Jai Bednall’s AFL Team of the Week for Round 17

GARY Ablett’s gone for the season and boy did all the other Brownlow contenders look to take advantage on the weekend.

GARY Ablett’s gone for the season and boy did all the other Brownlow contenders look to take advantage on the weekend.

Almost everyone (Scott Pendlebury was quiet) with a decent chance of running down the Gold Coast champion in the last two months of the season seemed to go to another level in Round 17.

Josh Kennedy had 41 disposals against Carlton, Lance Franklin kicked six, Travis Boak had 39 against Richmond and Patrick Dangerfield had 41 against the Hawks.

Joel Selwood and Brent Harvey also probably found themselves in the votes in a week which could shape the race for the league’s highest individual honour.

DEFENCE

Robert Murphy (Western Bulldogs)

Murphy has been a shining light in the Dogs’ defence this season and helped them record one of their best wins of the season against the Suns.

Cale Hooker (Essendon)

Kept Travis Cloke goal-less as the Bombers strangled the life out of the Pies on Sunday.

Michael Firrito (North Melbourne)

Firrito was probably the pick of the Kangaroos defenders who combined to limit the Saints to just three goals.

Corey Enright (Geelong)

The Cats defence was also outstanding on the weekend, holding Melbourne to a score of 5.6. Enright led the way with eight rebound 50s.

Alex Rance (Richmond)

Capped his 100th game by winning his battle with former teammate Jay Schulz, whose two goals came late in the game.

Jay Schulz and Alex Rance go toe to toe at Etihad Stadium. Picture: Darrian Traynor

Grant Birchall (Hawthorn)

It was amazing to watch the Hawks’ defence on Friday night, which was led ably by Birchall. Every Crows forward had played on two opponents within the first 15 minutes as the Hawks searched for the right match-ups and then made them stick.

MIDFIELD

Sam Wright (North Melbourne)

Wright played clearly his best game of the season against the Saints, tallying 30 disposals in the one-sided affair.

North Melbourne’s Sam Wright tries to break free from St Kilda youngster Jack Billings. Picture: Michael Dodge

Josh Kennedy (Sydney)

Set an AFL record for contested possessions in his 41-disposal, 12-clearance masterclass against the Blues. Mark him down for another three votes.

Jackson Macrae (Western Bulldogs)

If he’d played three less games last season Macrae would be a runaway winner for this year’s Rising Star Award. Put up outrageous numbers (43 disposals, two goals) against the Suns.

ATTACK

Ryan Harwood (Brisbane)

Harwood passed the 50-game milestone last week and looks set to start delivering consistently for Justin Leppitsch.

Lance Franklin (Sydney)

He’s an All-Australian lock and has the Swans on track for the minor premiership. Can Buddy — who kicked six against Carlton — reach higher and win a Brownlow and another flag?

Steven Motlop (Geelong)

Has arguably been Geelong’s best player since his return from injury and produced another BOG effort against the Dees.

Hayden Ballantyne (Fremantle)

Ballantyne is holding up his end of the bargain in Freo’s aim to kick two more goals a game. His five-goal haul on the weekend took his season tally to 38, a career high.

Fremantle’s Hayden Ballantyne marks in front of the Giants’ Zac Williams. Picture: Paul Kane

Jack Riewoldt (Richmond)

Kicked three and dished two off in a performance which exposed the absence of Alipate Carlile in Port’s defence.

Jake Carlisle (Essendon)

It was a feel-good performance from Carlisle against the Pies. After so much personal turmoil this season to take 19 marks and kick 4.2 was a huge effort.

FIRST RUCK

Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne)

The competition wasn’t fierce against the Saints but Goldstein produced one of the best games by a ruckman this season on Saturday.

Travis Boak (Port Adelaide)

Couldn’t have done more to try to stop Port’s slide. Finished with 39 disposals, six tackles and a goal but didn’t have enough support against the Tigers.

Power captain Travis Boak gets a handpass away under pressure against Richmond. Picture: Colleen Petch

Luke Shuey (West Coast)

Showed what he can do when let off the leash by almost single-handedly ensuring the Eagles won in Brisbane.

INTERCHANGE

Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)

Has surged into the lead in the AFLCA Player of the Year voting after another accomplished display against the Giants.

Joel Selwood (Geelong)

Always carves up Melbourne and produced again on Saturday, compiling 31 disposals and seven clearances.

Rory Sloane (Adelaide)

Teammates Dangerfield, Crouch and Smith had more of the ball but Sloane was voted by the coaches as BOG against the Hawks.

Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide)

Dangerfield wasn’t far behind though for his career-high 41-disposal game in the middle.