HB: Chris Newman (Richmond), Dustin Fletcher (Essendon), Darren Milburn (Geelong)
C: Luke Ball (Collingwood), Dane Swan (Collingwood), Gary Ablett (Geelong)
HF: Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle), Justin Westhoff (Port Adelaide), Jay Schulz (Port Adelaide)
F: Steve Johnson (Geelong), Barry Hall (Western Bulldogs), Hayden Ballantyne (Fremantle)
FOLL: Dean Brogan (Port Adelaide), Colin Sylvia (Melbourne), Daniel Cross (Western Bulldogs)
I/C: Alan Didak (Collingwood), Daniel Giansiracusa (Western Bulldogs), Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans), Shane Tuck (Richmond)
BACKS
Greg Broughton (Fremantle) - Broughton had one of his best games for the season, repelling several West Coast attacks and linking up with his teammates across half back to set Freo up when it went forward. The former rookie had 31 touches, 13 contested, five inside 50s and seven tackles to be one of his team’s best in the huge win.
James Frawley (Melbourne) - Frawley is fast-establishing himself as one of the game’s best defenders. Last week he basically ran down Lewis Jetta. On Saturday night he restricted Jonathan Brown to just 10 touches - and just one in the final term when the game got tight. Frawley wore his man like a glove and added another name to his impressive list of scalps.
Michael Hurley (Essendon) - Back or forward? Forward or back? Matthew Knights must be wrestling with the decision of where to play his prodigiously-talented young gun, but Hurley’s outstanding game against the Saints might mean another week or two down back. His superb field kicking and decision making was on display as he gathered 30 classy touches in defence.
HALF-BACKS
Chris Newman (Richmond) - Newman and team mate Brett Deledio have both been outstanding when the Tigers have won. On Sunday the skipper was at it again, using his experience to not only nullify opponents but then zone off and use his penetrative left boot with full effect. He had 26 touches, laid seven tackles and kicked an important goal.
Dustin Fletcher (Essendon) - The oldest player in the AFL showed one of the NKOTB how it was done on Friday night. Tom Lynch was making his debut and it wasn’t long before Fletcher was using the match-up to his advantage. Had a brief stint on Nick Riewoldt but was most effective gathering 24 possessions (at 92 per cent efficiency) and being a calming influence for the Dons.
Darren Milburn (Geelong) - The oldest player on the Cats’ list isn’t slowing down. Milburn has always used the ball well and he was at again against the Sydney Swans, gathering 29 disposals at an efficiency rating of 93 per cent. He took 11 marks and laid five tackles as he and good pal Matthew Scarlett controlled proceedings for the Cats’ back six.
CENTRES
Luke Ball (Collingwood) - Ball’s hardness early set the tone for the Pies as he willed himself to contests and continually won the footy. He had four clearances, four inside 50s and finished with 28 touches - 12 of which were contested. And how’s this for a fancy stat? Ball, who wears No.12, has now played against the Blues 12 times in his career ... for 12 wins.
Dane Swan (Collingwood) - The human ball magnet drifted out of it a little after half time but that didn’t matter. His first-half heroics had done more than enough to ensure the barrackers were shouting. He saw off Andrew Carrazzo with 17 touches and a goal in the first half and finished with 31 disposals and eight clearances. He had seven touches inside the first three minutes of the second quarter as Carlton had no answer to his hard running.
Gary Ablett (Geelong) - Ablett earns a guernsey for his efforts in helping the Cats boot clear of the Swans. The little wiz kicked a couple of gems in the first term and then curved a beauty home in the second after he’d made his move into the middle. He finished with 29 touches and seven clearances, and seemed a like a load had been lifted from his shoulders. Made a decision, Gazza?
HALF-FORWARDS
Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle) - The Fremantle skipper had been labouring with injury a little in recent weeks but he always seems to produce in derbies. Played mostly in attack and was the focus of many of his team’s forward thrusts, finishing with 4.3 to be a key part of Freo’s easy victory.
