Chris McDermott: Round 12 Team of the Week
A FINE performance from Ollie Wines in Port Adelaide’s win against Richmond guaranteed his inclusion in the Round 12 Team of the Week, alongside a crop of fresh (and not so fresh) faces. See the team and recap his live blog.
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NEW faces galore for the TOTW in round 12 with Geelong superstar Gary Ablett one of just a few regular faces.
Ablett was a star in game in his 200th appearance for the Cats with 34 possessions as they beat North Melbourne by 37 points in Geelong.
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The Cats were also well served by the versatile Mark Blicavs who has taken to defence like a duck to water and took another big scalp holding Roos forward Ben Brown goalless while making 10 spoils and grabbing 18 possessions of his own.
Tom Stewart was the third from Geelong to make the team after another brilliant display from defence.
It is becoming a habit for Stewart and his name will be top of mind when the All Australian team is discussed at season’s end.
The Power’s strong win over Richmond came on the back of a very strong team effort and a dominant second quarter.
Justin Westhoff led the charge early kicking three early goals and having the ball on a string.
The Power swingman earned himself a place on the bench while youngster Darcy Byrne-Jones’ recent good form turned into great form and he makes the team of the week after a near-faultless 21 possession game in defence with 11 vital contested possessions.
None were more influential than the “Raging Bull” Ollie Wines.
Wines bulldozed his way through congestion, grabbing 16 contested possessions, laying 12 brutal tackles and getting the ball Inside 50m 10 times.
On the flip side, there were no Crows in the team once again after their narrow loss to the Dockers at Optus Stadium in Perth.
It may come as a surprise to some but Fremantle livewire Michael Walters makes the team as a small forward despite not kicking a single goal.
Walters gave five goals away with his brilliance and unselfishness in a game where 10 goals was enough to win.
Dockers defender Josh Hamling won his first jumper for the year and takes the role at CHB after a great nullifying job on the Crows tall forwards, ending his day with 20 possessions and 15 spoils.
In other games, Brisbane’s in-form defender Harris Andrews earns yet another berth at full back after executing a Round 12-high 20 spoils in the Lions loss to Essendon.
GWS midfielder Josh Kelly returned to his best with 40 possessions at 77 per cent disposal efficiency in the Giants’ demolition of the Gold Coast.
Teammate Jeremy Cameron’s six goals was enough to earn him a spot in the goal square and he was joined in attack by two players that had standout games in Monday’s Queens Birthday game at the MCG in front of more than 80,000 fans.
Collingwood bigman Mason Cox earns a rare birth kicking five majors for the Pies while Tom McDonald did it again and kicked six for the Demons in their upset loss.
Cox’s teammate Jordan De Goey gets a spot on the bench after a sensational first half where he had over 20 possessions and an amazing 10 inside 50s before running out of puff a little in the second half.
Second chances rarely pay off for AFL coaches
History suggests strongly that if you miss out on a premiership at your first try as a coach, you should not get another chance — unless you’re Mick Malthouse or Malcolm Blight, writes Chris McDermott.
When two tribes go to war
It was the game that stopped a state — the first Showdown between the Crows and Power on April 20, 1997. Chris McDermott shares his memories for Part 1 of The Greatest Showdowns series.