As we approach the concluding round of the 2025 season, I want to extend my gratitude to all Honeyball members, as well as everyone who has liked, shared or read my articles this year.
I hope you found them beneficial at various stages of the season. Last week we witnessed several near misses but finished strong with Xerri scoring 187, Bont 148 and English 132 SuperCoach points.
Vice Captains:
Tom De Koning (TDK)
In recent months, TDK’s form has been inconsistent and he has shared the ruck responsibilities at times. If named as the sole ruck, this matchup presents an excellent opportunity for him. Goldstein has been reliable for Essendon this season but I anticipate that De Koning’s youth and forward thrust will outpace the veteran. In their last encounter, De Koning recorded 146 SuperCoach points.
Nick Daicos
Currently, Nick boasts the fifth-best five-round average in the competition at 137.6 SuperCoach points. Earlier this year he scored 95 points but last season he achieved a remarkable 186 points. Melbourne ranks as the fourth-easiest matchup for opposing midfielders and Daicos is likely to capitalise on this advantage.
Jordan Dawson
Dawson holds the tenth-highest season average among midfielders in 2025 at 113.3 with a current three-round average of 130.3 SuperCoach points. His peak score this season occurred at this venue in Round 18 where he tallied 157 SuperCoach points against the Western Bulldogs. North presents the third-easiest matchup for opposing midfielders making Dawson a popular selection this week.
Tristan Xerri
Last round, Xerri continued to excel against Richmond with a three-round average of 160.3 SuperCoach points against them. This week he faces Adelaide, in recent week opposing ruck’s including Cameron scoring 142, Meek 117 and Sweet 125 against them. While Xerri’s historical performance against Adelaide isn’t stellar, I still expect a strong outing.
Bailey Smith
Since Round 20, Smith has posted scores of 156, 119, 141 and 131. His recent personal life developments may be positively influencing his SuperCoach performance (wink, wink). This week he faces Richmond who have struggled recently. Richmond has allowed the most points to opposing midfielders in 2025 with notable scores from players like Sheezel (183) and Daicos (177). Smith is poised to be an extremely popular choice this week.
Max Holmes
Similar to Smith, Holmes benefits from a favorable matchup against Richmond. While his individual record against them isn’t outstanding the presence of SuperCoach-relevant players with high ceilings makes him a viable option with this matchup. In his last game at the M.C.G. he utilised his speed effectively, scoring 155 SuperCoach points.
Brodie Grundy
As of this writing, there is no update regarding Grundy’s availability for the final round. If fit, he faces a SuperCoach-friendly matchup against West Coast who have conceded the most points to opposing ruck-men this season. Recent performances by opposition rucks include English (132), Gawn (131) and Jackson (123). Grundy has historically performed well at this venue holding a career average of 119.6 across nine appearances. Prior to his injury, he had an outstanding score of 200 against Essendon. If he plays, expect Grundy to be a highly sought-after pick.
Vice Captains
- Jordan Dawson
- Tom De Koning (if solo ruck)
- Tristan Xerri
Captains
- Bailey Smith
- Max Holmes
- Brodie Grundy
