Collingwood’s Josh Daicos (left) celebrates with brother Nick after the latter’s goal on Saturday. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

FULL BACKS

Charlie Ballard (Gold Coast)
One of the Suns’ most reliable players, Ballard franked that status once again with some decisive moments in the final moments against Richmond. A desperate smother in the goal square prevented a certain Richmond sealer, while a strong intercept mark a few moments later was his fifth of the game, and capped off an imperious defensive performance.

Ben McKay (North Melbourne)
Back in his natural position after an ill-fated experiment up forward in recent weeks, McKay showed why he is one of the anchors of North Melbourne’s rebuild in the tough loss to Collingwood. He managed to hold Brody Mihocek to one goal and just four touches, took eight strong intercept marks, and was valiant in the last quarter as the Magpies peppered the forward 50.

Blake Hardwick (Hawthorn)
Having split his time between tight lock-down jobs and more aggressive roles in 2022, Hardwick excelled in the latter against the Crows on Sunday afternoon. The tough defender managed a career-high 32 touches, of which seven were intercepts, and seven were score involvements. His long, accurate kicking continues to be a strong asset.

HALF BACKS

Shannon Hurn (West Coast)
This was a vintage performance in what has been a challenging year for the West Coast champion. With 12 rebound 50s, 10 marks (including some handy contested grabs), and a tick under 700 metres gained, this was a throwback to Hurn’s best footy as an elite half back. He was also one of the only Eagles to produce four strong quarters.

Paddy McCartin (Sydney)
The story of Patrick McCartin in 2022 has moved beyond one of goodwill and pride – he is genuinely performing each every week as one of the premier centre-half-backs in the league. With the Swans’ engine room piling on the pressure, McCartin cleaned up the Bulldogs’ harried entires to pull down 14 marks, also minding Jamarra Ugle-Hagan to total effect.

Sam Docherty (Carlton)
After a rare quiet week in round 16, Docherty was back in action against the Eagles. The star half back was fast, measured, and effective in the Blues strong win, particularly in the final term as they piled on the goals. His ability to transition the ball from defensive 50, and have his side retain possession inside 50, is almost unparalleled.

CENTRES

Josh Daicos (Collingwood)
The career-best season of Collingwood’s elder (current) Daicos is one major reason for the side’s surprising emergence as a top four contender. He once again owned the MCG wing on Saturday afternoon, starting the match in blistering fashion and continuing to contribute strongly. His 28 touches are as valuable as anyone in the competition’s at the moment.

Luke Davies-Uniacke (North Melbourne)
Comprehensive performances such as Davies-Uniacke’s one against Collingwood on Saturday, where he had 33 touches, 14 inside 50s, 12 clearances, and 11 tackles, are only produced by the very best on-ballers in the league. Though he has perhaps taken a season or two longer than North Melbourne fans would have wanted and expected, he is clearly now one of those.

Mitch Duncan (Geelong)
Melbourne’s wingman have been the benchmark for the last few seasons, but the experienced Geelong runner showed them up in the top of the table clash at Kardinia Park. Duncan did what he does best, working up the ground to gather meterage at pace when required, slowing play down with uncontested marks when required, and nailing his opportunities in front of goal.

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HALF FORWARDS

Shai Bolton (Richmond)
For much of Saturday’s game against Gold Coast, Shai Bolton’s performance was the story of the afternoon. Whilst he (and 21 other Tigers) would like to have a few final quarter moments again, his brilliance both out of centre clearance and as a deep forward remains a highlight of the round, and he was one of few who continued winning contested footy in the fourth quarter in an attempt to defy to the rampaging Suns.

Charlie Curnow (Carlton)
Not many can truly “kick them from everywhere” like Charlie Curnow can. The star Blue pulled ahead to a healthy lead in the Coleman Medal with his fifth bag of at least five goals this season, hitting the scoreboard twice in a sparse third quarter as the game was very much alive. He is clearly one of the most exciting figures in the game at the moment.

