Round 11 recap: Ablett. What the? What happened? Just as I was touting the return of the perma-captain, he responds with a disinterested 64 SC points. I am again rushed for time – especially with tonight’s game so here are the numbers with a quick reminder how the captain’s loophole works.

Due to the partial lockout, we can select a player from the Eagles or the Blues as our vice-captain. If we are unhappy with their score, we can simply select our captain from anyone left in our team who haven’t yet played in that round. If, however, we are happy with the score from our nominated vice-captain, we put the captaincy onto a non-playing player for the round. As this “captain” does not play and accumulate any points, the vice-captain will become the captain for the round.

Here are the numbers, firstly, for some of the players from tonight’s game …

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Judd v. West Coast

SF 2011: 90 SC points, 17 disposals
Rd 14 2011: 84 SC points, 17 disposals
Rd 17 2010: 110 SC points, 26 disposals
Rd 10 2010: 142 SC points, 25 disposalse
Rd 10 2009: 110 SC points, 29 disposals
Rd 7 2008: 112 SC points, 24 disposals

Average is 111 SC points with 24 disposals.

Note: Not a good record against his former team. Has been tagged by Scott Selwood in the past two games who limited him to 17 possessions in each game. Not in the best recent form with scores of 115, 79, 80 and 113 (average of only 94).

Priddis v. Carlton

SF 2011: 125 SC points, 27 disposals
Rd 14 2011: 120 SC points, 30 disposals
Rd 17 2010: 68 SC points, 19 disposals
Rd 10 2010: 114 SC points, 23 disposalse
Rd 4 2007: 89 SC points, 25 disposals

Average is 103 SC points with 25 disposals.

Note: Solid scores last year against Carlton. Poor record prior to that. Most recently tagged by Carrazzo but tagged by Ellard in the two games prior to that. Has returned from injury with scores of 133 and 119.

Cox v. Carlton

SF 2011: 111 SC points, 19 disposals, 35 hitouts
Rd 14 2011: 108 SC points, 21 disposals, 22hitouts
Rd 17 2010: 33 SC points, 8 disposals, 16 hitouts
Rd 10 2010: 81 SC points, 13 disposals, 26 hitouts
Rd 10 2009: 116 SC points, 19 disposals, 29 hitouts
Rd 7 2008: 149 SC points, 25 disposals, 36 hitouts
Rd 4 2007: 125 SC points, 27 disposals, 22 hitouts

Average is 102 SC points with 19 disposals and 25 hitouts.

Note: Solid average against Carlton. One poor game in Rd 17 2010 when he was affected by the flu in the week leading to the game. Take out that score and his average jumps to 116 SC points, 21 disposals and 27 hitouts. Poor scores in his past two games (where Naitanui has returned to the lineup): 97 and 68 (which had followed a great run of 139, 141 and 141).

And now the rest of the round’s games …

Dal Santo v. Adelaide

Rd 18 2011: 158 SC points, 31 disposals
Rd 6 2011: 150 SC points, 29 disposals
Rd 22 2010: 124 SC points, 34 disposals
Rd 10 2010: 138 SC points, 31 disposals
Rd 16 2009: 121 SC points, 30 disposals
Rd 2 2009: 122 SC points, 35 disposals
Rd 21 2008: 95 SC points, 25 disposals
Rd 15 2007: 98 SC points, 17 disposals
Rd 12 2006: 65 SC points, 15 disposals

Average is 119 SC points with 27 disposals.

Note: Fantastic record against Adelaide. Tagged by Doughty in the two games last year but still managed to score 158 and 150. Has averaged a huge 136 SC points with 32 disposals in his last 6 games against the Crows. Not the best recent record with scores of 112, 83, 130, 107 and 101 (average of 107).

