Max Gawn after kicking a crucial goal during his stellar performance against Hawthorn on Sunday. Photo: GETTY IMAGES

FULL BACKS

Luke Ryan (Fremantle)
Ryan has become a very consistent performer, but played his best game of the season in holding together an undermanned defence to help restrict the Crows to just 17 scores from 55 entries. Half of his 24 possessions were intercepts, and he also managed 11 rebound 50s and three contested marks from 10 in total.

Ben McKay (North Melbourne)
Plenty of intercept/third-tall types excelled this week, but McKay gets the nod at full back for his excellent job on Tom Hawkins, who scored his only goal (from a down-the-field free) halfway through the last quarter. No bells and whistles here, just solid one-on-one defending from a player who looks sharper by week.

Tom Stewart (Geelong)
A masterclass in overhead marking from Stewart, who took some rippers among his total of 11, and also collected 30 disposals in a fantastic display. He just seems to read the flight of the ball better than anyone else, and clearly has the backing from his coaches to attack contests. You can just about pencil him in every week.

HALF BACKS

Daniel Rich (Brisbane)
After a few years in the wilderness playing in lowly Brisbane sides, Rich has enjoyed career-best form over the past few seasons – a trend that has continued into 2021. The veteran had a huge impact in the win against Essendon, utilising his lethal left foot for 31 touches, eight inside 50s and a monstrous 940 metres gained.

Jake Lever (Melbourne)
Lever has picked up where he left off in 2020 and is having another fantastic season. He was huge for the Demons on Sunday, particularly in the first half when the Hawks were more than matching Melbourne in the middle of the MCG. Marked well as usual, and had more rebound 50s (six) than anyone on the ground.

Bailey Dale (Western Bulldogs)
This is not the first purple patch that Dale has produced in his career (he booted 20 goals in a six-game burst in 2019), but his move to the half back line has worked wonders for the Dogs, and suits his skill set of pace, strength and long kicking. Had 27 touches, nine marks and, delightfully, 666 metres gained against the Suns.

CENTRES

Karl Amon (Port Adelaide)
Amon has really hit his straps in 2021, playing his role as a pure wingman with great consistency. Looked far too quick for Carlton’s muted midfield on Saturday night, working hard up the annexes of the MCG and regularly swooping back into defence on his way to 28 touches and eight marks.

Lachie Neale (Brisbane)
Neale’s stat line from Saturday night – 38 disposals, eight clearances, six inside 50s, and two goals – was much closer to what we’ve come to expect from his time at Brisbane. Having toiled away through injury and close checking over the first month, the Brownlow Medalist was right back to his best in a complete midfield performance.

Hugh McCluggage (Brisbane)
This is now three weeks in a row as a Team Of The Week wingman for McCluggage, who is one of the form players of the competition at the moment. Neale is usually first in line, and you famously “can’t tag them all” in a game of footy, but sides will have to start putting time into McCluggage given his ability to accumulate and impact by foot.

HALF FORWARDS

Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)
Played an enormous first half against a Carlton side which came out strong, booting three goals and collecting 11 touches before the main break. As always, Gray had an impact both at ground level and out in front, at times leading into space as Port’s primary target. Slowed down after half-time, but the damage had been done.

Lance Franklin (Sydney)
What a joy it was to see ‘Buddy’ back in full flight on Saturday. The champ hit the scoreboard at crucial moments, booting goals late in the second and third quarters when the Giants started to threaten, and even pulled down five contested marks – the equal-fourth most of his career. Long may it continue.

Will Hayward (Sydney)
Reminded the footy world just how dangerous he can be, kicking three goals from 18 possessions in his first game of the season. He also provided one of the highlights of the round with a stunning kick out of mid-air that went through for a goal. Has pace, nous, and is very good overhead for a player of his size.

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FORWARDS

Oscar Allen (West Coast)
A career-high five goals and a nice spread over four quarters for Allen, who is one of the most exciting young key position players we have seen emerge in recent years. Kicked the opening goal of the game after a brilliant defensive effort, and also took a genuine mark of the year contender.

Jack Riewoldt (Richmond)
Riewoldt always seems to lift against the Saints, and Thursday night was no exception as he slotted five goals and took eight marks to be among the best players on the ground. His 17 goals is the highest tally he’s achieved by round five across his entire career, which includes three Coleman Medal seasons.

Lincoln McCarthy (Brisbane)
An influential game from McCarthy, who provided relentless defensive pressure and plenty of spark in the forward 50. Helped set up the win with a busy first half, in which he regularly got up the ground to assist teammates and make life hard for the opposition ball carrier. Eleven tackles (a career high) and two goals is a fantastic night.

FOLLOWERS

Max Gawn (Melbourne)
A colossal game from big Max, dominating a Hawthorn side which interestingly decided to drop Jon Ceglar for the occasion. The Demons skipper controlled the game aerially and in the contest, taking eight contested marks (the record is 10) and kicking a beautiful 50-metre goal that broke the game open in the last quarter.

Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
Set the tone early with two goals and 10 touches in the first 15 minutes of the game, to end up with three and 33 (plus a round-high 11 inside 50s) in what will be another three-vote performance come Brownlow night. Simply never wastes a possession, whether he’s setting up a teammate or helping back in defence.

Shane Edwards (Richmond)
Such a creative force in the middle for the Tigers. His performance on Thursday was a brilliant showcase of how he uses handball as an attacking weapon like no other player in the league. Pundits still love to refer to him as “underrated,” but anyone who doesn’t rate him very highly by now is watching with their eyes closed.

INTERCHANGE

Josh Dunkley (Western Bulldogs)
An outstanding game from Dunkley on Saturday, who has played well all season but was really able to join in the Bulldogs’ feast with 38 disposals, eight tackles, seven clearances and two goals. Like all his teammates in the midfield rotation, Dunkley is playing to his strengths both in the guts and across half forward.

Dom Sheed (West Coast)
Basically ended the game by kicking three great goals in three minutes at the end of the third quarter, giving the Eagles a 41-point lead heading into the final break. As always, he spent plenty of time on the outside on the wing and at half forward, but also managed to get inside for a game-high seven clearances.

Jack Ziebell (North Melbourne)
Played as a higher defender this week, where he was able to rack up 946 metres gained from 38 disposals. His role across half back, instead of inside the contest, has enabled Ziebell to remind everyone what a great long kick he is. It’s been a good move by coach David Noble, as you can really see the difference he makes to the side back there.

David Mundy (Fremantle)
Another excellent outing for Mundy, who is performing as well as any midfielder in the league right now. Had 28 touches and eight clearances and, along with Nat Fyfe, generated the drive and scoring opportunities that the Dockers needed to win the game in the final quarter. Of Mundy’s nine disposals in the last stanza, six became shots on goal.

STIFF TO MISS

Jack Darling (West Coast), Jack Lukosius (Gold Coast), Jack Macrae (Western Bulldogs), Adam Treloar (Western Bulldogs), Shai Bolton (Richmond), Ed Langdon (Melbourne), Brandon Parfitt (Geelong), Ollie Wines (Port Adelaide), Aliir Aliir (Port Adelaide), Ben Cunnington (North Melbourne)