Captainancy Candidates – Round 5

Captainancy Candidates – Round 5

Round 4 Recap – We Got There… Eventually

Round 4 was one of those weeks where you walk away thinking, “that went well”… but also “we probably made that harder than it needed to be.”

Our number one Captain choice, Marcus Bontempelli, did exactly what we wanted with a very nice 153. No stress, no drama, just Bont doing Bont things. If you went there, you were cruising and probably spent most of the weekend acting like this game is easy.

The rest of our options were solid without being spectacular. Zak Butters (114), Max Holmes (112) and Bailey Smith (118) all contributed, but none of them really broke the round open. Harry Sheezel was a little quieter with 97, and Tim English looked like he might get there before his third-quarter injury saw him limp to 79.

But the real story of the round? The big rucks we didn’t fully trust.

Brodie Grundy (184) and Max Gawn (175) absolutely went to work. We had concerns around matchups, concerns about Witts, concerns about recent form… They had none.

Round 5 – Form Meets Role

At this stage of the season, it’s no longer just about who is scoring well, it’s about understanding why they are scoring well.

Marcus Bontempelli is averaging 151 over his last three, Max Gawn 149, while Grundy and Bailey Smith are both sitting at 136. Daicos and Butters hover just under 130, and even that somehow feels like they’re ticking along quietly.

Then there are the emerging names. Jack Sinclair continues to deliver elite output from defence, averaging 124 for the season, while Josh Treacy has quietly put together a 129 average over his last three. That’s not luck, that’s role and confidence starting to align.

This week is about identifying which players are scoring in ways that are repeatable and then matching that with the right matchup.

Max Gawn – Total Control

Melbourne against Essendon sets up almost perfectly for Max Gawn.

What stood out last week wasn’t just the 175, it was how he got there. He dominated the ruck, but also got involved around the ground, took marks, and linked play. That combination is what turns a good score into a captain-winning score.

Essendon don’t have the ruck depth to compete with him, and if Melbourne control the game, Gawn will be central to everything.

We tried to get clever last week.

This week feels like one where we don’t.

Bailey Smith & Max Holmes – The West Coast Effect

Geelong against West Coast is one of the most appealing matchups of the round.

Bailey Smith thrives in games where his team can control possession. His ability to find uncontested ball and stay involved in chains makes him incredibly dangerous in this type of matchup. When the game opens up, his scoring can escalate very quickly.

Max Holmes offers a slightly different profile but benefits just as much. His running patterns and link play allow him to accumulate possessions rapidly, especially if Geelong dominate time in possession.

If the game plays out as expected, both should have plenty of opportunity to score well.

Finn Callaghan – On the Edge

Callaghan looks like a player building towards something.

The role is there, the involvement is increasing, and the consistency is starting to show. His scores of 89, 120, 86 and 124 suggest he’s close, but he hasn’t quite put together that complete game yet.

Against Richmond, that opportunity is there. They allow midfielders to find space, and if GWS control the game, Callaghan should have every chance to take the next step.

Jack Sinclair – The Reliable One

Jack Sinclair just keeps delivering.

His role allows him to consistently find space, receive the ball, and use it efficiently. That combination gives him a very stable scoring base, and when things go well, he can push into that 130 range.

Against Port Adelaide, there should be enough ball movement for him to stay involved, particularly if the Saints look to control play out of defence.

Bontempelli – Still Bont

The matchup against Hawthorn isn’t ideal.

Their ruck setup has been strong, and without English, the Bulldogs may struggle to get first use at stoppages. That could limit the clean midfield ball Bont usually thrives on.

But he doesn’t rely on perfect conditions.

He wins his own ball, he tackles, he impacts contests, and he finds ways to score regardless.

Grundy – Role Over Matchup

Grundy’s form is built on more than just ruck work.

He’s getting involved around the ground, taking marks, and contributing in general play. That means even if the matchup is competitive, he still has multiple ways to score.

