The Phantom’s SuperCoach Captains analysis: Brodie Grundy is a no-brainer but is Max Gawn the best fallback option?

Again, Brodie Grundy is an absolute-must as SuperCoach VC on Friday night. But who is the best option in the unlikely event he fails? The Phantom looks at all the Round 19 options

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Were you one of the many SuperCoaches — like The Phantom — who overlooked Brodie Grundy last week?

Never let it happen again.

Never.

Especially this week with the Collingwood big man set for an MCG showdown with inexperienced Tiger Ivan Soldo.

Brodie Grundy, right, with Travis Varcoe at Collingwood training. Picture: Michael Klein

Do I really need to detail his extraordinary Friday night record or scoring history at the MCG?

I will mention his five-round average of 149, though, given it’s 16 more points than any other player.

Here are the other captain options to consider in the unlikely event the 25-year-old fails to deliver against Richmond.

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Patrick Cripps (Carl)

V Adelaide, Saturday

In his past seven matches, the Carlton skipper has posted scores of 66, 116, 89, 194, 78, 115 and 73. It’s inconsistency which we didn’t expect to see from Cripps, who averaged 127 points across the opening eight rounds. But after Essendon’s midfield ran all over Adelaide’s last week, the 24-year-old still has to be considered. And those numbers suggest he’s due for a SuperCoach ton.

Max Gawn (Melb)

V St Kilda, Saturday night

The Melbourne big man’s past four matches against the Saints makes for impressive reading with Gawn, who finished with 132 points on return from an ankle injury last week, posting scores of 126, 145, 127 and 128. In the last meeting between the two sides, Gawn had the better of Rowan Marshall, restricting the now-SuperCoach star to a season-low 50 points. While the differential is unlikely to be as great this time around, The Phantom is still tipping Gawn to the better of Marshall on Saturday night.

Clayton Oliver (Melb)

V St Kilda, Saturday night

The contested-ball star has posted scores of 175, 115, 53, 122, 114, 114, 103, 158, 75 and 140 since Round 7 in a big return to form after a slow start. The 53-point performance against the Giants was thanks to a tight-checking Matt de Boer and two weeks ago he struggled to get into the game as the Bulldogs dominated possession. His form in the second-half of the year warrants consideration but Oliver might receive attention from Saint Jack Steele, who quelled the influence of Bulldogs gun Marcus Bontempelli in the first-half last week.

Lachie Whitfield (GWS)

V Port Adelaide, Saturday night

Speaking of defensive roles, earlier in the week, Port Adelaide co-captain Tom Jonas said the GWS running machine will get “some attention” on Saturday night. But stopping Whitfield, who has posted scores of 101 and 119 after a five-week injury layoff, is easier said than done, just as he showed in his last trip to Adelaide Oval, which resulted in 31 disposals and 105 points. And the Power conceded big numbers to the Brisbane midfield at home two weeks ago.

Josh Dunkley as captain this week? Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty.

Josh Dunkley (WB)

V Fremantle, Sunday

After rejoining the midfield on a permanent basis in Round 7, Dunkley has averaged 129 SuperCoach points per game. And in the seven matches at Marvel Stadium, the venue for this weekend’s fixture against the Dockers, the ball magnet has posted scores of 134, 130, 173, 101, 103, 202 and 127. Gawn is the safe — and go-to — captain option if Grundy fails but Dunkley could bring a greater reward.

Jack Macrae (WB)

V Fremantle, Sunday

For as good as Dunkley has been, his teammate Macrae has been equally as impressive, recording two more points in the past five weeks. The 24-year-old has failed to reach three figures in his past two matches against the Dockers — both in Perth — but expect that to change at Marvel Stadium on Sunday.

Nat Fyfe (Freo)

V WB, Sunday

If he plays, as always, the Fremantle captain has to remain in the conversation after posting four scores of 129 or more in his past six matches. Don’t worry about the elbow — if he steps out onto Marvel Stadium on Sunday, he’s good to go. And his past three meetings with the Bulldogs, Fyfe has finished with SuperCoach point tallies of 128, 151 and 113.

Patrick Dangerfield dominated in last match against the Swans but that was in Geelong.

Patrick Dangerfield (Geel)

V Sydney, Sunday

In Round 11, Dangerfield led his side to victory over the Swans at the Cattery, tallying 29 disposals, 19 contested possessions, two goals and 130 points. In his last trip to the SCG, however, while he still managed to score 106 points, the star Cat finished with just 19 disposals — his second-lowest, non-injury affected tally in his time at Geelong. There might be safer options this week, despite only Grundy and Dunkley recording more points than Dangerfield in the past three rounds.

Zach Merrett (Ess)

V Gold Coast, Sunday

The Bombers midfielder dominated the second-half at Adelaide Oval last week to finish with 31 disposals, two goals and 120 SuperCoach points. And, despite Cripps’ 73-point performance last week, the Suns have been leaking points to opposition midfields this season. Also working Merrett’s favour is with young Brad Scheer out of the side, there was no direct tag applied against the Blues

THE PHANTOM’S CALL

I don’t think it will come to it but it’s Grundy into Gawn for The Phantom.