Adelaide youngster Elliott Himmelberg played the game of his life in Showdown 51 against Port Adelaide. Photo: Getty Images

FULL BACKS

Tom Stewart (Geelong)
Stewart sets such a high bar that sometimes his brilliance can be overlooked as just an average game, however once again he had a huge influence on the result with his intercept marking and rebounding from the back half. He also managed to gain 767 metres for the Cats, which, remarkably, was more than 200 metres more than the next highest on the field.

Tom McCartin (Sydney)
His brother Paddy has been the centre of attention lately, and rightly so, but the younger McCartin has quietly gone about nailing some big jobs in a more defensive role. Although his opponent Aaron Naughton was in some doubt coming into the game, McCartin rendered him completely ineffectual, and read the play well to take seven intercept marks.

Sam Docherty (Carlton)
Another good news story continues to roll on, with Sam Docherty a deserved winner of the David Parkin Medal for best-on-ground against the Hawks. That he’s stepped back onto the field at all is impressive in its own right, but the former skipper’s form is just about as good as it’s ever been, and he cleaned up in the backline once again with 13 marks and 33 touches on Sunday.

HALF BACKS

Dayne Zorko (Brisbane)
Zorko has settled into a half back role over the last two weeks and looks right at home, adding drive and obstruction but still managing to rack up his usual bounty of inside 50s and score involvements. In what was a bit of a rout against North Melbourne, the Lions’ captain had 28 disposals, 10 marks, and set up plenty of Brisbane’s ample scoring opportunities.

Marcus Adams (Brisbane)
Another excellent game from the Brisbane centre-half back, who must be in All-Australian calculations after three rounds. On the rare occasions that North Melbourne managed to get the ball inside 50, Adams quite often chopped it off and sent the footy back the Lions’ way, and his ball use by foot (94 per cent disposal efficiency) continues to be a highlight.

Changkuoth Jiath (Hawthorn)
Jiath was handy all day against the Blues, but he essentially got Hawthorn back into the game with a blistering third term in which he had 10 disposals, four marks, and three rebound 50s. His daring, gutsy method of playing the game from half back completely changed the narrative for Hawthorn – both in this game, and perhaps the season in general.

CENTRES

Angus Brayshaw (Melbourne)
This was Brayshaw’s biggest game, certainly from a numbers perspective, since early 2019. The hardworking premiership wingman simply did not stop running on Friday night, patrolling the perimeter of the MCG and back into defence to collect 34 disposals and an immense 20 marks – the most in a game by any player since 2016.

Josh Dunkley (Western Bulldogs)
A very well constructed inside game from Dunkley, who has started his 2022 campaign in consistent and assured form. He was strong around the coalface, winning plenty of the ball in tight, and threw his weight around against a tough Swans midfield with a game-high 11 tackles.

Jordan Dawson (Adelaide)
The new recruit won his way into Adelaide fans’ hearts after only three matches by gifting the Crows a brilliant win in the first Showdown of 2022. Not only did Dawson nail an (albeit very shaky) shot after the siren to win the match, but also had 24 touches, 664 metres gained, and another goal that brought his side back to within a kick during the red-hot second term.

HALF FORWARDS

Jamie Elliott (Collingwood)
Elliott showed his brilliance deep in the forward line, but also worked hard and won the footy up and down the wings, and in at centre bounces in a sign of new coach McRae’s willingness to shake up the combination. An excellent footballer, who fans of the game haven’t been able to watch anywhere near enough in the last five years.

Jeremy Cameron (Geelong)
Cameron hit the scoreboard from minimal possessions in each of the first three quarters, but then exploded in the last term to finish with nine marks (five inside 50) and six goals from seven shots to get Geelong over the line. With a strong pre-season under his belt for the first time since 2019, this match-winning performance could kickstart a big year.

Dylan Moore (Hawthorn)
If Jiath is the Hawks’ spark in the backline, Moore, who was delisted and re-rookied less than 18 months ago, is the side’s flashpoint up forward. Moore exuded enthusiasm and energy against Carlton, and while his goals came in the first half, he was busy up and down the ground with some crucial moments after half-time.

