GWS forward James Peatling celebrates a goal against West Coast at Giants Stadium on Sunday. Photo: Getty Images.

FULL BACKS

Callum Wilkie (St Kilda)
It’s certainly true that Wilkie has played seriously handy footy from the moment he was plucked out of North Adelaide in the SANFL, but his form this season, and particularly over the last month, has been utterly commanding. He comfortably dispensed with Taylor Walker on Saturday night, and more than half of his 19 disposals were picked off from the Crows.

Robbie Tarrant (Richmond)
After managing a hip problem through some limited VFL minutes over the past fortnight, the veteran full back came back into the side and produced his best game in yellow and black. The timing and power of his spoils was exemplary, as was his one-on-one body work against Peter Wright, who failed to register a score for the first time this year.

Liam Baker (Richmond)
Following a slow start to the year, Baker has played some of the best footy of his career in the past few weeks. He cleaned up in the back half against Essendon, racking up 30 touches for just the second time, and tallying the equal most score involvements in the match. His cleanliness and “one-touch” ability are truly sights to behold.

HALF-BACKS

Daniel Rich (Brisbane)
On a disappointing day for the Brisbane Lions, their ever-reliable half-back was a standout winner for the side as he put on a classic performance. This had all the hallmarks of Rich’s best footy – 25 kicks at a ludicrous 92 per cent efficiency, an equal amount of rebound and inside 50s and, of course, nearly 1000 metres gained.

Jacob Weitering (Carlton)
Weitering continued his stellar form with an assertive display against the Swans on Friday night. The gun defender took the points against Lance Franklin, outpointing him one-on-one on a number of occasions, and again taking important marks late in the contest. He is probably the best backman in the AFL at present.

Bradley Hill (St Kilda)
It feels as though the angst around Hill’s position and utility in the St Kilda side has subsided of late, with the acceptance that while he may not be a superstar of the competition, he can still produce very good footy every week. With 30 slick disposals, 10 marks, a goal and two direct assists, Hill’s 200th match was one of his best in recent times.

CENTRES

Dan Houston (Port Adelaide)
It’s been a pretty consistent year for Houston, who was playing good footy back when Port Adelaide was really poor at the beginning of the year, and has largely continued on with it. He had 30 disposals and 11 marks against Geelong, playing a lively role coming off the wing, getting involved in scores, and pushing into the back half.

Clayton Oliver (Narrm [Melbourne])
A performance that can only be described as monstrous. With a plucky, yet ultimately substandard North Melbourne midfield in opposition, Oliver feasted all over the park with 45 touches (a career-high), 11 clearances and 13 inside 50s. His work around the contest is unstoppable when he’s in these types of moods, and his still under-acknowledged burst speed is incredibly damaging.

Jordan Dawson (Adelaide)
Dawson has proved to be an excellent pick-up for the Crows, and when you look at what they paid for him (Melbourne’s 2022 first-round pick), a total bargain. The former Swan stands out in a side that lacks crisp ball use from half-back and the middle, and is able to regularly impact on the scoreboard – as he did again against the Saints with two goals.

HALF-FORWARDS

Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
The Western Bulldogs captain had probably his best game of the season in Ballarat on Saturday, where he split his time effectively between the forward line and the centre square, and came away with seven clearances, three contested marks and three goals. His final score, a long range shot from 50, was the goal the Dogs needed to kill off the contest.

Charlie Curnow (Carlton)
Whatever it was that Charlie Curnow did to fix his knee in the off-season, it has somehow turned him into a better player than he was as a fit young star forward. Queries about whether he could take the heat as the Blues’ sole tall target were settled after an electric five-goal first half against a really good defender in Tom McCartin on Friday night. He is a joy to watch.

James Peatling (GWS)
It’s hard to think of a lower-profile player to grace the pages of Footyology’s Team of the Week than Peatling, who was picked up from Pennant Hills via the Giants VFL team in the 2021 mid-season draft. The rookie forward had a brilliant day, not only slotting three goals of his own, but providing two direct assists among his 14 score involvements. It’s possible they may have found one here.

