Rd 8 AFL Fantasy VC & Captain Picks – Brayshaw, Zorko, Gawn?

After a massive bounce back week in round 7, things get tougher in terms of Captaincy options again this week. 

So who are the guys we should be looking at to lead our sides up the rankings as we head towards the middle section of the season? Let’s take a look!

VC Options

The obvious option on Thursday night for his owners will be Zach Merrett. 4 tons from 6 games so far this year, including 2 scores of 130+ is handy form leading into this one. Last year against the Roos, he was well held to 78, which was his second lowest score of the season, but in 2023 he posted a monster 155 against them, followed by a 90 later in the year. His numbers don’t read quite as well as some of the other guys that we have looked at as VC options this year, but we know what he is capable of on his day, and if you own him, it was to be a Captaincy option, so you would be silly not to have a look at him as your VC.

Tristan Xerri is the other obvious guy to have a look at this week, and I actually have him ahead of Merrett if you own both of them. Back to back tons suggest he has found his form after a rough patch, and this week he comes up against his old master, Todd Goldstein, who battled hard last week against Darcy Cameron, but still allowed him to score 103 points. It is easy to forget how dominant the Big X was last year with scores of 156, 150 and 168 in a three week stretch. He has had a tough run for a ruck so far this year, and now that it is opening up, I think we can expect X to be back to his best moving forward.

If you don’t own either of the guys above, don’t panic, because there is a more than respectable argument for Harry Sheezel to be your VC in this matchup. A low score of 90 this year, 4 tons from 7 games, and a ceiling of 125. Last week we saw him move back into that old role across half back, and whilst he didn’t pump out a ceiling score, we know what he is capable of when he plays across there, highlighted by a huge 159 last year, which was at the end of a 5 week stretch of 120+ scores. He also scored 119 against the Bombers last year, and this game is at Marvel where he has already scored 3 tons from 4 games this year, including his 125.

If you don’t like any of the guys named above, don’t own any of them, or your pick misses the mark, as always I have named the top 5 Captaincy options for round 8, in order, below!

Captains – Top 5

• Max Gawn

Talking about big guys who have found form, Gawn has been well and truly back to his best over the last 3 weeks with scores of 138, 125 and 118. This week he comes up against West Coast, who last year he only scored 86 and 71 (injured) against. This year will be very different. Matt Flynn has taken over as the number 1 ruck for the Eagles over the last 2 weeks, and in that time he has allowed scores of 95 to Draper before being subbed out early due to injury and 131 to Lloyd Meek last week. With Gawn in the form he is in, there should be another huge score for his owners coming up this week in a nice match up.

• Nick Daicos

Staying on the topic of hot form, how good has Daicos been? 120 last week to back up his consecutive 130+ scores in the two weeks prior for a 3 round rolling average of 129. He comes up against the Cats this week who only allowed him to score 85 against them last time they met, but they have been allowing midfielders to score freely against them this season, with Patrick Crips scoring 131 against them last week the latest example. Whether he cops a hard tag or not in this one wont matter with the form he is in and the fact no one can run with him, so he is a safe Captaincy option again this week.

• Andrew Brayshaw

Another player in good form with 5 consecutive tons, 4 of them over 110 and an average of 117 in that time. This week he comes up against St Kilda, who last year he scored 94 against, but they are another team who are giving up points to opposition midfielders. Last week Neale (128), Dunkley (113) and McCluggage (113) all scored 110+ against the Saints, and the week before it was Sanders (130), Bont (119) and Liberatore (114) all cashing in. The points will be there for Brayshaw, assuming he avoids the hard tag from Windhager, which I think he should, and he can be backed in with confidence.

• Bailey Smith

If Bailey Smith was a mid only, he would be getting more appreciation as a Captaincy option in AFL Fantasy this year. There is something about being forward eligible that makes you look over guys to wear the armband for you, but that shouldn’t be the case this year with Bazlenka. 5 tons from 6 games, 3 of them 126 or more, and an average of 114 for the season. That is uber premium midfielder territory. This week he plays the Pies, who have been a tough match up for midfielders this year, but Smith has been good enough that you can back him in regardless.

• Dayne Zorko

Zorko plays the Suns at the Gabba this week, where he had scores of 184 (against the Suns), 148 and 131 last year, along with 126 already this year. He also loves playing the Suns, who last year he absolutely torched with the already mentioned score of 184 and 139 in their two matchups. Honestly, the numbers couldn’t be any more enticing, and the only reason he doesn’t sit at number 1 this week is the concerning 3 week stretch prior to last weeks 124 where he averaged 81.6. I back him in to be at his best this week, but it is hard to have him right up the top after a slow stretch over the last month.