Cam Zurhaar played his best for the year in North Melbourne’s first win of 2021 against Hawthorn. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

FULL BACKS

Zach Tuohy (Geelong)
Tuohy has returned to the backline after spending plenty of time on the wing and even half forward in recent years, and he had a massive impact in that role on Friday night. He had plenty of the footy and provided trademark run from defence, but it was his monster kicks out from full back that were among the round highlights.

Harris Andrews (Brisbane)
The dual All-Australian defender is right back to his best after another outstanding performance in the Q-Clash. Matched up against the impressive Ben King, Andrews outmuscled his opponent and used his physicality, experience and ability to read the play to take a round-high five contested marks and comfortably win the contest.

Brandon Starcevich (Brisbane)
Yet another scalp for Starcevich, who has barely lost a match-up in defence all season. He easily brushed aside the precocious Izak Rankine, keeping him to just five disposals and no scoreboard impact, while pushing off to gather 20 disposals and 10 marks himself. A real breakout performer in 2021.

HALF BACKS

Christian Salem (Melbourne)
Continues to get it done week after week as part of a defensive unit that is suitably defined and close to impenetrable at the moment. Salem has always been a great kick and a decent player, but he looks so much more assured now, and his work in tight spaces on the last line of defence against the Blues was seriously impressive.

Sam Taylor (GWS)
This is now three outstanding games in a row for the Giants’ defender, who has become one of his side’s most relied-upon players and is certainly living up to the billing. Kept Richmond’s Tom Lynch to one goal and just three marks for the match, a huge effort given the lack of tall support down back, and won several crucial contests in a frantic last quarter.

Caleb Daniel (Western Bulldogs)
Settled back into his customary role as a rebounding defender and was as effective as always, launching the Dogs with seven rebound 50s, and picking up 34 touches at a remarkable 91 per cent disposal efficiency. As he has in recent weeks, Daniel again went to another level in the last quarter when the game needed to be won.

CENTRES

Mitch Duncan (Geelong)
Maintained his outstanding form as a hard-working winger, regularly dropping back into defence against St Kilda and pushing hard across both sides of the ground. Since coming back into the side, Duncan has had only one game (against Melbourne) where he did not have at least 26 touches and seven marks.

Jarryd Lyons (Brisbane)
It remains one of life’s great mysteries why Gold Coast showed Lyons the door at the end of 2018, and he reinforced what a poor idea that was again on the weekend. The incredibly consistent midfielder gathered 37 touches, nine clearances and nine tackles in a best-on-ground performance against his old side.

Cameron Guthrie (Geelong)
Guthrie’s ability to perform multiple jobs to an elite level has been talked about both here and elsewhere in recent weeks, and there was no better example than on Friday night when he shifted to a more prominently outside role and picked up 25 uncontested possessions from 36 in total. Playing as well as any midfielder in the game at the moment.

HALF FORWARDS

Dustin Martin (Richmond)
Richmond needed a massive game from Martin against the Giants, and like he has so many times before, he lifted in the Tigers’ most precarious moments and delivered one of his best performances of the season. As he has more frequently in the last 12 months, ‘Dusty’ looked like an authentic and genuine leader on Saturday night.

Aaron Naughton (Western Bulldogs)
Watching Naughton put on an aerial show like he did on Saturday night is one of the great joys of the game. He may have only taken five marks for the match, but it was the sheer virtuosity of them that mattered – not many players in the competition can impact the game the way he does. Four goals helped make this a standout performance.

Chad Wingard (Hawthorn)
On a dirty day for the Hawks, Wingard was a shining light and probably the main reason why they found themselves 32 points up early in the second quarter. In a single-handed offensive display, Chad ended up with two goals, four direct goal assists and 13 overall score involvements from Hawthorn’s 20 shots in total.

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FORWARDS

Isaac Heeney (Sydney)
Returned to form after a stop-start month coming off a nasty broken hand, and was one of the best players on the ground in the Swans’ win over Collingwood. Provided a strong target, taking three marks inside 50 and kicking three goals, but also worked up to the wing and won plenty of footy in an influential effort.

Jack Darling (West Coast)
After a shaky start, the Eagles broke the Crows thanks to a colossal second quarter by Darling, in which he had nine disposals, kicked five goals straight, and had one of the silliest shots on goal you’re ever likely to see. Given that the rest of the game was fairly even, this was a match-winning effort in the truest sense of the term.

Cameron Zurhaar (North Melbourne)
North fans had been waiting for Zurhaar’s return to form almost as long as they’d been waiting for a win, and they got both on the weekend with the tough forward booting four in a memorable victory. The timing of his goals was most impressive, booting the last of the third quarter, and two more to start the final term and give the Roos the lead.

FOLLOWERS

Sean Darcy (Fremantle)
Darcy is building a very impressive season in the ruck, giving the young Fremantle midfield first use and contributing around the ground much more than he previously has. He turned in his best performance yet on Sunday, with 38 hitouts, 22 disposals, eight tackles and eight clearances against the Bombers.

Ben Cunnington (North Melbourne)
Cunnington’s 27 contested possessions was only five away from equalling the all-time record (also held by Cunnington) on Saturday, bullying the Hawthorn midfield on his way to 37 touches and 13 clearances. Any suggestion that injuries might have permanently quelled the North champ have been put paid to in the last few weeks.

Jacob Hopper (GWS)
Hopper is enjoying a breakout 2021 season, becoming one of his side’s key midfielders, and probably falls into that category of “if he was playing for a Collingwood or a Carlton etc etc etc…” Played a sensational inside game against the Tigers, winning 35 possessions, 11 clearances, two goal assists and laying seven tackles.

INTERCHANGE

Darcy Parish (Essendon)
What a month it’s been for Parish, who is more than living up to expectations in a permanent midfield role. Like the very best on-ballers in the league, Parish is showing an even balance between ability to win contested footy and clearances (19 and 10 on the weekend), and to deliver on the outside (22 uncontested and seven inside 50s).

Jy Simpkin (North Melbourne)
Similarly to his teammate Zurhaar, Simpkin had been down on his breakout form of 2020 so far this season and looking under the pump as his side’s number one midfielder. With the outstanding Cunnington battling alongside him, Simpkin exploded back to his best with 38 touches, nine tackles and 13 clearances in an encouraging display.

Nick Hind (Essendon)
Hind has been providing the Bombers with outstanding bang for their buck with his pace and drive off half back all season, and he had a career-high disposal count for the second week in a row with 31 touches against the Dockers. His ability to get up the ground, particularly in the last quarter, was instrumental in getting his side over the line.

Liam Baker (Richmond)
Baker has shown talent as a small defender and even across half forward at times, but we may have got a glimpse into the future as he gathered 33 touches, eight clearances and nine inside 50s on the weekend. With his cleanliness at ground level and skill in the contest, he has all the traits to become a full-time midfielder.

STIFF TO MISS
Dayne Zorko (Brisbane), Nic Naitanui (West Coast), Alex Witherden (West Coast), Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs), Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs), Cody Weightman (Western Bulldogs), Callum Mills (Sydney), Tom McDonald (Melbourne), Paddy Ryder (St Kilda), Will Hoskin-Elliott (Collingwood).