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AFL team of the week: Round 4

17th April, 2017
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Jonathon Patton of the Giants. (AAP Image/Julian Smith)
Roar Guru
17th April, 2017
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Some terrific individual performances over a five day Easter weekend are highlighted in Round 4’s AFL Team of the Week.

Back
Back Pocket – Nick Haynes (Greater Western Sydney)
The brave defender with the blonde locks was sublime against Port Adelaide on Saturday evening, hauling in nine marks and finishing with a career-high 27 disposals.

Full Back – Lachie Henderson (Geelong)
Had a great Easter Monday matched up on Hawthorn captain Jarryd Roughead. Henderson restricted ‘Roughy’ to no scoreboard impact while grabbing 19 touches, taking six marks and getting forward to boot a goal.

Back Pocket – Dylan Roberton (St Kilda)
The former Docker was at his rebounding best on Sunday against Collingwood, taking a game-high 12 marks from 32 possessions at a deadly 90 per cent efficiency.

Half Back – Rory Laird (Adelaide)
After a couple of quiet weeks by his standards, Laird returned to his brilliant best on Saturday night against the Bombers. Amassed a huge 36 disposals at 80 per cent efficiency, while he got in on the act with a goal.

Centre Half Back – Phil Davis (Greater Western Sydney)
The Giants’ co-skipper was matched up on Port Adelaide’s Charlie Dixon on Saturday and kept him to just the one goal. Davis himself had 18 possessions, took four marks and laid four tackles.

Half Back – Elliot Yeo (West Coast)
Continued his wonderful resurgence in 2017 on Thursday night against the Swans. Yeo racked up 29 touches at a very healthy 89 per cent efficiency while he took 11 marks.

Middle
Wing – Tom Scully (Greater Western Sydney)

The most underrated player in the league had another strong game on Saturday against the Power, racking up 32 possessions at 90 per cent efficiency, 11 of them contested, winning seven clearances and taking eight grabs.

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Centre – Tom Rockliff (Brisbane)
The former skipper had another wonderful performance in the middle against Richmond on Sunday evening. Rockliff won a massive 15 clearances from his 33 disposals, 21 of them contested, took eight marks and laid 11 tackles.

AFL BRISBANE COLLINGWOOD

Wing – Mitch Duncan (Geelong)
Yet another player enjoying a fine season after a so-so 2016. Duncan was arguably Geelong’s best player in their rout of Hawthorn, grabbing 32 touches at 84 per cent efficiency, taking six marks, laying three tackles and booting two goals.

Forward
Half Forward – Lachie Neale (Fremantle)

Playing a somewhat different role to the norm, Neale was a key architect to Fremantle’s gutsy upset win over the Demons on Saturday. He amassed 22 possessions, took four marks, laid six tackles and, most importantly, kicked a career-high four goals.

Centre Half Forward – Taylor Walker (Adelaide)
Looked set for a career-best night on Saturday as the Crows were taking apart the Bombers. Walker slotted five first half goals on Michael Hurley, but didn’t add to it after the main break. Still, it was his performance that helped set up the barnstorming win.

Half Forward – Eddie Betts (Adelaide)
The scary thing about the Adelaide outfit is if Taylor Walker doesn’t get you, then Eddie most certainly will. Unfortunately for Essendon, both of them got in on the act on Saturday night. After a tough week in the headlines for the wrong reasons, Betts responded in a beautiful manner, kicking six goals from 22 disposals, five marks and three tackles.

Forward Pocket – Tom Lynch (Gold Coast)
After a somewhat quiet start to his year, Lynch tore apart the young Carlton defence with a scintilating performance. The Suns’ co-captain slotted through seven goals, a career-best, while he also hauled in 12 marks.

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Full Forward – Jonathon Patton (Greater Western Sydney)
Probably the closest thing we have had to the reincarnate of Jonathan Brown since his retirement. Patton dominated inside 50 for the Giants against the Power, slotting an equal career-high six goals from 15 touches and five marks.

Jon Patton GWS Giants AFL 2016

Forward Pocket – Jason Castagna (Richmond)
Young George has been a revelation this season for the unbeaten Tigers, and he enjoyed the best game of his career on Sunday night against Brisbane. Castagna finished with 16 possessions, six marks and four goals.