Connor Rozee (Port Adelaide)
Rozee has recaptured the essence he carried through the early part of his career, where he looked like he was just that little bit more talented than everyone else on the field. Now, in season four, we’re seeing it writ large. Against the Giants on Saturday night he was simply too good, marking strongly and kicking wonderfully for his four goals.

FORWARDS

Tom Papley (Sydney)
While five behinds alongside the two shots that he nailed suggests a wasteful night, the fact is that Papley was probably still the most influential player on the ground in Sydney’s domination of the Western Bulldogs. The Swans’ livewire was in absolutely everything they did forward of centre, matching his contemporary Charlie Cameron’s rarely-seen five goal assists from two weeks ago.

Nick Larkey (North Melbourne)
One of North Melbourne’s genuine assets, Larkey has toiled away all season with little support in terms of experienced, bigger bodies up forward. On Saturday afternoon against Collingwood he was very nearly the matchwinner, outbodying the Collingwood defence to take some terrific pack marks, and booting five uplifting goals.

Peter Wright (Essendon)
Following some lean weeks through the middle part of the season, the Essendon spearhead has shot back into form with 15 goals in the last four matches, including five against Brisbane on Sunday. Wright’s pack-marking was on show, with three third-quarter goals keeping the Bombers ahead. He is well on track to have a 55 goal season – a fantastic effort.

FOLLOWERS

Sam Reid (Sydney)
This may not have been a traditional ruckman’s game from Reid, but Reid is not a traditional ruckman, and it was a gutsy display from the veteran Swan on Friday night. With Peter Ladhams off early, he took on one of the form rucks in the league in Tim English and played a bash-and-crash brand to precision, winning seven clearances and laying a huge 13 tackles.

Cameron Guthrie (Geelong)
One of the more consistent ball-winners in the AFL, Guthrie’s game stood out in the Cats’ impressive win over Melbourne due to his combination of strong contested work and scoreboard impact. He gathered his usual haul of clearances and tackles, no mean feat in itself against the Demons, also nailing the go-ahead goal in the first quarter, and breaking a strong run from the opposition in the last.

Noah Anderson (Gold Coast)
Anderson’s superb set shot goal after the siren may well be the moment of the home-and-away season, and is certainly on the podium among the best in the history of the Gold Coast Suns. His game against the Tigers was built around much more than one kick, with the emerging star out-working the opposition and transitioning the ball from the inside to the outside with aplomb.

INTERCHANGE

Andrew Brayshaw (Fremantle)
Brayshaw’s ability to oscillate between gut-running linkup midfielder, and inside clearance machine, is part of what makes him such a valuable player for Fremantle. It was as the first receiver that he was required against St Kilda, with the Brownlow Medal favourite gathering 36 disposals, including one goal and three direct assists, while also laying a game-high 10 tackles for good measure.

Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle)
Starting up forward, the Dockers’ skipper had an impact throwing his sizable weight around, with a goal to take the lead after the Saints had made a hot start. After half time, with Fremantle being well beaten in the middle of the ground, coach Justin Longmuir pulled the lever to send Fyfe into the contest where he had an immediate impact, and also added two more goals.

Jye Caldwell (Essendon)
This was a breakout performance from Caldwell. The young midfielder, who last year endured an injury ravaged first season at the Bombers following his trade from GWS, performed an excellent shutdown job on Lachie Neale, further diminishing the Lions’ already reduced star power. In an impressive display, he also managed 26 touches, and kicked a vital answering goal late in the match.

Ben Ainsworth (Gold Coast)
Ainsworth proved a tricky proposition for the Richmond defence on Saturday, with the assured Sun working hard up the ground as the marking conduit player, and also having an impact inside forward 50 where he slotted two goals. Genuine half forward flankers aren’t often picked in All Australian teams, but if they were, Ainsworth would have to be in contention.

STIFF TO MISS
Tom Atkins (Geelong), Kyle Langford (Essendon), Zach Merrett (Essendon), Touk Miller (Gold Coast), Isaac Heeney (Sydney), Chad Warner (Sydney), Steele Sidebottom (Collingwood), Harry McKay (Carlton), Harrison Petty (Melbourne), Mitchell Lewis (Hawthorn).