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The Phantom’s Round 17 Captain Analysis: It’s hard to go past Brodie Grundy on Friday night but the field of fallback options is an impressive one if he fails

It’s all a bit same, same this week. Friday night, Collingwood, Brodie Grundy VC: While it’s the go-to play for most SuperCoaches, there are a number of other great candidates.

OK SuperCoaches, I’ll just save some time and insert last week’s analysis here:

Collingwood plays on Friday night so Brodie Grundy has to get the VC again.

There’s some other great options on Saturday but don’t try and outsmart yourself.

Play the percentages, SuperCoaches.

And, like last round, Adelaide’s Rory Sloane is another standout captain option with the Crows travelling to take on the Suns on Saturday night.

If anyone is going to come out and make a statement — regardless of the opponent — after last week’s “embarrassing” second-half, it will be Sloane.

Here are all the options.

Brodie Grundy, right, at Collingwood training. Picture: Daniel Pockett
Brodie Grundy, right, at Collingwood training. Picture: Daniel Pockett

Brodie Grundy (Coll)

v West Coast, Friday night

In his past four Friday night matches this season, Grundy has posted scores of 160, 108, 165 and 145. If you’re a regular, you will know that is actually a line from last week’s analysis, with the addition of the 145-point performance from Round 16.

Including last year’s finals series, Grundy is averaging 130 points in his past three matches against the Eagles. But it’s important to note, West Coast star Nic Naitanui didn’t feature in any of these fixtures. It will be his third game back from a knee reconstruction on Friday but with the Eagles still managing Naitanui’s game-time, it’s unlikely his presence affects Grundy’s score.

Shannon Hurn (WC)

v Collingwood, Friday night

Last week, Collingwood gave up 141 points to Hawthorn’s intercept king James Sicily. In Round 15, North Melbourne’s Jasper Pittard finished with 25 disposals and 125 points. A week before that, skilful Bulldog Caleb Daniel tallied a season-high 35 disposals and 114 points. Get where this is going?

Jake Lloyd (Syd)

v Carlton, Saturday

The Sydney ball-magnet tallied 32 disposals, nine marks and 130 points in the Round 3 clash with the Blues. And Lloyd bounced back from a disappointing 62-point performance against Gold Coast — and defensive-forward Brad Scheer — with 122 points against the Bombers last week — his seventh score of 120 or more this season. More of a VC candidate but it would be a big call to overlook Grundy.

Swan Isaac Heeney is back in form. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty.
Swan Isaac Heeney is back in form. Picture: Jason McCawley/Getty.

Isaac Heeney (Syd)

v Carlton, Saturday

The week-off in Round 13 looks to have done wonders for Heeney and his sore ankle with the 23-year-old posting scores of 90, 117 and 134 in his past three matches. While he only attended one centre-bounce against the Essendon last week, Heeney still tallied 33 disposals, 11 contested possessions, 10 marks and six inside-50s. And don’t forget the young star’s season-high of 137 came against the Blues earlier in the year. Midfielder Luke Parker might cop some attention from Carlton’s Jack Silvagni so Heeney is a nice left-field option if you’re so inclined.

James Sicily (Haw)

v Fremantle, Saturday

The All-Australia defender roared back into form against the Magpies last week, tallying 28 disposals, 14 marks — four of them contested-intercepts — and a season-high 141 points. Sicily’s previous season-high of 127 came in the Hawks’ first trip to Tasmania this season. And he’ll be back there against the Dockers on Saturday after Ross Lyon’s side gave up SuperCoach tons to Eagle half-backs Brad Sheppard (131) and Hurn (101) last week.

Expect Adelaide co-captain to make a statement against the Suns. Picture: Sam Wundke
Expect Adelaide co-captain to make a statement against the Suns. Picture: Sam Wundke

Rory Sloane (Adel)

v Gold Coast, Saturday night

As I mentioned in the beginning, expect Adelaide’s co-captain to make a statement against a SuperCoach-point-leaking Gold Coast outfit after an underwhelming 23-disposal, 84-point performance in the disappointing loss to the Power. Sloane scored 104 points in the Round 5 meeting at Adelaide Oval and in his last trip to Metricon Stadium, the star midfielder finished with 30 disposals, 13 tackles and 139 points.

Patrick Dangerfield (Geel)

v St Kilda, Saturday night

Ignoring the 83-point performance, one in which he was clearly hampered by injury — and poor kicking — against the Crows in Round 15, Dangerfield has posted scores of 115, 130, 149, 141, and 146 since Round 8. A great captain option if Grundy fails.

Clayton Oliver (Melb)

v Western Bulldogs, Sunday

The contested-ball star hasn’t featured here recently but, after scores of 122, 114, 114, 103 and 158 since the bye, he’s earned a mention. Especially given he averages 121 points in his past three matches against the Bulldogs.

Jack Macrae/Marcus Bontempelli (WB)

v Melbourne, Sunday

I’ve grouped the Bulldogs’ stars together for multiple reasons. Both boast a three-round average of 128 or more, both average more than 120 points per game at Marvel Stadium this season and both scored 128 points or more in their last meeting with the Demons. Expect both Macrae and Bontempelli be in the thick of a midfield shootout on Sunday.

Lachie Neale has a great recent scoring-history against the Power.
Lachie Neale has a great recent scoring-history against the Power.

Lachie Neale (Bris)

v Port Adelaide, Sunday

He’ll cop some attention from the Power — although Dan Houston did miss training on Thursday — but the star midfielder should still be good enough in the final game of the round. Neale dominated Port Adelaide in Round 3, finishing with a season-high 177 SuperCoach points, on the back of 43 disposals, 25 contested possessions and 16 clearances. And, while it was with his old side, Neale averaged 121 points in his previous four meetings with the Power.

THE PHANTOM’S CALL

Same as last week for me — Grundy VC into Sloane C.

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