We questioned Witts last week.

Gawn didn’t.

Now Grundy gets the same opportunity.

Josh Treacy – The Confidence Play

Treacy is not your typical VC option, but this week he has a lot going for him.

His recent scores show a player growing in confidence and becoming a focal point in his team’s forward structure. He’s taking strong marks, getting good looks at goal, and converting those opportunities into scoreboard impact.

The matchup strengthens the case.

He comes up against Collingwood, notably without Darcy Moore, which weakens their key defensive structure significantly. We saw that last week, with Logan Morris and Oscar Allen both able to kick three goals each as the main tall targets.

That’s exactly the type of setup Treacy can take advantage of.

He’s not the safest option, key forwards rarely are, but if Fremantle can generate enough inside 50s, he could put together a big score quickly.

Carlton vs Adelaide – Starting the Round

The Thursday night game gives us an early opportunity with Jordan Dawson.

He hasn’t exploded yet this season, but the role is there and the matchup is favourable. It’s the perfect way to start your VC strategy and get some early information.

Daicos – Risk?

Daicos comes with a bit of uncertainty after last week’s calf concern, but his ceiling remains as high as anyone’s.

The Friday night timing makes him a perfect VC option. You can take the shot, assess, and decide your next move with full information.

VC Strategy – Structure Wins

With no bye teams this week, planning becomes critical.

The structure of the round allows you to take an early VC, reassess, and then finish with a strong Captain option. Getting that sequence right is just as important as picking the right player.

Captain & Vice-Captain

One important thing to note, there are no bye teams this week, so you won’t automatically have a loophole available.

Therefore, it becomes even more important to look at the timing of the games.

Make sure you’ve planned your loophole.


Final Thoughts

This week is one of those rounds where there are plenty of good options… but also plenty of ways to overthink it.

We’ve got strong form across the board, clear matchups to target, and a structure that allows us to play the VC/C game properly. That’s all you really want.

The key difference this week is that there are no bye teams, which means no automatic loophole sitting there waiting for you. You actually have to plan it. That alone makes timing more important than usual.

If you structure it well, you give yourself multiple chances to get it right. If you don’t… you’re basically guessing and hoping.

From a captaincy point of view, Max Gawn stands out as the cleanest option, but what makes him even more valuable this week is when he plays, Saturday afternoon. That puts him right in the middle of the round, which means he can work as either a high-upside VC option, or a safe Captain fallback if everything before him hasn’t quite landed

Bailey Smith and Max Holmes both benefit from the West Coast matchup, which continues to produce scoring opportunities. Smith probably has the higher ceiling, Holmes the slightly safer profile, but both sit in that very strong “can go big” category.

Callaghan is the interesting one. Not quite proven at captain level yet, but the role and matchup suggest he’s close. If you’re chasing something a bit different, this is where you can make your move.

Sinclair rounds things out as the steady option. Not explosive, but very reliable and sometimes that’s exactly what you need late in the round.

On the VC side, Grundy leads the way as the pure ceiling play. Bont is always there as the “never feels wrong” option, Daicos gives you the Friday night swing, Dawson gets you started early, and Treacy is the wildcard, not safe, but very real upside with the matchup he has.

Captain Options
1. Max Gawn – Elite form, perfect matchup, and flexible timing makes him even more valuable
2. Bailey Smith – Huge ceiling, elite form, great matchup
3. Max Holmes – Same matchup benefits, strong form
4. Finn Callaghan – Feels like the breakout game
5. Jack Sinclair – Safest defender option

Vice-Captain Options
1. Brodie Grundy – Big ceiling, strong matchup
2. Marcus Bontempelli – Still one of the best in the game
3. Nick Daicos (Friday) – Huge ceiling, slight risk
4. Jordan Dawson (Thursday) – Great early VC
5. Josh Treacy (Friday) – In outstanding form, great matchup and confidence