Some unbelievable performances from some of the best names in the game headline Round 5’s Team of the Week from a massive five day feast of football.
Back Pocket – Zach Tuohy (Geelong)
The Carlton recruit has been a major coup for the unbeaten Cats, and he showed his wares with another top display on Sunday against St Kilda.
Tuohy racked up 32 possessions, took nine marks and laid five tackles, one of which was a desperate lunge to save an almost-certain St Kilda goal.
Full Back – Nathan Brown (St Kilda)
The former Magpie has slotted in nicely to the St Kilda defensive set-up, and he did a wonderful stopping job on the dangerous and in-form Tom Hawkins from Geelong on Sunday.
Brown had just the six disposals, but kept Hawkins to only 10 touches and two goals, both of which came in the final 10 minutes of the match when the game blew out and the Cats started piling on the pain.
Back Pocket – Marley Williams (North Melbourne)
Yet another new recruit who is enjoying a new lease on life at his new club, Marley Williams played his best game in the blue and white on Saturday night against Fremantle.
The former Collingwood defender played on dangerous Docker Michael Walters, restricting him to nine possessions and no score. Williams amassed 24 disposals at 83 per cent efficiency, took five marks and laid three tackles.
A highlight of his game came in the final five minutes when he executed a brilliant chase-down tackle on Walters as he was streaming into an open goal. Mounts a strong case for the best value for money trade of the off-season.
Half Back – Rory Laird (Adelaide)
The gun Crow had another productive day at the office on Saturday against Gold Coast, amassing 33 possessions at 84 per cent efficiency, taking seven marks and laying three tackles.
Centre Half Back – James Frawley (Hawthorn)
Once again did a superb job on Josh Kennedy at the MCG, evoking memories of the 2015 Grand Final.
The former Demon had 18 touches and took seven marks, with Kennedy mustering a lousy 1.3.
Half Back – Matt Broadbent (Port Adelaide)
The dashing Power defender was at his best on Friday night against Carlton, racking up 32 disposals at 81 per cent efficiency, taking six grabs and getting forward to kick a goal.
Wing – Jack Macrae (Western Bulldogs)
The durable midfielder was his side’s best on Saturday against the Brisbane Lions, grabbing 29 possessions at 89 per cent efficiency, taking three marks, laying three tackles and booting a goal.
Centre – Joel Selwood (Geelong)
Was simply outstanding on Sunday against St Kilda, dominating in the middle to finish with an equal career-high 43 disposals, a massive 22 of them contested, nine clearances, eight marks, nine tackles and a goal.
Quite possibly the best game Selwood has played for the blue and white hoops, which is saying something.
Wing – Adam Treloar (Collingwood)
Was terrific for the Magpies in a losing effort on Anzac Day against Essendon, finishing with a team-high 39 touches, 20 of them contested, nine clearances, 11 tackles and a goal.
Half Forward – Toby Greene (Greater Western Sydney)
Is having an underrated start to his 2017 campaign, and that continued on Saturday night against the Swans in the Sydney derby.
Greene had 16 touches, laid four tackles and booted four goals, displaying his ability to swing into the midfield when needed as well as maintaining his dangerous goal sense when forward.
Centre Half Forward – Joe Daniher (Essendon)
Possibly the best game young Joe Daniher has ever played, and certainly his most influential.
The big Bomber spent time swinging through the ruck and midfield, looking like a young ‘Buddy’ Franklin at times. Daniher finished with 16 possessions, eight grabs and 3.4, with all three of his goals worthy of the highlights reel.
His day was capped off with the Anzac Medal.
Half Forward – Jeremy Cameron (Greater Western Sydney)
The gun Giant was superb against Sydney on Saturday night, playing a roaming role up into the midfield from the half forward line.
Cameron had a career-high 24 touches, took nine marks, laid three tackles and booted 2.4. Had he have kicked straight, it could’ve been his best performance ever.
Forward Pocket – Orazio Fantasia (Essendon)
‘Razzle Dazzle’ was exactly that on Anzac Day against the Magpies, showing his ability as an elite small forward of the game.
Fantasia booted four majors to go with 18 disposals and six marks, and can be considered stiff not to have won the medal.
Full Forward – Jack Riewoldt (Richmond)
Put in a breathtaking performance on Monday night against Melbourne in front of a record crowd. Playing closer to goal, Riewoldt amassed 12 possessions, took three marks and booted six fantastic goals, and was a key architect in Richmond’s final quarter avalanche that saw them charge to their fifth consecutive win.
There is an argument that it is the best game Riewoldt has ever played, even better than his 10 goal haul against a depleted West Coast back in 2010. Big stage, decent opposition, and Jack delivered in spades.
Forward Pocket – Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)
Gray played his new role as a small forward pushing into the midfield to absolute perfection on Friday night against Carlton.