Ablett v. North Melbourne

Rd 12 2011: 139 SC points, 38 disposals
Rd 14 2010: 106 SC points, 33 disposals
Rd 21 2008: 83 SC points, 27 disposals
Rd 11 2008: 180 SC points, 39 disposals
QF 2007: 171 SC points, 32 disposals
Rd 20 2007: 153 SC points, 31 disposals
Rd 5 2007: 68 SC points, 16 disposals
Rd 17 2006: 9 SC points, 5 disposals
Rd 2 2006: 126 SC points, 17 disposals

Average is 115 SC points with 26 disposals.

Note: Very solid record against North Melbourne. One poor game in Rd 17 2006 when he injured his shoulder in the first quarter. Taking that score out, his average jumps to 128 SC points with 29 disposals. Most recently played head to head against Swallow. Scored a terrible 64 last round which had followed scores of 155, 111, 150 and 125.

Franklin v. Brisbane

Rd 16 2011: 132 SC points, 26 disposals, 3 goals, 1 behind
Rd 12 2009: 23 SC points, 5 disposals, 1 goal, 2 behinds
Rd 19 2008: 136 SC points, 18 disposals, 6 goals, 1 behind
Rd 5 2008: 171 SC points, 20 disposals, 8 goals, 6 behinds
Rd 19 2007: 143 SC points, 15 disposals, 5 goals, 2 behinds
Rd 1 2007: 72 SC points, 15 disposals, 3 goals, 1 behind

Average is 113 SC points with 17 disposals with just over 4 goals.

Note: Solid record against Brisbane which just one shocking game in 2009 where he couldn’t get much of the ball. Scored 113 last round which had followed his huge 236

Goddard v. Adelaide

Rd 18 2011: 119 SC points, 30 disposals
Rd 6 2011: 96 SC points, 21 disposals
Rd 22 2010: 102 SC points, 35 disposals
Rd 10 2010: 148 SC points, 29 disposals
Rd 16 2009: 129 SC points, 33 disposals
Rd 2 2009: 85 SC points, 17 disposals
Rd 21 2008: 146 SC points, 30 disposals
Rd 12 2006: 132 SC points, 33 disposals

Average is 120 SC points with 29 disposals.

Note: Solid record against Adelaide. Coming off scores of 104, 106 and 97.

Thompson v. St Kilda

Rd 18 2011: 89 SC points, 26 disposals
Rd 6 2011: 126 SC points, 27 disposals
Rd 22 2010: 115 SC points, 37 disposals
Rd 10 2010: 61 SC points, 23 disposals
Rd 16 2009: 64 SC points, 27 disposals
Rd 2 2009: 76 SC points, 27 disposals
Rd 21 2008: 75 SC points, 16 disposals
Rd 15 2007: 59 SC points, 24 disposals
Rd 12 2006: 110 SC points, 23 disposals

Average is 86 SC points with 26 disposals.

Note: Poor record against St Kilda. Tagged by Jones in the two games last year. Poor record from 2007 to 2010. Had a bye last round which had followed poor scores of 58 and 93.

My opinion: I think Priddis would be a good vice-captain’s choice (using the captain’s loophole). Solid record. May cop the Carrazzo tag in Carrazzo’s return from injury. In my opinion, he is a safer option than Cox (who has to deal with the Naitanui factor) or Judd (who hasn’t got the best recent record).

From the rest of the games, the numbers clearly point to Ablett or Dal Santo. Have we all been burnt by Ablett? I am willing to give him another chance. I doubt that he will have two shockers in a row. I am hoping that he played the way he did last round to make a statement (after the criticism he received the previous week after knocking up 53 disposals).

Following Ablett, it is hard to go past Dal Santo’s fantastic record against Adelaide.

Also, we must remember that Richmond are playing the Giants whilst North Melbourne are playing the Suns. North played the Suns (minus Ablett) in Round 5 this season and MacIntosh and Petrie top scored with 140 each. My choice from these teams would be Deledio playing the Giants.

To summarise: Ablett (one more chance!), Dal Santo then Deledio.

My smoky pick this week is Franklin who should dominate the Lions at the MCG.

Good luck to all!!