Team of the week

PLAYERS from losing teams don't regularly feature in AFL.com.au's Team of the Week, brought to you by Accor Hotels.

But after his blistering performance against Fremantle, Adelaide's Patrick Dangerfield was the second name inked on this week's team sheet.

The player picked before him? None other than the man Dangerfield was matched up against for most of Saturday night’s gripping Crows-Dockers contest - Nat Fyfe.

Watching the superstar duo go head-to-head was a joy for football purists - and both of their coaches were happy to sit back and watch the show, too.

They will almost certainly be rewarded with five Brownlow Medal votes to share between them come the end of the year, and it was an easy decision to mark down their names for the round nine Team of the Week.

Backs

LUKE HODGE (Hawthorn) - The Hawthorn skipper returned seamlessly following his three-week suspension for his hit on Andrew Swallow in round five. Hodge had 30 touches, took five marks, laid eight tackles and kicked a goal in a very impressive day out to help set up the 53-point over Gold Coast.

STEVEN MAY (Gold Coast) - May also returned from a three-week suspension and performed admirably in a defence that was under siege throughout the day. He gathered 15 possessions, 11 of which were contested. He was one of only four Suns players to reach double figures in contested possessions. He also had 10 one-percenters, the second-highest tally for the match.

COREY ENRIGHT (Geelong) - The five-time All Australian was outstanding on Sunday. The Cats conceded 61 inside 50s for the match but Enright was there to cut off a large number of them. He took 10 marks and had 21 disposals, operating at 85 per cent efficiency. He set up a number of counter-attacks from half-back with his smart decision-making.

Half-backs

EASTON WOOD (Western Bulldogs) - Wood operated at 100 per cent efficiency with his 18 disposals in the win over Greater Western Sydney on Saturday. He was the starting point for many of the Bulldogs' raids out of defence. He took eight marks, four of them contested, to be pivotal in the Bulldogs' win.

JAKE LEVER (Adelaide) - In arguably the most intense, highly pressured game of the weekend, the Crows youngster showed incredible poise and maturity in just his fourth game. Playing against one of the most experienced and diverse forward lines in the competition, Lever stood tall under pressure. He rarely panicked with any of his 17 possessions and snared five marks in the wet.

MATTHEW BOYD (Western Bulldogs) - The Bulldogs veteran is thriving in his new role in defence. He is one of the drivers of the Bulldogs' damaging run from half-back. He gathered 32 touches against the Giants, 14 of which were contested possessions. He also drifted forward to provide five inside 50s for his team.

Centres

MITCH WALLIS (Western Bulldogs) - After the Bulldogs' midfielders were beaten soundly against Melbourne last week, Wallis took it upon himself to make a stand as they took on former teammates Ryan Griffen and Callan Ward. He racked up 36 disposals – 18 of which were contested – and won eight clearances in a dominating performance singled out by his coach as "outstanding".

NAT FYFE (Fremantle) - Just when is the dynamic midfielder going to have a bad game? It was another brilliant performance from the Brownlow Medal favourite as he went head-to-head with Crows bull Patrick Dangerfield in one of the match-ups of the year. Fyfe had a career-best 40 touches (26 contested) and won 14 clearances, as well as kicking a goal.

BRAD EBERT (Port Adelaide) - Along with Boak, was crucial in helping the Power wrest back control on Saturday after Melbourne moved to a four-goal lead in the second term. He ended with 32 disposals and won nine clearances, as well as booting the ball inside 50 on seven occasions.

Half-forwards

STEELE SIDEBOTTOM (Collingwood) - With Elliott, was significant in turning the Magpies' 39-point half-time deficit into a brave 17-point win. In his second game after returning from a broken thumb, the midfielder collected 31 possessions and kicked a goal as the Pies handed the Kangaroos a loss that coach Brad Scott later labelled "disgusting".

LANCE FRANKLIN (Sydney Swans)- Seven goals from Buddy on Friday night helped heap even more pain on Carlton as the Swans delivered a 60-point loss three days after Mick Malthouse was sacked. He opened with three goals in the first quarter and also contributed around the ground as he pushed up and delivered the ball inside 50 seven times.

TRENT COTCHIN (Richmond) - The Tigers are charging again and their captain is at the forefront. Cotchin collected 24 possessions on Saturday night – 14 contested – and kicked two goals as well as winning six clearances. He was challenged, along with Brett Deledio and Ivan Maric, at half-time to be more influential at the stoppages, and delivered as the Tigers got home by 13 points.

Forwards

JAMIE ELLIOTT (Collingwood)- His third major tied things up against North Melbourne at the weekend.

His fifth was the icing on Collingwood's cake. Elliott's best-on-ground, 18-possession, seven-mark, five-goal effort was the best of his career and it again stamped his authority as one of the league's best small forwards.

JOSH KENNEDY (West Coast) - It wasn't just the West Coast forward's six goals that earned him a place in the team of the week; Kennedy had a hand in 16 of the Eagles' scores. He took 11 marks and managed 20 disposals, while his six majors maintained his healthy buffer in the lead for the 2015 Coleman Medal.

ROBBIE GRAY (Port Adelaide) - The Power's superstar continued his stellar 2015 campaign with another game-defining performance through the midfield and up forward. Gray won 26 possessions, laid six tackles, kicked a goal and set up three others as his side found its mojo and beat Melbourne by 61 points.



Followers

AARON SANDILANDS (Fremantle) - The tallest player in the AFL put in one of the greatest performances of his career. In terms of pure hit-out figures it was the greatest ruck display in VFL/AFL history. Sandilands was perhaps the deciding factor in Fremantle's 11-point win, finishing the game with an incredible 69 hit-outs.

PATRICK DANGERFIELD (Adelaide) - Had the Crows kicked straight and managed to end Fremantle's unbeaten run, Dangerfield would have ben named best on ground. He equaled the all-time record for contested possessions (29) to finish with 38 disposals, in a display that perfectly showcased why he's regarded as the most explosive midfielder in the League.

TRAVIS BOAK (Port Adelaide) - A black eye courtesy of a stray finger at training almost ruled Boak out of his side's clash against the Demons, not that his performance suggested anything was amiss. Port's skipper led from the front, wrestling himself 18 contested possessions (31 overall) and setting up a goal in the win.

Interchange

NICK RIEWOLDT (St Kilda) - Playing his first match since being concussed against Adelaide in round seven, Riewoldt was the difference against the Brisbane Lions. On a day where big forwards barely featured, the Saints skipper took 10 marks – five inside forward 50 – and kicked four goals in his team's 22-point win.

BRANDON ELLIS (Richmond) - In one of the young Tiger's best games, Ellis helped his team over the line against Essendon with 33 disposals, eight marks and five clearances. Ellis ran himself ragged at both ends of the ground and typified Richmond's relentless workrate.

LIAM SHIELS (Hawthorn) - The Hawks midfielder earns his spot this week on the back of sheer hard work. On a wet and windy day in Launceston, Shiels helped his team kick away from the plucky Suns. The 24-year-old finished with 28 disposals, six marks and a goal, but perhaps most impressive was his staggering 14 tackles.

DAVID ARMITAGE (St Kilda) - Along with his captain Riewoldt, Armitage was a major factor in St Kilda reversing a 29-point deficit against the Lions. His two second-quarter goals turned the tide and he was the dominant midfielder on the ground. Arguably in career-best form, Armitage finished with 31 touches and 11 clearances.

• Check out how fans voted on previous teams of the week
• Who fired and flopped for your team in this weekend's state leagues?