain Options
1. Brodie Grundy (Friday) – Should dominate the ruck
2. Isaac Heeney (Friday) – Coming off 196, role is elite
3. Bailey Smith / Max Holmes (Friday) – Strong roles in a favourable system
4. Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (Saturday) – Building confidence and role
5. Marcus Bontempelli (Friday) – Always capable, but slightly matchup dependent

Personally, i don’t mind Sheezel VC and Gawn as Captain