AFL Team of the Week: Round 7

Round 7’s Team of the Week features a number of players who helped their side to significant wins in a crazy round of football.

Back

Back Pocket – Caleb Marchbank (Carlton)
The ex-Giant is making serious waves in his first season at Ikon Park, and was pivotal to Carlton’s upset win over Collingwood on Saturday afternoon.

The talented defender had 21 possessions at 85 per cent efficiency and took nine grabs, cutting off a number of opposition attacks.

Full Back – Scott Thompson (North Melbourne)
North Melbourne fans were baying for his blood after the first couple of weeks, but the former All-Australian full-back has rebounded in a strong way.

Thompson repelled Adelaide’s attacks time and time again on Saturday in Hobart, finishing with 24 disposals, 10 grabs and three tackles. He spent time on Crows’ skipper Taylor Walker, who had a dirty day with just one goal.

Back Pocket – Brad Sheppard (West Coast)
The unsung defender was one of the game’s best on Saturday evening’s clash between the Eagles and Power.

Sheppard went toe-to-toe with Port Adelaide superstar Robbie Gray, keeping him to just 15 rather ineffective touches while he also didn’t have any impact on the scoreboard. To rub salt into the wound, Sheppard got forward for a critical goal in the last term.

Half Back – Dylan Roberton (St Kilda)
Continued his rich vein of form with another superb display on Friday night against the Giants.

Roberton amassed 20 possessions, 19 of them by foot, took six marks, laid four tackles and booted a goal.

Centre Half Back – Ben Reid (Collingwood)
Was a shining light on what proved to be a dark day for Collingwood, pulling in 12 grabs to go with 25 touches at 80 per cent efficiency.

(AAP Image/Tracey Nearmy)

Half Back – Ryan Burton (Hawthorn)
The young Hawk has been a huge positive in a year that isn’t proving to be very memorable for the brown and gold.

Originally drafted as a forward, Burton has moved into defence in his second year and is impressing with his silky skills and toughness at the contest. Amassed 23 possessions at 91 per cent efficiency, took six marks and laid four tackles.

Middle

Wing – Bradley Hill (Fremantle)
Used the wide expanses of Domain Stadium to perfection against the Bombers, running his opponents into the ground in a superb aerobic display.

Hill managed to collect 37 disposals and haul in 16 grabs, as well as kicking a goal.

Centre – Seb Ross (St Kilda)
The underrated midfield gem had another superb outing on Friday night against the Giants, racking up 31 possessions, 17 of them contested and winning nine clearances.

Wing – Marc Murphy (Carlton)
The Blues’ skipper stood tall for his side to help deliver a hugely satisfying win to the navy blue army over the old enemy.

Murphy had 30 disposals at 83 per cent efficiency, took four marks and laid five tackles.

Forward

Half Forward – Jack Billings (St Kilda)
Showed his immense talent and potential on the big stage of Friday night footy against GWS, racking up 22 possessions, taking six marks, laying six tackles and booting 2.3.

Centre Half Forward – Lance Franklin (Sydney)
It was like the Swans’ superstar was releasing some pent-up frustration out on the Lions on Sunday at the SCG.

Franklin was mesmerising, collecting 16 disposals (all of them by foot), taking nine grabs and kicking 8.4.

(AAP Image/Dean Lewins)

Half Forward – Mason Wood (North Melbourne)
Perhaps the best young talent at the Kangaroos showed just why in a career-best game against the Adelaide Crows on Saturday in Hobart.

Wood was a menace for the Adelaide defenders, amassing 24 possessions, taking 10 grabs, laying five tackles and kicking a rather wasteful 2.3.

Forward Pocket – Mark LeCras (West Coast)
The Frenchman continued a promising season with a four-goal haul against the Power at the Adelaide Oval on Saturday evening.

Full Forward – Charlie Dixon (Port Adelaide)
Has had a terrific two week period for the Power, but unfortunately his efforts weren’t enough to get them over the line against West Coast on Saturday.

The former Sun pulled down 10 marks, laid five tackles, had 22 touches and kicked three goals.

Forward Pocket – Jarrad Waite (North Melbourne)
On his return from a shoulder injury, the former Blue made up for lost time against the Crows, slotting three first quarter goals during the Kangaroos’ onslaught.

Ended up with 6.2, to go with 22 touches, eight marks and six tackles.

(AAP Image/Julian Smith)

Followers

Ruckman – Paddy Ryder (Port Adelaide)
Dominated in the ruck against the Eagles, amassing 20 possessions, 17 of them contested, taking seven grabs, winning 42 hitouts and booting a goal.

