Clem’s Captains: Round 3 NRL SuperCoach skippers

Nek minnit…

…the Chooks pull a Buster Douglas…

And WHAT A GAME! And where were you on Friday night when the Roosters pulled out a win for the ages against Penrith. I, like the 500,000 other Cleary Captainers, was staring at the TV transfixed and slightly horrified, willing him to ton up. Hopeful ‘til the very last second that he’d pull a Cleary and create 50 points from thin air. A last gasp TKO.

But still, he scored an 80, and in a week where most of the ‘reliable’ Captain Sensibles went 80 or below, we’ll take it. Except if you were playing a Ponga looper or a random Gutho Captainer in your H2H. That would have hurt.

And in other news, it’s one from one for the crystals, friends. Because may I direct your attention to this manifestation from last week’s Captaincy article:

“…And even though I will be using all my very best crystals to manifest a Warriors win (and a Metcalf ton) for the next 24 hours…”

…and you’re very welcome, Metcalf owners, because he did in fact ton up. And Wahs fans, in the first upset of Round 2, we got the win too! Up the Wahs. This IS our year…or at least our week…I’ll take it.

(Also, condolences to the hoards of rage traders who traded Metcalf out…it was written in the stars that he would ton up after that mass exodus).

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So, Spy and I did a bit of a live demo of a try assist at the Orient last Saturday night. Some of you may have seen the video on the Playbook WhatsApp group. I still don’t know what part I was supposed to play, except I ran from the corner, caught a coaster, scored a try, scored a Jagarbomb at the bar, and then danced to absolute classics like Mr Brightside ‘til 4 in the morning. 

Who gets the assist for that? I think Spy was last to pass out, considering he kept going the entire next day – so last pass..  maybe it’s him?

And speaking of the Spy. Being the gracious friend that I am, I allowed him a special birthday treat of beating me in SuperCoach this week for the whole of the round in our H2H … right up until Sunday arvo, when it wasn’t his birthday anymore and I went flying past him and claimed the win. 

One:Nil to me in the 2025 season. Thanks Tino. Boom. 

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Now in other updates, we held a bit of a support group for the Reece Walsh Captainers last Monday. With plenty of whiskey. Because the Flex. And I am sorry, but what in the horrifying ordeal is this new development that literally nobody considered? If your Captain is your lowest scorer…you just, lose your Captain for the round? Better luck next week?

And on Reece Walsh. Dear anybody who is trading him out because he dared to score a 9 last week.

DON’T DO A METCALF. REVERSE THAT TRADE. IT IS REECE WALSH. VC him instead. That is all.

Now on to our Captains, and there’s only one Captain Obvious this week and that is:

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Kalyn Ponga

And honestly, what needs to be said that hasn’t been said all week, except our guy Ponga is literally on fire and coming off a ton vs the Dolphins – bringing his average this season to 105. 

Three try assists in the first half, four linebreak assists – he’s an attacking machine in a team playing the Titans who let in seven tries last weekend – let the Saturday night points fest begin.

And if you don’t own him, I don’t know who you’ll Captain. But maybe go completely rogue (a Captain Stonestreet would have got you 224 points last week), or go against the crowd and go one of these VCs instead:

Nathan Cleary

Okay, so they are playing the Storm. And the Storm are looking GOOD (albeit a game against the Eels is kind of like beating the bye at the moment). But Penrith will be hurting after that loss to the Chooks, so can you really look past Nathan Cleary as our Thursday night VC?

As the SuperCoach app points out – ‘he’s an alpha in attack’ and even though his scores in the first couple of games this season havn’t quite reached the lofty heights we know he can reach – that big score is coming.

The question is, will you have the VC or Captaincy on him when it does – it hurts being on the wrong side of a Cleary 150, I’ll tell you that for free.

(You may also consider a Munster or take a risk on a Lil’ Papi VC this round, both looking the goods in Round 1, but just remember, Penrith are not the Eels and they will be hurting after that loss and completely up for this game).

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Go a 2RF or a FRF

And here’s something a bit different for this article – a VC that is not a Fullback OR a Halfback! Who would’ve thought we’d ever see the day.

Because so far, it’s been a bit of a year for that guy in your 2R or FRF to chuck up a casual ton or two. Think Connor Watson last round VS Penrith with his double, big Tino with his 109 last Sunday, Terryl May looking like he’s out to inflict pain on anyone who didn’t start with him (“look what I just done” remember that dagger he stabbed into everyone who traded him out last year in that Joey M x May collab in the sheds?), and Payne Haas who can basically offload his way to a ton.

I consulted the great Spy on this one, and we are in agreement that a sneaky VC on a Haas or a Terrell May (who are firming as must haves by the way) could totally pay off this Round. With Haas playing the Cowboys, and May playing the Dolphins – chuck a try their way – and it’s ton up time for them.

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Verdict

At this point I think we can all agree that some random player is going to score a mega ton and we’ll all go “aha! I should have whacked the armband on him, random winger sitting on my bench who I was never going to play, and why did I not foresee that he would come out and score 5 tries against Penrith…”

And take a risk if you feel so inclined…  but for the intents and purposes of this article we will stick to the tried and trusted Captain who is KP who around 150% of SuperCoachers will Captain too.

BUT please, go a bit rogue with your VC! Because play that right and THAT is where you can potentially make up some ground in your H2H or Overall! Just get ready to loop.

And on that note, I hope you have a beautiful weekend and your Captain tons up for you. 

Up the Wahs!

Clementine xxx