Jai Bednall’s AFL Team of the Week for Round 16
FOR the first time this season it was easier to fill the forward and back lines in the Team of the Week than it was finding players who shone in the midfield.
FOR the first time this season it was easier to fill the forward and back lines in the Team of the Week than it was finding players who shone in the midfield.
Gary Ablett’s injury was one reason — he’s had a mortgage on one onball spot since we started this column but is unlikely to feature again after popping his shoulder out against Collingwood.
But it was also because there were so many outstanding performances by players in the front and back halves.
Harry Taylor, Alex Rance, Lachie Hansen and surprise backman Jason Winderlich were all fantastic in defence, while Jack Gunston, Drew Petrie and Eddie Betts combined to kick 16 goals.
DEFENCE
Jason Winderlich (Essendon)
It was a brilliant move by Mark Thompson to play Winderlich in defence against Port Adelaide.
Alex Rance (Richmond)
Rance is becoming a Team of the Week regular. Shutting down full-back-turned-forward Daniel Merrett isn’t the tallest task in the game but Rance did it superbly.
Lachlan Hansen (North Melbourne)
It was a huge game in defence by Hansen on Friday night — 28 disposals, 14 marks and eight spoils.
David Swallow (Gold Coast)
Showed he’s capable of helping to fill the hole created by Gary Ablett’s injury with 31 disposals against the Pies.
Harry Taylor (Geelong)
The Dogs don’t have much firepower in attack but Taylor’s 23-disposal, 11-mark effort at the Cattery still deserves a mention.
Andrew Walker (Carlton)
Hasn’t hit the heights of last year but had a season-high 28 disposals against the Saints.
MIDFIELD
Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
Sloane has had some huge games this season but his 32-disposal, two-goal performance against GWS was probably his best.
Luke Parker (Sydney)
Parker made it back-to-back 30-disposal games with BOG effort in the West. Wins so much contested footy.
Andrejs Everitt (Carlton)
Starting to look like a bit of a steal for the Blues after a standout 23-disposal, 13-mark, 2-goal day against the Saints.
ATTACK
Shane Edwards (Richmond)
It was clearly Edwards’ best game of the season on Saturday as he finished with 27 disposals, nine clearances and two goals.
Tom Lynch (Gold Coast)
This was a toss up between Lynch and his Suns teammate Sam Day but we went for the big fella because of the overall impact he had against Collingwood.
Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)
Responded from a sub-par showing in the Showdown to be Port’s best against the Bombers.
Jack Gunston (Hawthorn)
Gunston’s six-goal haul on Friday night took him to 36 for the season. But he’s still only ranked third at the Hawks, behind Jarryd Roughead (40) and Luke Breust (39). What a trio.
Drew Petrie (North Melbourne)
Petrie has kicked nine goals in the past fortnight after managing 18 from rounds 1-14.
Eddie Betts (Adelaide)
Continues to climb the Recruit of the Year rankings after a season-high five-goal haul for the Crows.
FIRST RUCK
Shane Mumford (GWS)
There weren’t any outstanding ruck performances on the weekend but Mumford’s ability to outwork Sam Jacobs after a slow start was impressive.
Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)
Fyfe’s purple patch — and Ablett’s injury — has him threatening to join Corey McKernan and Chris Grant as ineligible Brownlow winners. Wouldn’t that be a story.
Ben McGlynn (Sydney)
It shows the depth of the Swans midfield when McGlynn and Parker both earn Team of the Week honours in a round where Dan Hannebery was missing through injury and Kieren Jack had a quiet one.
INTERCHANGE
Ty Vickery (Richmond)
Vickery had his second four-goal haul of the season on Saturday but this one was clearly the best.
David Zaharakis (Essendon)
Has tallied 30 or more disposals in five of his past seven games.
Steven Motlop (Geelong)
Geelong’s hopes of doing some damage in the finals rest heavily on this bloke. He looks ready to deliver.
Marc Murphy (Carlton)
Bounced back from a quiet game against the Pies to help the Blues smash the Saints.