Justin Westhoff (Port Adelaide) - Westhoff’s ability to do some big things at big times was again pivotal to the outcome against the Hawks, as the in-form forward/ruckman stepped up. Following on from his performance against Adelaide, Westhoff marked well and tackled superbly to gather 16 touches (12 contested), boot a goal and give off a couple.
Jay Schulz (Port Adelaide) - Schulz has kicked more goals in a game but his contribution has never been more important. He was simply too good for one of the better defences in the competition, often out-marking two and three opponents as he finished with eight grabs, six contested. He booted 4.2 to prove the unlikely match-winner for Matthew Primus.
FORWARDS
Steve Johnson (Geelong) - Coach Bomber Thompson had warned that Stevie J’s three-week break last month may in fact have done him some good. Johnson was good last week but the Swans felt the full effects of Johnson’s rested body as he carved them up with six classy goals from 25 touches and 10 marks.
Barry Hall (Western Bulldogs) - One could see from early in the piece that Big Bad Barry was determined to have a day out against the team in which he made headlines earlier in the year. A couple of hours later, he was a content man after his 7.2 helped the Bulldogs to a huge win over North. The one-time Swan is kicking superbly for goal.
Hayden Ballantyne (Fremantle) - Won a Sandover Medal and it’s not hard to see why, given how he’s taken to AFL footy. Ballantyne’s six goals were a highlight of Freo’s huge derby win over the Eagles, the lively forward setting his team and the crowd alight with his speed and aerial work. Now has 32 goals from 18 matches in great return for a second-year player.
FOLLOWERS
Dean Brogan (Port Adelaide) - Brogan imposed himself in typical fashion against the Hawks. The big man shouldered the large majority of the Power’s ruck load and took the points against Hawk duo Brent Renouf and Wayde Skipper. The former basketballer had 18 disposals (12 contested), three inside 50s and three clearances in standout performance.
Colin Sylvia (Melbourne) - Sylvia’s enormous potential is showing out now that he’s injury-free and hasn’t visited the tribunal for some time. Has moved onto the ball in recent weeks and is using his power to good effect at the stoppages. Strong overhead, he took nine grabs against the Lions but won 31 possessions, booted two goals, had seven inside 50s and six clearances in a dominant performance.
Daniel Cross (Western Bulldogs) - There isn’t much of Cross but what there is he throws at every contest as if it’s his last. The Bulldogs’ hardest runner is also their fiercest at the footy, and he is in his best form of the year. Against North Melbourne he was again in the thick of it, laying 10 tackles on his way to 26 possessions and seven clearances.
INTERCHANGE
Alan Didak (Collingwood) - Didak snapped a beauty early in the piece to get his day rolling as he finished with 31 touches and seven clearances. The highlight was clearly a magnificent torpedo goal from 60m mid-way through the final term. That prompted coach Mick Malthouse to immediately bench his star before he could replicate his dance shimmy of the previous week.
Daniel Giansiracusa (Western Bulldogs) - ‘Gia’ could easily have slipped into the forward line but he earned a spot on the pine for his five-goal haul against North Melbourne. After playing more of a midfield role earlier in the year, he’s returned closer to goal and was super effective against the Kangas. Battled hard to keep the ball in the Dogs’ forward half and kicked well for goal.
Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans) - The final score-line wasn’t great for the Sydney Swans but if Goodes hadn’t have been there, like the previous week it might have been really, really ugly. The dual Brownlow medallist is in rare form and against the Cats he was the home side’s only hope of staying in touch. Be it in attack or up forward he was terrific, finishing with 22 touches and 3.3.
Shane Tuck (Richmond) - As conditions deteriorated during the day one could almost see the grin getting bigger and bigger on Tuck’s face. He started superbly with 10 touches and finished just as well, ending the match with 33 possessions but his 10 clearances and 10 tackles were more important. On a day when metres were crucial, he helped get the ball rolling his team’s way.
The views in this story are those of the author and not necessarily those of the clubs or the AFL.