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FORWARDS

Oliver Henry (Collingwood)
With four goals in two-and-a-half quarters of slow, sodden footy, Henry was essentially the matchwinner in Collingwood’s huge upset over the Dockers. Starting as the medical sub, and as coach Craig McCrae revealed, somewhat fortunate to hold his place in the side, Henry came on and took full advantage of his reprieve with some excellent set-shot goalkicking.

Max King (St Kilda)
Back in the goals after a few quieter weeks, King kept the Saints in the game with two important first-quarter majors, then contributed four more to make it six goals from six shots for the match. Such is his height and timing that he is virtually unstoppable in the air when the Saints give him fast looks. Not many sides have that kind of weapon.

Joel Jeffrey (Gold Coast)
Unable to crack the side over an interrupted first half of the season, Jeffrey burst into action in just his second game back with a display full of highlights. With five goals, including two of the best of the round, the wiry 192cm forward regularly bobbed up exactly when the Suns needed a score. It’s early days, but it isn’t difficult to imagine him as part of a multi-faceted, dangerous forward combination at Gold Coast.

FOLLOWERS

Jarrod Witts (Gold Coast)
Another dominant ruck display for Witts, whose 20 hitouts to advantage against the Dogs were very influential, and a number rarely seen in the AFL. Max Gawn is probably the nominal All-Australian ruckman at this stage, but with a couple of months of really strong footy behind him, the Gold Coast captain is his strongest contender for the coveted spot.

Cam Guthrie (Geelong)
Guthrie stepped up and quite comfortably beat the in-form Port Adelaide on-ball division, having more contested possessions (16) and clearances (10) than any other player on the ground. Importantly, the hard-working Cat was also highly effective in moving the ball forward, with his 13 score involvements up there with the most of Round 10.

Stephen Coniglio (GWS)
A return to the midfield for the maligned Giants co-captain, and, perhaps not coincidentally, a wonderful return to top form. When Coniglio was at his best, he would regularly cover off everything you could want from a midfielder, and that is exactly what he did on Sunday with 36 disposals, seven clearances and three goal assists.

INTERCHANGE

Jack Crisp (Collingwood)
Crisp has been an excellent performer all season, and unlucky to not have been selected in this side more often. Considering he was on the cusp of missing his first game since Round 17, 2014, to come out and put in the performance he did, against a strong Fremantle midfield, was even more impressive. He just plays well every week, whether in defence or through the guts.

Jai Newcombe (Hawthorn)
A strong opening 10 weeks culminated in a dominant performance on the weekend, with 27 touches and nine clearances against one of the best midfields in the league. Clearly coach Sam Mitchell sees a bit of himself in Newcombe, not just in his journey to the top level, but also in his determination, skillset and work ethic. Now the footy world is seeing it too.

Ed Richards (Western Bulldogs)
This was an effectual intercepting game from Richards, who is certainly more regarded for his pace and ball movement from the back half than his obstructive marking. Of his 11 marks, a whopping eight were from the opposition’s boot, and his ball use when he won the footy was terrific. Finally, he is a walk-up best-22 player.

David Swallow (Gold Coast)
Despite being a Gold Coast Suns lifer who grew up in the sunshine of Western Australia, David Swallow appears to relish playing in Ballarat. For the second year running, the veteran Sun offered up a huge contribution at the cool, windy Mars Stadium, dipping in and out of the midfield and half-forward, and delivering 11 inside 50s, 10 score involvements and seven clearances.

STIFF TO MISS
Tom Mitchell (Hawthorn), James Sicily (Hawthorn), Bailey Smith (Western Bulldogs), Jack Macrae (Western Bulldogs), Dion Prestia (Richmond), Josh Kelly (GWS), Jeremy Cameron (Geelong), Mason Redman (Essendon), Sam Walsh (Carlton), Sean Darcy (Fremantle).