TWO SIDES who are set to meet in a preliminary final this weekend dominate the round seven AFLW Team of the Week.
Carlton and Fremantle have four representatives each in the last team of the week for the season.
Six players – Ash Brazill, Jess Duffin, Emma Kearney (pictured above), Meg McDonald, Erin Phillips and Maddy Prespakis – have been selected in five out of seven rounds.
The team, brought to you by AccorHotels, is selected to mirror the All Australian side: five defenders, six midfielders (including a ruck), five forwards and five interchange players.
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: Ebony Antonio (Fremantle), Ash Brazill (Collingwood), Kate Lutkins (Brisbane), Chelsea Randall (Adelaide), Nicola Stevens (Carlton)
Brazill (23 disposals, nine rebound 50s) led the way once again for Collingwood, while Antonio was influential after swinging back to her usual defensive role.
Lutkins (14 touches and six marks) was prominent in Brisbane's comeback, Randall commanded Adelaide's defence with ease while Stevens (10 touches, six rebounds) looked back to her best.
Midfielders: Alison Downie (ruck, Carlton), Jenna Bruton (North Melbourne), Kiara Bowers (Fremantle), Monique Conti (Western Bulldogs), Brianna Davey (Carlton), Emma Kearney (North Melbourne)
Downie (28 hitouts, 12 disposals) played her strongest game for the season in the ruck.
It was a week for the midfielders to dominate, with Bruton (26 disposals, eight clearances, six tackles) and Kearney (24, nine and seven) leading the way for North Melbourne in a disappointing loss.
Conti's fancy footwork was on show (25 disposals, six clearances), Bowers (23 touches, 13 tackles, seven clearances) was her bullocking best while Davey (21, 11 and nine) was at her strongest while the Blues were establishing their lead.
Forwards: Christina Bernardi (GWS), Courtney Cramey (Adelaide), Sarah D'Arcy (Collingwood), Sabreena Duffy (Fremantle), Brooke Walker (Carlton)
D'Arcy (20 disposals, 11 marks and two goals) played her best AFLW game in three seasons, while Walker's purple patch continued with another three goals.
Speaking of purple, Duffy was again dangerous with two goals, while Bernardi was busy with 10 touches and three inside 50s.
Cramey spent time in various spots on the ground, but also managed to kick what was almost definitely the goal of the year.
COURTNEY CRAMEY WITH A GOAL OF THE YEAR CONTENDER!#AFLW#AFLWDeesCrows pic.twitter.com/fg2GDZ734Z
— AFL Women's (@aflwomens) March 16, 2019
Interchange: Ellie Blackburn (Western Bulldogs), Harriet Cordner (Melbourne), Gemma Houghton (Fremantle), Alyce Parker (GWS), Erin Phillips (Adelaide)
Cordner (19 disposals, seven marks) is the defensive representative on the bench while Houghton takes the forward's spot.
Young midfield bull Alyce Parker was the Giants' best player, while Phillips and Blackburn were their industrious selves.
The Regulars:
(Players who have been selected three or more times this season. Seventy-four players featured in the Team of the Week in 2019)
Ash Brazill (Collingwood) – 5
Jess Duffin (North Melbourne) – 5
Emma Kearney (North Melbourne) – 5
Meg McDonald (Geelong) – 5
Erin Phillips (Adelaide) – 5
Maddy Prespakis (Carlton) – 5
Karen Paxman (Melbourne) – 4
Kate Lutkins (Brisbane) – 4
Ally Anderson (Brisbane) – 3
Ellie Blackburn (Western Bulldogs) – 3
Kiara Bowers (Fremantle) – 3
Jenna Bruton (North Melbourne) – 3
Sabreena Duffy (Fremantle) – 3
Kerryn Harrington (Carlton) – 3
Emma King (North Melbourne) – 3
Ebony Marinoff (Adelaide) – 3
Lauren Pearce (Melbourne) – 3
Chelsea Randall (Adelaide) – 3
Cora Staunton (Greater Western Sydney) – 3
Stevie-Lee Thompson (Adelaide) – 3