KFC SuperCoach 2020: The Phantom’s best Round 7 captain options and last-minute advice

Brodie Grundy delivered a captain-worthy performance but if you missed out, there are still plenty of great KFC SuperCoach captain options this weekend. But there is a big red flag on one popular choice.

The Phantom

3 min read

July 17, 2020 - 11:08AM

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KFC SuperCoach players who put the VC on Brodie Grundy can relax. Everyone else has some thinking to do.

Grundy dominated against inexperienced Cats ruckman Darcy Fort, collecting 144 points on the back of 11 hitouts to advantage, including seven in the first quarter.

All you have to do is move a scoring player to the bench — make sure they are marked as an emergency! — and a non-scoring player onto the field who can act as capain this round.

For those who were worried by Grundy’s lower score (by his standards) last week and decided not to use him for the vice-captain loophole, there are still plenty of captaincy options this round.

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One obvious choice, however, comes with a big warning — Giants tagger Matt De Boer is circling KFC SuperCoach perma-captain Lachie Neale.

I’m not writing him off completely, given his extraordinary start to the year, but de Boer restricted Neale to just 47 points in last year’s semi-final.

So Neale as C on Saturday isn’t a risk I would take in Round 7.

Some coaches might be considering passing on Grundy’s score and hoping for even better from a red-hot Max Gawn. Given Gawn is averaging 160 points per game since Round 1, the chances of the Melbourne star reaching Grundy’s 144-point mark are high. But who knows wha could happen in the next few days. If Gawn maintains his average, you’ll come out 16 points on top. It’s not worth the risk given what you could lose.

For those who missed out on Grund, here’s where to look this weekend.

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THE BEST OPTIONS

Jack Macrae (WB)

V Essendon, Friday night

With Lachie Hunter’s return last week, Macrae was back to his best, attending 18 centre bounces and tallying 26 disposals, 12 contested possessions and 138 KFC SuperCoach points. And he’s gone 137, 131 and 100 in his past three against the Bombers, who have been going head-to-head with the opposition’s best this season.

Lachie Neale (Bris)

V GWS, Saturday

After what he’s done this season, you can’t write off Neale, even with Giant tagger Matt de Boer circling. In round 16 last year, de Boer didn’t play and Neale ran riot, scoring 151 points. But it was a different story in the semi-final, with the master stopping holding Neale to just 17 disposals and 47 points. A VC option, if you’re happy to overlook Grundy and Dangerfield, but I wouldn’t make him C.

Lachie Neale is likely to have Giant Matt de Boer for company on Saturday. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images

Josh Kelly (GWS)

V Brisbane, Saturday

Kelly finished with 118 points in last year’s final, making it three consecutive KFC SuperCoach tons on-the-trot against the Lions. And with Brisbane’s midfield conceding big numbers to Sam Menegola (152), Dangerfield (146) and Joel Selwood (143) last week, that streak is likely to continue at home on Saturday. Given the Cats had 64 more uncontested possessions, on a slippery night, in Round 6, Kelly’s teammate Lachie Whitfield is also worth some thought, if you’re looking to be different.

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Max Gawn (Melb)

V Hawthorn, Sunday

This is your man, though. The star Demon is averaging 160 points per game since Round 1 and, despite the likelihood of Ben McEvoy rucking solo for the Hawks, if Jon Ceglar misses, you can’t overlook him as C. In his past three encounters against the Hawks, including finals, Gawn has posted scores of 127, 127 and 112 – all against McEvoy. In the meeting before that, McEvoy and Ceglar went the double-team and Gawn finished with 169. Don’t accept anything less than 130 from your VC, either.

Tom Mitchell (Haw)

V Melbourne, Sunday

In his last match against Simon Goodwin’s side, Mitchell, who boats a three-round average of 122, was held to just 90 points by Nathan Jones. But the Melbourne veteran isn’t in the side at the moment and the Demons conceded big scores to Gold Coast midfielders Touk Miller (142) and Hugh Greenwood (126) last week.