Ben Ashton from AFL SuperCoach 360 weighs up the best vice-captain and captain options for Round 15.
Luke Jackson vs Geelong
One of the top rucks of 2026, playing for the team sitting on top of the ladder, at home, against rookie Edwards, on a Thursday night.
An almost perfect VC setup.
Max Holmes vs Fremantle
Baz and Stewart aren’t playing, and Fremantle rarely tag opponents. Holmes is in great form and should be one of Geelong’s primary ball winners. He should rack up plenty of possessions and has genuine 150+ potential.
A very safe VC option. If you’re looking at the Thursday night game, the VC comes down to Holmes or Jackson for me, with Jackson getting the slight nod.
Noah Anderson vs Hawthorn
Anderson has rediscovered some ridiculous form lately, and the Suns will be desperate to get their season back on track against the Hawks.
His early-season form still leaves a slight question mark, but a 130+ score would not surprise me at all.
Jordan Dawson vs Melbourne
Dawson’s recent form has been off the charts. He smashed Geelong, dominated the Bulldogs, and I don’t think Melbourne presents a matchup that slows him down.
The inclusion of Rankine doesn’t concern me at all. A very solid VC/C option.
Max Gawn vs Adelaide
Gawn continues to defy all odds, and is smashing it in 2026 with 100+ every week. McAndrew has competed well this year without dominating, while Gawn continues his remarkable run of consistency.
Fresh off a monster 168 against Essendon, another huge score is well within reach. If Heath isn’t named, Gawn is likely to be my captain.
Lachie Whitfield / Lachie Ash vs Carlton
These two Giants superstars will be popular trade targets this week, and either could be a solid POD VC option against Carlton. I’ll be bringing in Ash myself, but I won’t be trusting him with the VC or C.
Callaghan is another Giant with upside, although his recent form hasn’t quite warranted captaincy consideration.
Nick Daicos vs Port Adelaide
Nick hasn’t scored above 140 since Round 3. We all know there’s a 160 lurking somewhere around the corner—the question is when.
He absolutely has the ability to explode, but he simply hasn’t shown the consistency or ceiling lately that I’m looking for in a captain.
Zak Butters vs Collingwood
Butters hasn’t gone 140+ since Round 6. Like Daicos, he’s been very good without producing those monster ceiling scores we’ve become accustomed to.
He’ll be a popular option this weekend, and watching him go head-to-head with Nick should make for great viewing.
Harry Sheezel vs Richmond
Sheezel has a ridiculous record against Richmond, and I can easily see another monster performance this week.
The Tigers are arguably in even worse shape than when he last faced them. Lock him in with confidence.
Tristan Xerri vs Richmond
Xerri’s season has been a rollercoaster. Role inconsistency, TOG concerns, suspensions—it’s been a frustrating ride despite maintaining an elite average.
After posting 150+ last weekend with some enormous defensive efforts, another huge score is definitely possible.
The issue is the floor. As a late-round option, the risk of a disappointing score is enough to steer me away from the captaincy armband.
Luke Davies-Uniacke vs Richmond
Aside from last weekend, LDU has put together an outstanding season.
He’s an underrated superstar who should thrive against a Richmond side that doesn’t tag and struggles to contain opposition midfielders. A fantastic POD captain option.
Marcus Bontempelli vs St Kilda
Bont hasn’t quite moved beyond second gear this season and is becoming a less popular VC/C selection across the community.
Could he go 160+? Absolutely. Would I trust him in the final game of the round? Not this week.
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera vs Western Bulldogs
NAS is a genuine superstar of the competition and is in terrific form.
He was everywhere last weekend and has the ability to dominate regardless of where he’s deployed. A popular captaincy option this week for good reason.
FINAL VERDICT
VC — Luke Jackson vs Geelong
The matchup is almost impossible to ignore.
✅ Elite form
✅ Home game
✅ Thursday night loophole opportunity
✅ Against rookie Edwards
The only concern?
The last time I trusted Jackson with the armband he rewarded me with a 66…
C — Max Gawn vs Adelaide
The safest premium in SuperCoach.
He’s the only player yet to post a sub-100 score this season, is coming off a monster 168, and gets a favourable ruck matchup against McAndrew. If you’re chasing safety with genuine 150+ upside, Gawn gets the nod.
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Best of luck this round, legends.
The carnage has already started with Baz sidelined, but hopefully the SuperCoach gods are kind and Round 15 treats you well.
Who’s getting your VC and C this week? 👇
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