Followers
Ruckman – Brodie Grundy (Collingwood)

Tried his best to give his midfielders first use on Sunday against the Saints with 37 hitouts to go with his 21 disposals, seven marks and three tackles.

Ruck Rover – Luke Shuey (West Coast)
Was fantastic in the midfield against Sydney on Thursday night, racking up 30 touches, 12 of them contested, winning six clearances, taking eight marks, laying seven tackles and booting a goal.

Rover – Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
Enhancing his status as one of the competition’s best midfielders by the week. Was simply superb on Saturday night against Essendon with 34 possessions, nearly half of them contested, eight clearances, three marks, nine tackles and two goals.

Interchange
David Mundy (Fremantle)

Has had a very good fortnight playing a new role up forward mixed with stints in the midfield. The former skipper racked up 23 touches, ten of them contested, took three marks, laid seven tackles and slotted three goals.

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Luke Dahlhaus (Western Bulldogs)
The little dynamo was at his run-and-gun best on Good Friday against the Kangaroos, picking up 32 possessions, 15 of them contested, taking four marks, laying six tackles and booting two crucial goals.

Brandon Matera (Gold Coast)
Has enjoyed a football resurrection (quite appropriate over the Easter weekend) in the past fortnight and was terrific against Carlton, grabbing 29 possessions at 89 per cent efficiency, taking nine marks, laying three tackles and kicking three majors.

Sam Menegola (Geelong)
Was a driving force in the Cats’ midfield against Hawthorn on Easter Monday, amassing 31 disposals at 87 per cent efficiency, taking five marks, laying ten tackles and slotting a goal.

Emergencies
Travis Colyer (Essendon)

The speedy Bomber was terrific on a tough night for Essendon against Adelaide on Saturday night, picking up 24 touches, taking seven grabs, laying five tackles and booting three goals.

Lachie Weller (Fremantle)
The young Docker starred in Fremantle’s upset win over Melbourne on Saturday, amassing 27 disposals and taking four marks. Such a bright spark for Ross Lyon’s team.

Steven Motlop (Geelong)
Worked his way into the game against Hawthorn quite nicely, finishing with an impressive 33 possessions, four tackles and three majors.

Geelong Cats Patrick Dangerfield Harry Taylor Steven Motlop AFL 2016

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On paper
FB: Nick Haynes (Greater Western Sydney), Lachie Henderson (Geelong), Dylan Roberton (St Kilda)
HB: Rory Laird (Adelaide), Phil Davis (Greater Western Sydney), Elliot Yeo (West Coast)
C: Tom Scully (Greater Western Sydney), Tom Rockliff (Brisbane), Mitch Duncan (Geelong)
HF: Lachie Neale (Fremantle), Taylor Walker (Adelaide), Eddie Betts (Adelaide)
FF: Tom Lynch (Gold Coast), Jonathon Patton (Greater Western Sydney), Jason Castagna (Richmond)
R: Brodie Grundy (Collingwood), Luke Shuey (West Coast), Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
I/C: David Mundy (Fremantle), Luke Dahlhaus (Western Bulldogs), Brandon Matera (Gold Coast), Sam Menegola (Geelong)
EMG: Travis Colyer (Essendon), Lachie Weller (Fremantle), Steven Motlop (Geelong)

By team
Adelaide: Laird, Walker, Betts, Sloane (4)
Brisbane: Rockliff (1)
Carlton: Nil (0)
Collingwood: Grundy (1)
Essendon: Nil (0)
Fremantle: Neale, Mundy (2)
Geelong: Henderson, Duncan, Menegola (3)
Gold Coast: Lynch, Matera (2)
Greater Western Sydney: Haynes, Davis, Scully, Patton (4)
Hawthorn: Nil (0)
Melbourne: Nil (0)
North Melbourne: Nil (0)
Port Adelaide: Nil (0)
Richmond: Castagna (1)
St Kilda: Roberton (1)
Sydney: Nil (0)
West Coast: Yeo, Shuey (2)
Western Bulldogs: Dahlhaus (1)

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