Rd 3 SuperCoach VC & Captain Picks – A couple of SuperCoach royalties are back

Round 3 Vice Captains

Connor Rozee

Essendon is currently struggling, and this presents a favorable opportunity for Connor Rozee. Last week, Crouch amassed 143 SuperCoach points, while Dawson scored 124 points. Rozee has a remarkable average of 112.4 SuperCoach points over seven games against Essendon, including impressive scores of 152 and 141 in two of his last three encounters. With a preseason score of 161, followed by 128 in Round 1 and 130 in Round 2, Rozee is an excellent Vice Captain pick and in serious form.

Tom DeKoning

Tom DeKoning was poised for a strong performance last week before being benched for over 10 minutes in the third quarter, disrupting his momentum. With a three-round average of 130 SuperCoach points including his preseason game, he has shown a seriously high ceiling. In Round 1 against the Western Bulldogs, Xerri was the highest scorer, and in Round 2, Cameron was the second highest, can TDK replicate this pattern? Although DeKoning’s historical performance against the Bulldogs may be less encouraging, he has significantly improved and is emerging as a star in the competition.

Patrick Cripps

Patrick Cripps is crucial for Carlton, contributing across all facets of the game. This season, he has recorded scores of 120 and 108. Last week, his potential for a 120+ score was hindered by four free kicks given away. While his career average against the Western Bulldogs isn’t stellar due to an injury-affected score of 21 in 2014 and some low early career scores, he did achieve a remarkable 162 SuperCoach points at this venue in 2022. He might be worth considering as a Vice Captain.

Round 3 Captains

Clayton Oliver

Clayton Oliver’s resurgence is noteworthy. Last year, few would have considered him a strong captaincy choice, but in 2025, he is averaging 30.5 disposals at 75.4% efficiency and 82.4% time on ground (TOG), compared to 23.2 disposals at 66.5% efficiency and 77.8% TOG in 2024. Oliver scored 130 SuperCoach points against North Melbourne last weekend and is set to face Gold Coast, a team he excels against, averaging 132.1 SuperCoach points over nine games, including impressive scores of 166, 175, 143, and 147. He is certainly a captaincy candidate worth considering.

Jackson Macrae

Jackson Macrae is back in form and has been effectively utilized in the midfield. With Western Bulldogs injuries, I am sure they are regretting starving him of opportunities the last couple of years.  Macrae’s role has become even more significant this season where he is averaging 34.5 disposals, 7.5 tackles, 10.5 clearances, and ranks as the third highest averaging player at 144.5 SuperCoach points per game. He faces Richmond, who are currently the fourth easiest matchup for midfielders. Macrae has a high ceiling against the Tigers, with a maximum score of 163 SuperCoach points, making him a solid captaincy option if the Vice Captain fails.

Jordan Dawson

With several SuperCoach stars like Bont and Butters unavailable, Jordan Dawson becomes a prime candidate for a trade-in and captaincy. He delivered an outstanding performance last weekend, recording a balanced distribution of contested and uncontested possessions, along with 11 inside 50s, 6 tackles, and a total of 124 SuperCoach points. Dawson has a favorable matchup against North Melbourne, who have conceded significant scores to opposing midfielders. Given his highest career average against North Melbourne of 119.6 over seven games, he presents a compelling choice for Round 3.

POD Vice-Captain: Bailey Dale (8% Ownership)

I regret not backing Bailey Dale from the start of the season due to his lack of preseason games, yet he has performed exceptionally well with scores of 127 and 141 SuperCoach points. In Round 1, he executed 46% of kick-ins, increasing to 56% in Round 2. Facing Carlton, who present the third easiest matchup for opposition defenders and are averaging 13.5 behinds per game, referring to this statistic, Dale is likely to secure at least seven effective kicks from kick-ins. This and his ceiling makes him an intriguing vice captaincy option for the round.