very pleased with their previous week’s efforts and preparing for their
preliminary final. While others will be fighting hard to keep their premiership
glory hopes alive. Fortunately, round 21 has been arguably the kindest round of
all, with no big SuperCoach names missing. Lance Franklin returns as well alongside
Grant Birchall and Luke Hodge, both big inclusions although not SC relevant
anymore.
As for last week’s top scorers, Rory Sloane was the number one ranked
player for round 20 following his match winning performance. Sloane churned out
28 touches, 10 marks, 8 tackles, two crucial goals and roughly a third of his
points came in an outstanding final term. Joel Selwood would’ve been many
Coaches saviour as vice-captain before Gaz, with his 160 SC points. Matthew
Lobbe (154) dominated the aerial contest down at Geelong, Scott Pendlebury (150)
added another three votes to his growing Brownlow tally while Jarrad McVeigh
(150) was a loan hand for the Swans running brigade.
Here are my captaincy selections for round 21.
Having finally been left to roam through the midfield, Rockliff’s stats
over the last five weeks have been sensational! Averaging 33 touches 14 of which
have been contested, seven clearances, seven tackles and a whopping 136 SC
points. Need I say anymore? ... Oh, he is also playing the lowly Giants this
week – look out.
Dane Swan
Lock Swanny in for the vice captain tonight, he is well worth the
gamble with his record against the Hawks. Since 2009, Swan has encountered
Hawthorn nine times and he has had no trouble racking up plenty of the ball and
plenty of points – averaging 34 touches and 118 SC points. With the one chink in
the Hawks armour being midfield pace, Swan will again be
influential.
Dean Cox
As expected Cox has relished being the number one stand alone ruckman,
while Nic Nat and Cox are a potent weapon, the stats don’t lie when it comes to
SuperCoach output. Before Nic Nat returned to the side in round 6, Cox averaged
119 (including Nic Nat’s sub affected return). From round 7-17 when they worked
in tandem his average fell to a modest 96. But yes, you guessed it, since Nic
Nat has revisited the injury list Cox has averaged 115. Adding to the appeal is
Geelong’s weakened ruck stocks since Dawson Simpson went down, with firstly Todd
Goldstein notching up 42 hit out’s and then last week Port Adelaide’s Matthew
Lobbe registering an amazing 59 hit outs and 154 SC points. Cox is a likely
option this week.
Dustin Martin
Dusty has found the consistency that we coaches have desired from him
for some time. Over the last five weeks he has averaged 29 disposals and 113 SC
points, without dropping under 100. Carlton look to of put the cue in the rack
following their poor loss to the Dogs and the injury to Chris Judd, if Martin
gets off the chain he could be in for a big one.
Nat Fyfe
While he can turn the ball over, much of that has to be put down to the
way he wins the ball; he is a contested ball monster and a genuine A-grader at
the age of 21. Fyfe had a blistering second half last week, scoring 75 SC points
in that period to return a score of 105. Once again the Dockers meet a
struggling side in the Demons and expect Fyfe to waste no time warming into the
match this time around.
Ablett watch
Well, well, well ... Ablett scored 67, how many of us were lucky enough
to have opted for someone else via loop hole or otherwise, if so well done.
While his past fortnight has been well below par, the great man will not be kept
down long and I wouldn’t hesitate in putting the ‘VC’ or ‘C’ on him again. He
averages 129 against Port Adelaide as a Sun.