Ruck Rover – Ben Cunnington (North Melbourne)
After a horror match in his 150th milestone last week, Cunnington responded in emphatic fashion against the Crows on Saturday.

Cunnington collected 29 disposals, 18 of them contested, won 13 clearances, laid six tackles and kicked two classy goals.

Rover – Jack Steven (St Kilda)
Worked tirelessly all night on Friday to help his side topple the Giants. Steven racked up 29 possessions, 13 of them contested, won seven clearances, took three marks, laid four tackles and booted two goals.

Interchange

Sam Petrevski-Seton (Carlton)
In his first year, the young Blue is taking it all in his stride and appears to be one of the best young talents in the league.

Petrevski-Seton was enormous in Carlton’s upset win over Collingwood, amassing 21 touches, 10 of them contested, taking four marks, laying three tackles and booting two goals.

Lachie Neale (Fremantle)
Was a ball magnet for the Dockers in their come-from-behind win against Essendon.

Neale racked up 40 disposals, 16 of them contested, won nine clearances, took four marks, laid five tackles and kicked a goal.

(AAP Image/Tony McDonough)

Elliot Yeo (West Coast)
In a good sign for the Eagles, Yeo took his sensational form on the road, performing admirably against the Power at the Adelaide Oval.

The former Lion had 27 possessions, took 10 grabs, laid three tackles and kicked a goal.

Luke McDonald (North Melbourne)
Having spent most of his first three years at the club playing as a defender, a switch up the field into the midfield has seen McDonald blossom as a footballer.

On Saturday against the Crows, the father-son prodigy played the best game of his career to date, gathering 24 disposals at 91 per cent efficiency while also kicking a goal. Seems to have developed well throughout the hips, allowing him to break tackles with ease.

Emergencies

Jesse Joyce (Gold Coast)
Having joined the Suns as an academy prospect at the age of 14, Joyce has developed into a reliable defender capable of shutting down the most dangerous forwards in the game.

The youngster spent time on Daniel Menzel, restricting him to two goals and little impact. Plays like a dour backman with over 200 games of experience.

Matt Taberner (Fremantle)
In his first game of 2017, the much-maligned young forward put in a superb performance against the Bombers.

Taberner relished playing alongside fellow talls Cam McCarthy and Shane Kersten, managing to collect 18 possessions, take nine marks and boot four goals. Also spent some time in the ruck.

Zak Jones (Sydney)
The Sydney speedster put in his best game of the season on Sunday against the Lions.

Jones amassed 27 disposals, took six grabs and kicked a goal in an entertaining display.

On paper

FB: Caleb Marchbank (Carlton), Scott Thompson (North Melbourne), Brad Sheppard (West Coast)
HB: Dylan Roberton (St Kilda), Ben Reid (Collingwood), Ryan Burton (Hawthorn)
C: Bradley Hill (Fremantle), Seb Ross (St Kilda), Marc Murphy (Carlton)
HF: Jack Billings (St Kilda), Lance Franklin (Sydney), Mason Wood (North Melbourne)
FF: Mark LeCras (West Coast), Charlie Dixon (Port Adelaide), Jarrad Waite (North Melbourne)
R: Paddy Ryder (Port Adelaide), Ben Cunnington (North Melbourne), Jack Steven (St Kilda)
I/C: Sam Petrevski-Seton (Carlton), Lachie Neale (Fremantle), Elliot Yeo (West Coast), Luke McDonald (North Melbourne)
EMG: Jesse Joyce (Gold Coast), Matt Taberner (Fremantle), Zak Jones (Sydney)

By team

Adelaide: Nil (0)
Brisbane: Nil (0)
Carlton: Marchbank, Murphy, Petrevski-Seton (3)
Collingwood: Reid (1)
Essendon: Nil (0)
Fremantle: B Hill, Neale (2)
Geelong: Nil (0)
Gold Coast: Nil (0)
Greater Western Sydney: Nil (0)
Hawthorn: Burton (1)
Melbourne: Nil (0)
North Melbourne: Thompson, Wood, Waite, Cunnington, McDonald (5)
Port Adelaide: Ryder, Dixon (2)
Richmond: Nil (0)
St Kilda: Roberton, Ross, Billings, Steven (4)
Sydney: Franklin (1)
West Coast: Sheppard, LeCras, Yeo (3)
Western Bulldogs: Nil (0)