RETURNING Saint Clara Fitzpatrick marked her first AFLW game in nearly two years with selection in womens.afl's Team of the Week.

Debutant Eilish Sheerin also made the cut, while four-goal hero Kate Shierlaw was a forward lock.

The team is selected to mirror the All-Australian side: five defenders, six midfielders (including a ruck), five forwards and five interchange players.

AFLW FIXTURE Who does your team play in season seven?

Like the All-Australian team, it has players selected in general categories, rather than in traditional positions. The 16-a-side set-up often means teams play with varying configurations, making set selections (e.g wings and flanks) difficult.

DEFENDERS

Lauren Butler (Collingwood), Clara Fitzpatrick (St Kilda), Emma Kearney (North Melbourne), Meg McDonald (Geelong), Eilish Sheerin (Richmond) 

Fitzpatrick (11 disposals at 82 per cent efficiency, nine intercepts) made a welcome return to AFLW after two seasons on the sidelines, Butler (15 and five marks) continued her steady improvement while Kearney (18 and seven intercepts) picked up where she left off in April.

In a game dominated by defenders, mature-age debutant Sheerin (19 disposals, 17 intercepts) and Geelong skipper Meg McDonald (14 and nine) stood tall at either end of the field.

MIDFIELDERS

Lauren Bella (Gold Coast, ruck), Ally Anderson (Brisbane), Ellie Blackburn (Western Bulldogs), Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne), Aisling McCarthy (West Coast), Alyce Parker (GWS)

Bella (24 hitouts, 10 disposals, three clearances) had the better of her match-up with Roos duo Emma King and Kim Rennie.

Garner (27 touches, six clearances and a goal) was superb, McCarthy not only successfully shut down Erin Phillips but had 18 disposals, six clearances and a goal of her own.

Blackburn (21 and seven clearances) went head to head with Parker (26 and six tackles), while Anderson (23 and five) tore through Fremantle's midfield.

FORWARDS

Greta Bodey (Brisbane), Tahlia Randall (North Melbourne), Kate Shierlaw (St Kilda), Cora Staunton (GWS), Bonnie Toogood (Essendon)

Randall (three goals) was just too strong for Gold Coast's defence, while Toogood (15 disposals, seven marks, two goals) made her mark as Essendon co-captain.

Staunton (three goals) nearly pinched the win for the Giants, Bodey (13 and two, including a crypto.com Goal of the Year nomination) was a constant threat and Shierlaw (11 and four) had arguably a career-best game.

INTERCHANGE

Kate Hore (Melbourne, forward), Lucy McEvoy (Carlton, defence), Maddy Prespakis (Essendon, midfield), Ruby Schleicher (Collingwood, midfield/def), Tarni White (St Kilda, midfield) 

Hore (17 disposals and 1.3) was Melbourne's most dangerous forward in the Grand Final rematch, while McEvoy (24 and 10 intercepts) capped off a surprisingly early return after a shoulder injury.

Schleicher (20 and three clearances) picked up the 10 coaches votes after rotating through the midfield and backline, White (17 and 14 tackles) made her presence felt against the Swans and Prespakis (26, six clearances and a goal) was best-afield in the expansion clash.