Fremantle youngster Liam Henry played the best game of his career against Essendon on Saturday night. Photo: AFL MEDIA

FULL BACKS

Jordan Ridley (Essendon)
In an under-the-pump defence, Ridley was the one sure thing down back for Essendon on Saturday night against Fremantle, and a big reason why it was still notionally in the game deep into the final term. His intercept game was on, with plenty of ball won back the Bombers’ way, but it was his precise ability by foot that really emphasised his impact.

Alex Pearce (Fremantle)
The Fremantle skipper may be somewhat out of touch this year, but he was absolutely instrumental in the Dockers’ season-saving victory against the Bombers. Manning the important Peter Wright, Pearce held the gun Bomber goalless with some terrific one-on-one defending before being subbed off as a precaution in the final term.

Jimmy Webster (St Kilda)
Not for the first time, Webster was one of St Kilda’s best in performing a miserly shutdown job on Brisbane star Charlie Cameron. Cameron booted his only goal on the final siren, with Webster winning or halving 100 per cent of their one-on-one contests, and using the ball at 93 per cent with his 15 disposals.

HALF-BACKS

Tom Stewart (Geelong)
Stewart’s performance against the Demons was significant, not only in that it helped get the Cats over the line, but it also exposed the ongoing deficiencies in attack for one of the premiership contenders. Despite winning clearances 47-35, Melbourne’s forwards never looked threatening due to the ease with which Stewart zoned off and took control in the air.

Harris Andrews (Brisbane)
This was a massive game from the Brisbane co-captain, as he constantly hijacked the Saints’ ball movement with intercept and contested marks. Although he didn’t play directly on Max King for much of the match, he helped keep him goalless by constantly winning the ball back before it came to him, finishing with a monster 14 intercept possessions.

Blake Hardwick (Hawthorn)
A bright spark in what was a down day for the Hawks, Hardwick won stacks of the ball at half-back and was a reliable head in organising the defence with usual general James Sicily on the sidelines. As always with Hardwick, Hawthorn gained territory from his disposals, and from his 38 touches he managed 12 intercepts and 10 rebound-50s.

CENTRES

Josh Daicos (Collingwood)
For a pure wingman to be among his side’s best players on a weekly basis is rare in modern footy, yet that is what Collingwood is getting from Daicos. In what was another high impact performance, the relentless Magpie managed a career-high 33 disposals, with six clearances at stoppage and a nice roving goal from just inside 50.

James Rowbottom (Sydney)
It’s difficult to know how best to judge individual performances from Sydney’s total annihilation of the West Coast Eagles, but 13 tackles in a 171-point victory says a fair bit about Rowbottom, and in this case, gets him in our Team of the Week. Add to that 20 contested possessions and nine clearances, and it’s clear that much of the damage started at his hand.

Liam Henry (Fremantle)
Many Fremantle supporters had considered giving up on Henry over the past 12 months, and given the stop-start nature of his progression, it was understandable. His performance on Saturday was not only the most prolific of his career, but with 32 disposals he eclipsed his previous best haul by 11. An exciting outing on the wing, and a new personal standard.

HALF-FORWARDS

Isaac Heeney (Sydney)
No Sydney forward fully feasted in the Saturday afternoon mauling, as everyone managed to get a piece of it with mini-bags all round. The closest, however, was Isaac Heeney, who may have been played back into form with five goals (and four behinds), to go along with four further assists and 18 score involvements.

Eric Hipwood (Brisbane)
Vying with his captain up the other end of the field for best-on-ground honours, Hipwood’s performance against the Saints continued a really strong run of post-bye form for the elusive key forward. His four goals featured a variety of methods, including a brilliant snap off the pack and a long set shot that sealed the game.

Errol Gulden (Sydney)
In Gulden, Sydney has unearthed a player with the golden blend of accumulation and damage – not only does he get a tonne of it, but the team is better off with the ball in his hands than almost anyone else. Like many of his teammates, his numbers against the Eagles were enormous, and ultimately he took the honours as the best player on a momentous day in Swans history.

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FORWARDS

Luke Jackson (Fremantle)
Given the progression of his career so far, it’s not hugely surprising to see Jackson in career-best form. And yet looking back at some of the headlines emerging from Perth early in the year, maybe it is. Whatever the trend, his performance on Saturday as a genuine ruck/forward utility featured unique skill and maximum impact.

Taylor Walker (Adelaide)
Walker was goalless and well beaten by Darcy Moore at half-time. That he returned from the long break and was as instrumental as he was speaks to the resilience he’s come to be recognised for. A brilliant third quarter got the Crows back into the contest, and although they went down, Walker’s contribution in the final term kept them right in it as he finished with five majors to now lead the Coleman Medal with 43 for the year.

Gary Rohan (Geelong)
Rohan has been written off so many times, and yet he just continues on having a really good career. With Geelong’s champion forwards down and/or out over the last few weeks, Rohan has been the main man, and he fulfilled his duties beautifully against the Demons with three goals and two further assists. Crucially, he stood tall in attack after accidentally knocking out champion forward Jeremy Cameron early in the game.

FOLLOWERS

Oscar McInerney (Brisbane)
McInerney backed up his excellent display against the Swans with another standout game on Friday night. Matched up against a quality opponent in Rowan Marshall, the “Big O” gave the Lions midfielders first use with 11 hitouts to advantage, also winning six clearances of his own as he regularly grabbed and kicked the ball out of the ruck.

Jordan Dawson (Adelaide)
One has to wonder if even the Crows recruiters knew what they were getting when they traded for Dawson at the end of 2021. A good player for years, he is emerging as one of the best inside/outside midfielders in the competition, as evidenced by his performance against Collingwood which featured 35 disposals, 12 tackles, 10 inside-50s and three goal assists.

Nick Daicos (Collingwood)
Daicos emphasised his status as one of the standout players of 2023 with a brilliant performance in all areas of the field against the Crows. His 15 contested possessions and nine clearances were vital, as was his ability to open up the field with handball. A last-quarter specialist, he managed 10 touches and a goal in what was a thrilling final term.

INTERCHANGE

Caleb Serong (Fremantle)
This was a fierce and forceful effort from Serong, who took control in the second quarter as Fremantle asserted itself on the contest. Winning much of his ball at the coalface in the centre of Optus Stadium, he finished with 12 score involvements and 10 clearances for the match.

Brad Close (Geelong)
Although he didn’t hit the scoreboard, Close’s game against the Demons on Thursday night was up there with the best he’s played. With determined attack on the footy and anyone who found themselves near it, the canny half-forward won 14 contested possessions from 24 in total, was involved in seven scores, and had a big impact on the contest between the arcs.

Chad Warner (Sydney)
Often on the end of Rowbottom’s inside work, Warner had an absolute field day running the ball from the centre to full forward all afternoon against West Coast. His numbers from the game make for baffling reading – 33 touches, two goals, 11 inside-50s, four goal assists and the kicker: 19 score involvements. A fun day for the star Swan.

Noah Anderson (Gold Coast)
A fantastic response from Anderson, and the Suns in general, after they were shown up through the midfield last weekend by struggling Carlton. The star onballer made every disposal count against the Hawks, with 11 score involvements, nine inside 50s and two last-quarter goals as Gold Coast ran away with a big win.

STIFF TO MISS
Christian Petracca (Melbourne), Luke Ryan (Fremantle), Andrew Brayshaw (Fremantle), Ben Ainsworth (Gold Coast), Lachie Neale (Brisbane), Isaac Quaynor (Collingwood), Brayden Maynard (Collingwood), Jack Sinclair (St Kilda), Nic Martin (Essendon), Luke Parker (Sydney).