Captains
Picking a captain in keeper leagues can be a challenge, especially if injuries or lack of depth leave you without a standout option. That’s where we come in. Instead of the obvious choices, we’re looking at some under-the-radar captaincy options who could deliver big scores this week.
Caleb Serong has had a slower season by his standards, averaging just 93 points per game. However, he’s turned things around in recent weeks, averaging 105 over his last three. He also boasts a strong record against North Melbourne, averaging 118.3 from their past three meetings. The Kangaroos remain one of the easiest teams for inside mids to score against this season.
Adam Cerra has seen a dip in form, largely due to role changes. But now back in the midfield, he’s averaging 112 over his last three games. He faces West Coast this week — a team he’s averaged 114.7 against from their last three encounters. Cerra also averages 117.7 at Optus Stadium across his past three games there.
A riskier option is Darcy Parish, who returned to the Essendon side last week. Despite the uncertainty, he has good numbers against Geelong — averaging 106 from his past three meetings and 101 from his past three games at the MCG. Geelong have also been leaky to midfielders this year, so he’s a viable fallback.
Sam Docherty has rediscovered his best role across half-back and has posted back-to-back scores of 112. He has a strong average of 103.7 from his last three against West Coast, and with the Eagles giving up big scores to defenders, he’s a solid captaincy play.
Vice-Captains
For vice-captains, we focus on players featuring in the first two games of the round—guys who fit the same mold as our captains but aren’t the go-to selections. If you’re looking for an early VC loophole play, we’ve got you covered.
Bailey Dale is in excellent form, averaging 110 over his past three games. He faces St Kilda this week — a side he’s averaged 111.3 against over his last three, including a score of 112 in their most recent clash.
Riley O’Brien shapes as a strong Friday night VC option against Lloyd Meek, who has been giving up points to opposing rucks.. O’Brien scored 112 the last time he faced Hawthorn.
Jake Soligo impressed in tough conditions last week and could perform well again at UTAS Stadium — a venue where he scored 107 in his last outing. He also averages 92.3 from his past three games against Hawthorn.
Jack Steele is flying at Marvel Stadium, averaging 110 at the venue this year, including a 126 in his most recent game there. He’s also averaging 112 over his last five games. That said, the Bulldogs have restricted inside mids recently, so Steele is probably best left as a VC option to see how he scores.
Streamers
Here we highlight players with strong scoring history against their upcoming opponents or other factors that suggest they could be worth a punt. Whether you’re scraping the waiver wire or looking for a sneaky bench loophole, these are the names to consider.
Charlie Curnow might be on-field already for most teams, but with an average under 70, he technically qualifies here. He’s dominated West Coast in recent years, averaging 127.3 across his last three against them thanks to multiple big bags of goals. He also averages 108.7 from his last three at Optus Stadium. Lock him in.
George Wardlaw only has one game against Fremantle and one at Optus, but both were 90+ scores. He’s one to keep in mind for this matchup.
Aaron Naughton plays against St Kilda, one of the easiest teams for key forwards to score against. With Sam Darcy back in the side, Naughton should receive less attention. He has the potential to kick a few goals and deliver a handy score.
Mitch Duncan could be a sneaky play this week, with Essendon giving up plenty to rebounding defenders lately. If he avoids the sub vest and gets through the full game, he should go well. Jack Bowes is also a watch if selected — he could benefit from the matchup in a similar way.
Want more projections? View the top 20 projected scores of the round here…
