Captainancy Candidates – Round 4

Captainancy Candidates – Round 4

Round 3 Recap – A Big Bump in the Road

Round 3 didn’t quite go to script… well, not all of it anyway.

Tristan Xerri, our number one Captain choice, put up a very un-Xerri-like 66, which was a bit of a shock to just about everyone. There were a few factors at play and sometimes rucks just have those games where things don’t quite click, but it was definitely not what we were expecting.

Having said that… if you zoom out slightly, our Captain last week is actually averaging 134 over his last two games, which sounds a lot better and is definitely how we’ll be choosing to remember it.

Outside of that, things were actually pretty solid. Max Gawn delivered again with 131, Zak Butters backed up with 126, and Harry Sheezel was outstanding with 145, showing once again why he’s one of the safest premium options in the game right now. Luke Jackson was probably the only other slight disappointment with 108, but that game was played in wet, slippery conditions, and it looked like one of those days where marking the ball was optional, not ideal for his scoring.

So while Xerri hurt, the overall process still held up. The options were right, the matchups were right… just one of those weeks.

Round 4 – Now We Can Trust Form

This is where things start to get interesting.

We’re now far enough into the season that form actually means something. Two or three rounds isn’t everything, but it’s enough to start identifying trends, roles and players who are genuinely in hot form rather than just popping up for a one-off score.

Looking across the competition, there are plenty of players who have started the season on fire and are putting their hands up as genuine Captain options. Over their last two matches, Marcus Bontempelli has posted 160 and 141, Zak Butters 135 and 126, and Nick Daicos an impressive 126 and 150. Max Gawn continues to show his reliability with 141 and 131, while Harry Sheezel has been just as strong with 124 and 145. Jordan Clark has quietly delivered 119 and 129, Max Holmes has gone 141 and 121, and Bailey Smith has exploded with 118 and a massive 172. Tim English has been consistent with 127 and 114, and Tom Stewart has produced 133 and 120.

The challenge this week isn’t finding options, it’s narrowing them down, because there are plenty of players in form who could easily justify the captaincy.

Its like we have to find a reason NOT to captain someone.

Bulldogs vs Essendon – Yes Please

One of the standout matchups this week is Bulldogs vs Essendon, and based on what we’ve seen, this is a game you want exposure to.

Essendon continue to leak points to midfielders. Just last week, Sheezel put up 145 and LDU went 124, which tells you there is plenty of scoring available. That brings Marcus Bontempelli straight back into the conversation, and he looks like one of the strongest Captain options of the round.

Ed Richards also shapes as a nice option if you’re looking slightly outside the obvious, given his role and ability to accumulate.

Then there’s Tim English, who goes up against Blakiston in the ruck. On paper, that’s a very favourable matchup, and given his form, he should be right in the mix as well.

Richmond – Still the Gift That Keeps Giving

Richmond continue to be one of the best teams to target, particularly for midfielders.

Last week it was Serong and Bolton who took advantage, and this week it’s Port Adelaide who get their turn. That immediately brings Zak Butters back into the frame. He missed the Richmond matchup last year, but prior to that he had gone 158, 175 and 89, plenty of upside in this fixture.

With his current role and form, he’s very hard to ignore.

Sydney vs West Coast – Not As Easy As It Sounds

Sydney take on West Coast in Perth, and while historically this has been a matchup we love, it’s quietly becoming a bit trickier. West Coast are showing signs of being more competitive at home, and teams are finding it a little harder than expected.

That said… rucks against West Coast are still very much in play.

That brings Brodie Grundy into the conversation, although his last two scores against the Eagles are only 104 and 93, which makes him more of a solid option rather than a standout Captain play.

Sheezel – Form vs Situation

Harry Sheezel’s form is impossible to ignore, with scores of 124 and 145, and he now comes up against Carlton, who are a little bit unpredictable at the moment.

It’s a good matchup on paper, but there is one concern, North Melbourne will be without Xerri for the next few weeks, which could impact the quality of midfield supply. It doesn’t rule Sheezel out, but it is something to consider.

Daicos – The Tag Question

Nick Daicos is in outstanding form, but the concern this week is a potential tag from Jarrod Berry against Brisbane.

We had similar concerns last week and he still pumped out 150, so maybe it doesn’t matter… or maybe this is the week it finally does.

Geelong vs Hawthorn – Proceed With Caution

Geelong take on Hawthorn (i look forward to this game every year), and this is one of those matchups that doesn’t look as SuperCoach friendly as you might expect.

Hawthorn have been very restrictive to midfielders this season. No Sydney midfielder got over 90 against them, and only Merrett and Oliver have cracked 100 so far this season.

That makes players like Holmes, Smith and Stewart a bit riskier despite their strong form.

Gawn – A Slight Red Flag

We need to have a quick word on Max Gawn.

While his form has been excellent, this week’s matchup against the Suns is not as friendly as it looks. His last three scores against Gold Coast are 97, 90 and 88, largely due to the presence of Jarrod Witts.

It doesn’t mean Gawn will fail, but it likely caps his ceiling compared to other options this week.

Noah Anderson – Great Player, Tricky Spot

We also need to talk about Noah Anderson.

On form, he’s right in the mix, but this week comes with a few concerns. Gold Coast play Melbourne at the MCG, a ground where Anderson hasn’t historically produced his best scores. We saw that just two weeks ago against Richmond where he managed only 96.

Add in a stronger opposition midfield and the likelihood that Anderson attracts more attention, and it just feels like a slightly tougher week for him. He can absolutely still score well, but he’s probably not a top-tier Captain play this round.

Maybe Touk Miller might be a better option. He has excellent form and added midfield responsibility with Rowell out and Petracca unavailable for a few weeks. With Anderson likely to get more attention, Miller could benefit. His last two scores against Melbourne were 122 and 127, and while ownership is low, he’s the type of player that might not stay under the radar for long, especially with likely forward DPP status coming soon


Final Thoughts – Captain & Vice-Captain

Captain Options 
1. Marcus Bontempelli – Elite form + Essendon matchup
2. Zak Butters – Richmond matchup, great role, huge ceiling
3. Tim English – Soft ruck matchup, strong form
4. Harry Sheezel – Safe accumulation option
5. Max Holmes/Bailey Smith – Outstanding form, tougher matchup but still capable

Vice-Captain Options 
1. Nick Daicos (Thursday) – Perfect VC setup, huge ceiling
2. Caleb Serong (Friday) – Strong form + great matchup
3. Noah Anderson – High Ceiling
4. Jordan Clark (Friday) – POD option with upside
5. Touk Miller – Great form, more responsibility, and strong history vs Melbourne


The Golden Rule

If you’ve analysed everything, changed your mind twice and still can’t decide..… just captain Bont.