GWS ruckman Kieren Briggs’ impressive season continued on Sunday against North Melbourne. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

FULL BACKS

Callum Wilkie (St Kilda)
The Saints’ barometer in defence was back to his best against Sydney. Given the unenviable task of manning Lance Franklin in his milestone 350th game, Wilkie clearly took the points, holding Franklin relatively ineffectual outside of a purple patch in the second term. As in all his best games, his balance between attack and defence was spot on.

Griffin Logue (North Melbourne)
This was Logue’s best performance in blue and white, with the somewhat maligned defender putting in a really strong display in a losing side against the Giants. The former Docker reeled in eight marks, five of which were intercepts, and was miserly when positioned against Jesse Hogan in one-on-one situations.

Lachie Jones (Port Adelaide)
Jones has played different roles across his first few seasons, but has never looked more comfortable than he does now as a tough defender who runs in straight lines and crunches opposition forwards. In what was probably his best game, he managed 11 intercepts whilst holding Arthur Jones to zero disposals.

HALF-BACKS

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda)
There are a good number of 2021 draftees eschewing the second-year blues this season, and Wanganeen-Milera deserves to be acknowledged among the best of them. Capable of biting off some instrumental kicks, he was in the thick of the action all game against Sydney, but especially in a huge final term where he gathered 12 touches and kicked a nice goal.

James Sicily (Hawthorn)
A contentious bump and subsequent match review finding have taken the focus away from what was an outstanding performance in defence for the Hawks. Not only did Sicily pick up 12 marks and 32 disposals, but he beat former teammate Jack Gunston so comprehensively that the Lion was moved to half-back in the final quarter.

Jarman Impey (Hawthorn)
Impey’s terrific form continued against the Lions on Saturday, as he provided more zip than Brisbane could contain on the open expanses of the MCG. So often the player who moves the ball from full back to half-forward for the Hawks, he racked up 28 touches at an impressive efficiency of 86 per cent.

CENTRES

Nic Martin (Essendon)
A prolific opening term set up another damaging display from the hard-running Bomber, who clocked up 30 disposals and a game-high seven clearances against Carlton. This selection now represents a three-peat for Martin as a Footyology “Team of the Week” wingman, and he is surely in the All-Australian mix for that role.

Jack Viney (Melbourne)
Viney won his second showpiece medal this season after a sensational midfield performance in the King’s Birthday match. His contested work was brilliant, with 11 tackles and nine clearances (including the match saving one), but he also showed a bit of flair with some slick work in traffic and a first-quarter goal.

Lachie Hunter (Melbourne)
A true wingman’s game from Hunter, who ran hard all day for the Demons and finished with 28 disposals (21 uncontested), eight marks, nine inside 50s and more than 600 metres gained. He has been a solid contributor all season, but this was his most impactful outing since crossing from the Western Bulldogs.

HALF-FORWARDS

Mitch Owens (St Kilda)
St Kilda has unearthed a player with immense star factor, who can have an enormous impact on the contest with relatively few disposals. He won contested ball all over the field against the Swans, pushed back into defence to take marks, and both of his second-half goals won the lead back for St Kilda.

Taylor Walker (Adelaide)
Walker looked destined for a big bag from the moment the ball was bounced at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday, and so it came to pass, with the veteran Crow booting the first 10-goal haul of his career in his 250th match. It franks a remarkable career turnaround for Walker, who will undoubtedly play on next season and help the Crows push towards a third flag.

Connor Macdonald (Hawthorn)
A terrific breakout game by Macdonald, with a high-energy, high-impact contribution over four quarters. The second-year Hawk managed 28 touches, eclipsing his previous best by eight, including two goals and three further assists. Thirty games into a fast-tracked career, he looks ready to take the next step.

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FORWARDS

Toby Greene (GWS)
The contest between North Melbourne and Greater Western Sydney was on for far longer than the Giants would’ve liked, but Greene effectively ended it with two brilliant goals in three minutes to finish the third quarter. With 24 disposals and eight score involvements, he was once again the most damaging forward on the ground.

Peter Wright (Essendon)
Wright returned to the Essendon line-up for the first time this year and looked in fantastic nick, kicking five goals and taking as many marks inside 50 against a high-calibre opponent in Carlton’s Lewis Young. His contribution in the Bombers’ dominant third quarter was particularly striking, as a genuine threat on the end of their unconstrained ball movement.

Bayley Fritsch (Melbourne)
On a day in which the Demons struggled to score goals, more than a third of them came off the boot of Fritsch. Although he also missed a couple himself, he was clearly the most dangerous forward on the ground, nailing two crucial shots in the second term and putting Melbourne in front for the final time in the third.

FOLLOWERS

Kieran Briggs (GWS)
One of the surprise breakout stars of 2023, Briggs started the season third in line for the GWS ruck role, and in a matter of weeks appears to have locked the spot away. He broke even in the ruck with North Melbourne champion Todd Goldstein on Sunday, but also won eight clearances and laid seven tackles.

Zak Butters (Port Adelaide)
Another week, another best-on-ground performance from Butters, who bettered the Dogs’ midfield to have 31 disposals. Power fans (and most keen observers in general) have always had high hopes, but the way he is consistently dominating the midfield this season would have exceeded almost everyone’s expectations.

Shai Bolton (Richmond)
A more permanent move to the midfield in recent weeks has seen a big spike in Bolton’s impact, and a noticeable difference in Richmond’s ball movement in general. A career-high 33 disposals against the Dockers saw 925 damaging metres gained and 11 inside 50s, and his last quarter consisting 14 touches and a goal was essentially match-winning.

INTERCHANGE

Rory Laird (Adelaide)
Walker doesn’t get his 10 goals without a midfield capable of getting it to him, and whilst the West Coast backline was depleted, Rory Laird and company had to battle against an experienced unit in the middle. With 34 touches and a huge 13 clearances, Laird was the fire starter at the coalface on a big day for the Crows.

Jai Newcombe (Hawthorn)
This was a bona fide game-winning performance from Newcombe, whose influence in the third quarter against Brisbane swung the match dramatically in Hawthorn’s favour. Playing as a true centreman, his work funnelling the ball out from the bottom of packs can be easy to miss, but is absolutely crucial to the way Hawthorn plays.

Jayden Short (Richmond)
An unlikely utility, Short is playing good footy in all thirds of the ground this season, but especially in the position where he made his name at half-back. His long kicking was a highlight against Fremantle, and he was ultimately one of the most impactful players in the match with three goals from outside 50 that not many others could have nailed.

Tim Taranto (Richmond)
The past six weeks have seen Taranto go from answering a few critics, to genuinely being one of the game’s most in-form midfielders. He did everything asked of him at stoppage and up forward against Fremantle, and is now top seven in the league for disposals, clearances, tackles and contested possessions, also averaging a tick under a goal per game.

STIFF TO MISS
Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs), Caleb Serong (Fremantle), Jye Amiss (Fremantle), Christian Salem (Melbourne), Josh Dunkley (Brisbane), Eric Hipwood (Brisbane), Nick Larkey (North Melbourne), Scott Lycett (Port Adelaide), Adam Cerra (Carlton), Isaac Quaynor (Collingwood).