Left Field Captain Options

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 are averaging under 100 who could deliver big scores this week.

Nic Newman comes up against Richmond this week. His season average sits at 92.8, keeping him under the sub-100 captain target, and there’s some strong matchup history here. He scored 143 the last time he played the Tigers and averages 103.7 across his last three against them, making him one of the better left-field captain options on the slate.

Hugo Garcia faces Essendon this week. His season average sits at 86.0, but his recent form and matchup history give him some real appeal. He’s averaging 106.7 across his last three, scored 106 the last time he played the Bombers.

Callum Wilkie also comes up against Essendon this week. His season average sits at 99.1, so he just sneaks under the target, but the matchup is excellent. He scored 123 the last time he played at Marvel Stadium, averages 100.3 across his last three at the venue, and Essendon have been one of the easiest teams for key defenders to score against over the last five games.

Sam Walsh takes on Richmond this week. His season average sits at 98.2, keeping him inside the criteria, and he has some decent history in this matchup. He scored 100 the last time he played Richmond and averages 105.3 across his last three against them, giving him a solid captaincy case.

Andrew Brayshaw comes up against GWS this week. His season average sits at 95.8, and his recent form has been excellent, averaging 104.6 across his last five and 117.0 across his last three. He also scored 103 the last time he played the Giants, which makes him one of the stronger captain options this week.

Vice-Captain Options

For vice-captains, we focus on players featuring in the Thursday and Friday night games. This week that means Geelong v Brisbane, Sydney v Western Bulldogs, and West Coast v Adelaide, giving us a few early options who could be worth a speculative VC play.

Chad Warner comes up against the Western Bulldogs this week. His season average sits at 88.7, keeping him well under the target, and his form is strong. He’s averaging 103.6 across his last five and 111.7 across his last three, while also scoring 121 the last time he played the Dogs.

Bailey Dale faces Sydney this week. His season average sits at 91.2, and he’s been solid recently, averaging 98.4 across his last five. He scored 109 the last time he played the Swans and averages 96.7 across his last three against them, making him a decent Friday night VC option.

Matthew Kennedy comes up against Sydney this week. His season average sits at 93.9, and he has been steady enough recently, averaging 99.6 across his last five. He’s more of a deeper VC option, but he fits the under-100 brief and plays early enough to use as a loophole.

Rory Laird takes on West Coast this week. His season average sits at 92.2, and his recent form has been strong, averaging 100.0 across his last five and 104.3 across his last three. He also scored 98 the last time he played the Eagles.

Lachlan McAndrew comes up against West Coast this week. His season average sits at 85.9, and the matchup is the main appeal. West Coast have been one of the easiest teams for rucks to score against, conceding +8.5 points above average to the position over the last five games.

Streamers

Here we highlight players with strong scoring histories against their upcoming opponents, or other factors suggesting 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.

Darcy Fort comes up against Geelong and is projected for 73.5. He’s started in just 26.2% of leagues, making him a viable streaming option. He averages 97.0 across his last three against the Cats, and Geelong have been one of the easiest teams for rucks to score against over the last five games.

Harry Morrison faces Melbourne and is projected for 73.6. He’s started in just 30.4% of leagues and has some matchup appeal. Melbourne have been one of the easiest teams for wingers to score against, conceding +18.7 points above average over the last five games.

Brodie Kemp comes up against Richmond and is projected for 71.7. He’s started in just 26.3% of leagues and is averaging 72.0 across his last three. Richmond have been one of the easiest teams for key forwards to score against, which gives Kemp some streamer appeal.

Nick Haynes also faces Richmond and is projected for 77.5. He’s started in just 42.5% of leagues and is averaging 78.0 across his last three. Richmond have been one of the easiest teams for defenders to score against, conceding +10.4 points above average over the last five games.

Jai Serong comes up against the Western Bulldogs and is projected for 79.2. He’s started in 67.4% of leagues, so availability will vary, but he has been steady enough. He’s averaging 78.4 across his last five and scored 80 the last time he played the Bulldogs.

Want projections? View the top 20 projected scores of the round here…