Port Adelaide’s number nine racked up 22 disposals, 10 of them contested, took nine marks, laid a couple of tackles and had a big impact on the scoreboard, albeit wasteful, with 5.4.
Gray was simply unstoppable in the third quarter as the Power put their foot to the throat of the Blues.
Ruckman – Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle)
Going up against one of the premier ruckman in the game in Todd Goldstein, Sandilands showed he is still one of the best in the league at his craft.
The giant had 10 touches, took three marks, laid three tackles and won 55 hitouts, dominating Goldstein and giving his midfielders first use during the second half as they mounted a comeback.
Ruck Rover – Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
Had another ripper match on Saturday evening against the Gold Coast, picking up 30 possessions, 13 of them contested, winning nine clearances, laying a massive 13 tackles and slotting a goal.
Surely has to be considered as a top five player in the competition.
Rover – Tom Mitchell (Hawthorn)
While all the talk has been about Jaeger O’Meara, fellow recruit Tom Mitchell is quietly going about his business in the only way he knows how: getting plenty of the pill.
On Sunday, he was influential as the Hawks finally notched their first win of 2017, grabbing 37 disposals, almost half of them contested, winning six clearances, taking five grabs and laying six tackles.
Curtly Hampton (Adelaide)
After his first year at the Crows was a write-off, former Giant Hampton is quickly making up for lost time.
He was superb on Saturday against the Suns, amassing 21 touches, taking six marks, laying 10 tackles as well as slotting the opening two goals of the contest to get his side off to an unbelievable start.
Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)
Was relatively quiet by his lofty standards during the first half of Saturday night’s contest against the Kangaroos, but like champion players do, he lifted his side to an amazing come-from-behind victory.
Fyfe was electric in the final quarter-and-a-half, finishing with 26 possessions, 19 of them contested, eight clearances, three marks and four tackles.
Brad Ebert (Port Adelaide)
The hard-at-it Power midfielder is enjoying a fine start to his 2017 campaign, and that continued on Friday night against the Blues.
Ebert racked up 31 touches, laid a huge 14 tackles (an equal career-high) and took three marks.
Dayne Zorko (Brisbane)
Led from the front as the Lions took it up to the reigning premiers on Saturday afternoon.
Zorko amassed 32 disposals, 12 contested, won eight clearances, took six marks, laid eight tackles and kicked two goals in a fantastic display.
Callum Ah Chee (Gold Coast)
The talented youngster showed his class during Saturday’s tough loss to the Crows, finishing with five goals from four marks and 11 touches.
Seb Ross (St Kilda)
The bullocking midfielder was his side’s best during St Kilda’s loss to Geelong on Sunday.
Ross finished with 33 possessions, five clearances, six marks, three tackles and a goal.
Shane Mumford (Greater Western Sydney)
The big man was a dominant force for the Giants in the middle of the ground on Saturday night against Sydney.
Mumford had 11 disposals, laid four tackles and won a career-high 62 hitouts. For his efforts, he was awarded the Brett Kirk Medal as best on ground during the Sydney derby.
FB: Zach Tuohy (Geelong), Nathan Brown (St Kilda), Marley Williams (North Melbourne)
HB: Rory Laird (Adelaide), James Frawley (Hawthorn), Matt Broadbent (Port Adelaide)
C: Jack Macrae (Western Bulldogs), Joel Selwood (Geelong), Adam Treloar (Collingwood)
HF: Toby Greene (Greater Western Sydney), Joe Daniher (Essendon), Jeremy Cameron (Greater Western Sydney)
FF: Orazio Fantasia (Essendon), Jack Riewoldt (Richmond), Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)
R: Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle), Rory Sloane (Adelaide), Tom Mitchell (Hawthorn)
I/C: Curtly Hampton (Adelaide), Nat Fyfe (Fremantle), Brad Ebert (Port Adelaide), Dayne Zorko (Brisbane)
EMG: Callum Ah Chee (Gold Coast), Seb Ross (St Kilda), Shane Mumford (Greater Western Sydney)
Adelaide: Laird, Sloane, Hampton (3)
Brisbane: Zorko (1)
Carlton: Nil (0)
Collingwood: Treloar (1)
Essendon: Daniher, Fantasia (2)
Fremantle: Sandilands, Fyfe (2)
Geelong: Tuohy, Selwood (2)
Gold Coast: Nil (0)
Greater Western Sydney: Greene, Cameron (2)
Hawthorn: Frawley, Mitchell (2)
Melbourne: Nil (0)
North Melbourne: Williams (1)
Port Adelaide: Broadbent, Gray, Ebert (3)
Richmond: Riewoldt (1)
St Kilda: Brown (1)
Sydney: Nil (0)
West Coast: Nil (0)
Western Bulldogs: Macrae (1)
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