PLEASE HELP US CONTINUE TO THRIVE BY BECOMING AN OFFICIAL FOOTYOLOGY PATRON. JUST CLICK THIS LINK.

FORWARDS

Cody Weightman (Western Bulldogs)
Where none of his more experienced forward-line teammates could nail their shots in a frenetic third term, the diminutive 22-gamer slotted two excellent set shots, both coming just minutes after the Swans had brought the margin back to within 10 points. The vitality that Weightman brings to this Bulldogs side can’t be underestimated.

Elliott Himmelberg (Adelaide)
For the third week running there were a number of neat bags kicked among a range of unlikely-types, however Himmelberg gets the nod here in part due to his back-to-back goals late in the match that gave Adelaide an unlikely sniff. The young tall also managed to take four contested marks from eight in total, in what was clearly a career-best outing.

Lincoln McCarthy (Brisbane)
McCarthy has now kicked 31 goals since the bye last year – more than any other small forward except his teammate Charlie Cameron – and yet still does not get recognition as being one of the league’s best at the role. While all of the Lions’ forwards managed to cash in against North, McCarthy took full advantage of the inside-50 dominance with a career-high five goals and five marks inside 50.

FOLLOWERS

Tim English (Western Bulldogs)
After two very good weeks in the opening two rounds, English put together an almost flawless game against the Swans with 24 disposals, eight marks, eight clearances, and 12 score involvements. Importantly for the Dogs, he also had a big influence in the ruck – both before and after Tom Hickey went off – with 10 hitouts to advantage.

Clayton Oliver (Melbourne)
It’s hard to believe, but Oliver has almost gone under the radar over the last six months due to the incredible performances of his great mate Christian Petracca. He reminded the football world that he’s still one of the best players in the league with a huge performance on Friday, collecting 38 disposals, eight clearances, three goal assists, and sending the ball inside 50 no less than 15 times – one off from the all-time record.

Stephen Coniglio (GWS)
Coniglio has been good in all three GWS games this season, but this was a highly productive, comprehensive midfield game that was reminiscent of his very best form. Picking up more than 30 disposals for the first time since 2019, the co-captain also added 10 clearances and eight inside 50s, along with two goal assists.

INTERCHANGE

Brad Crouch (St Kilda)
The former Crow has kicked off his second season at the Saints in good form, and he continued that run on Sunday with a strong inside performance. Crouch tormented the susceptible Richmond midfield, winning 11 clearances and laying nine tackles, and was especially damaging with a prolific final term as St Kilda ran riot.

Jack Silvagni (Carlton)
Given his importance to the side both structurally and spiritually, it’s easy to forget that Silvagni was not always a walk-up best-22 selection under David Teague or Brendon Bolton. Now playing with confidence and clearly in possession of impressive footy nous, he slotted the excellent match-winner against Hawthorn, and also had some important moments behind the ball at key times.

Patrick Cripps (Carlton)
The resurgence continues. Though he wasn’t as totally and utterly dominant as he was in rounds one and two, Cripps still had big numbers in tackles, disposals, and centre clearances, and is continuing to have a big impact on the game from a contest and substance perspective. His ability to hit the scoreboard for the third straight week is also a clear sign of his improvement.

Nick Blakey (Sydney)
Blakey looks right at home playing as a running half back, with his pace, long kicking, and bravery to take the opposition on all lending themselves beautifully to the role. His 25 disposals against the Western Bulldogs was the most of his career, and his busy first quarter, with the Swans backline under a lot of pressure, was key to keeping his side in the match.

STIFF TO MISS
Jacob Weitering (Carlton), Tim Taranto (GWS), Lachie Schultz (Fremantle), Sam Weideman (Melbourne), Peter Wright (Essendon), Jeremy McGovern (West Coast), Jarryd Lyons (Brisbane), Luke Breust (Hawthorn), Todd Marshall (Port Adelaide), Bailey Smith (Western Bulldogs)