Last week a high pecentage of players were rewarded by bringing in Nick Daicos and giving him the VC armband. This week we have some fantastic matchups for some SuperCoach royalty.
With Round 6 in the books, it’s time to take stock of how our captaincy calls played out and cast our eyes forward to the best options for the upcoming round. Last week’s captain choices were a mixed bag — some coaches struck gold, while others were left lamenting a missed opportunity.
Round 7 Vice Captains
Max Gawn
Last week, those who captained Gawn faced a tense moment at three-quarter time. However, Gawn showcased his leadership and skill, leading his team to victory in the final quarter with 10 disposals (6 contested), 3 marks, 5 clearances, 9 hit-outs, and 2 missed goals, finishing with 117 SuperCoach points. Ruckmen have averaged 111.3 SuperCoach points this season against Nankervis, making Richmond the second easiest matchup for opposing rucks. Gawn has an impressive career average of 128.9 against Richmond over 12 games, with 7 scores of 140+, including a remarkable 162 in 2024 and 174 in 2023. Owners should lock him in!
Nick Daicos
Those who traded for Nick Daicos over the weekend were rewarded with the highest score of the round: 172 SuperCoach points. He boasts a 5-round average of 124.6 and is expected to be a popular choice against an undermanned Essendon. With a 3-game average of 121.6 against Essendon, Daicos thrives in high-pressure situations. Despite Essendon occasionally sending a ‘cooler’ to players, such as Durham or Setterfield, Daicos is likely to excel, especially given Essendon’s injury struggles.
Zach Merrett
With several of Essendon’s key players, including Caldwell, Parish, Bryan, and Draper, sidelined, much will depend on Merrett. Surprisingly, he only laid 1 tackle last weekend, and West Coast effectively neutralized his kicking game, resulting in 14 handballs among his 26 disposals. However, Collingwood’s system tends to yield high scores for opposing midfielders, ranking them as the 4th easiest matchup. Merrett averages 128.1 against Collingwood over his last 7 games, with a floor of 116 in 2021 and a ceiling of 145 in 2024. He is a strong option this week.
Round 7 Captains
Zak Butters (POD Captain 1.6%)
It’s fantastic to see Zak Butters back in action. Few players attack the ball with as much intensity, and his return has visibly uplifted his team. After scoring 104 SuperCoach points against the Saints, Butters followed up with 135 against Hawthorn and 164 against Sydney. He averages 101.3 over 58 games at Adelaide Oval, and recent weeks have seen solid scores from opposing midfielders, including Hewett’s 171 and Rowell’s 126. He has shown enough to earn the captain’s armband this week.
Tristan Xerri
After a few quiet weeks, Xerri bounced back impressively last weekend despite his team’s overall struggles against Carlton. He managed to score 144 SuperCoach points against premier ruckman Tom DeKoning, finishing with 14 disposals, 11 tackles, and 43 hit-outs. Xerri has limited data against Port Adelaide, having played them only once last year, where he scored 119 SuperCoach points against Jordan Sweet. This week, he is expected to dominate Sweet.
Marcus Bontempelli
It was exhilarating to see Marcus Bontempelli back on the field last weekend, looking as though he had been playing all season. He recorded 20 disposals and 2 goals by halftime, showcasing his exceptional talent. With Darcy’s injury, Bontempelli may spend more time forward, but he will still be utilized for clearances. His natural forward instincts could see him score 2 to 3 goals while still accumulating 20 to 25 disposals. Last weekend, he had 70% of his disposals in the forward half, ending with 30 disposals, 2 goals, and 159 SuperCoach points. Bontempelli has an interesting history against the Giants, with a peak score of 164 in 2023 and previous strong performances against deBoer.
Vice Captains
- Zach Merrett
- Max Gawn
- Nick Daicos
Captains
- Tristan Xerri
- Zak Butters
- Marcus Bontempelli
