I have formulated the top three players from every team; this are the players that a team could least afford to lose in their Round 2 match as far as team structure is concerned.
The top three most important players for Round 2 from each team are as follows.
Tigers
Shane Edwards may not accumulate a lot of the ball, but he uses the ball well and is an integral part of the Tigers team. Edwards kicked a mercurial goal for the Tigers from the boundary line, which is indicative of his importance to the team last Thursday night as it was a much-needed goal for the Tigers.
Toby Nankervis may not have had the impact that he had in Round 1, but he showed great endeavour and is a pivotal part of the Tigers structure. Nankervis demonstrated his importance to the team last Thursday night with four tackles; he never stopped trying even though the Magpies had a comfortable victory.
Trent Cotchin is the Tigers captain for the reason, he leads from the front, actions speak louder than words. The Tigers captain did everything conceivable to get his team back into the game using the ball well and showing great endeavour.
Magpies
Chris Mayne has been a revelation in the opening two rounds of the season; he accumulated 33 possessions, but he didn’t butcher the ball, he used it well.
Jack Crisp provided plenty of run off the halfback line finding space and creating opportunities for the Magpies when the game was in the balance.
Levi Greenwood showed why he should be a permanent part of the Magpies’ best 22 as he limited the impact that Dustin Martin had on the game.
Swans
Lance Franklin finished the game with three goals, one of which was a freakish goal from the boundary line from outside 50 metres, but it wasn’t such a shock as Franklin is capable of converting such opportunities into goals. That’s what made Franklin so important to the Swans, he is capable of the unbelievable and is a key part of the Swans’ structure.
Zak Jones may not get the stats of his more esteemed midfielders of the likes of Josh Kennedy, but he never wasted a possession last Friday night.
Luke Parker is an important cog for the Swans and he showed why against the Crows in Round 2 against the Crows, as he worked hard to get his team back into the game with every one of his 26 possessions valuable.
Crows
Josh Jenkins kicked two important goals for the team and played an important role, at the very least making a contest when he had his chance to be in the ruck.
Wayne Milera provided plenty of run for the Crows.
Brad Crouch kicked an important goal for the Crows and used the ball extremely well.
Bombers
Dyson Heppell kicked a game-high two goals. Heppell never gave up, displaying why he is such an inspirational leader and substantiating why he is captain of the Bombers.
Aaron Francis took some important intercept marks for his team. Francis is a key part of the Bombers structure as he is a mobile tall defender capable of creating run out of defence.
Mitch Brown provided a target in the forward line taking eight marks and when he didn’t take a mark, he made a contest bringing the ball to ground for the Bombers’ small forwards.
Saints
Jimmy Webster displayed why he is such an important part of the Saints’ defence, particularly in the absence of Dylan Roberton. Webster provided plenty of run out of defence in Round 2 against the Bombers.
Josh Bruce not only kicked two pivotal goals, but provided a target for the Saints’ midfielders. Bruce proved why he should be a permanent fixture in the Saints’ best 22.
Jack Sinclair used the ball extremely well, Sinclair played his role for the team with no fuss.
Power
Brad Ebert embraced his new role; playing in the forward line, with a good performance statistically.
Travis Boak showed why you don’t have to be captain to lead from the front and maybe the decision for Boak not to be captain this season may well have been the right one.
Scott Lycett was outstanding in the ruck, with his work in the ruck taking the pressure off Paddy Ryder and giving Ryder the chance to play in the forward line. Lycett’s work around the ground was impressive with the ruckman finishing with an incredible 25 disposals.
Blues
Andrew Phillips tried his best to get the Blues their first win of the season finishing the game with four tackles as well as providing a contest.
Patrick Cripps does what he always does, which is lead from the front. It’s difficult to decipher whether the Blues would have been in the contest in the first two games of the season without Cripps in their team.
Sam Walsh displayed his youthful exuberance hunting the ball, collecting a total of 25 possessions.
Cats
Tim Kelly showed why the Cats need to do everything they can to keep Kelly at the club, because his performance in Round 2 proved that he is an important part of the Cats’ midfield.
Gary Ablett performed extremely well in Round 2 as every time he touched the ball he made a difference, Ablett managed to collect 25 possessions despite the fact that he plays a considerable amount of time in the forward line.
(Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)
Luke Dahlhaus laid 11 tackles and kicked two goals in a performance that indicates that he was an imperative cog in the Cats smashing the Demons.
Demons
Clayton Oliver never stopped trying, accumulating 44 possessions playing what was basically a lone hand in the Demons’ midfield.
James Harmes had an impressive nine tackles; Harmes did everything in his Power to keep the Demons competitive.
Max Gawn never stopped trying battling. He finished the game with 53 hit outs, which is quite a remarkable effort.
Eagles
Jack Darling was an important part of the Eagles kicking four goals and providing a target for the Eagles’ midfielders.
Dom Sheed continued on his form from Round 1, kicking a goal reminiscent of his goal in last year’s grand final in the third quarter that gave the Eagles the momentum. Once again Sheed managed to win plenty of the ball.
Giants
Zac Williams won plenty of the ball off the halfback line, collecting an impressive 25 possessions.
Adam Kennedy played a decent game for the Giants, as he displayed great endeavour throughout the contest.
Jeremy Cameron never stopped trying kicking a team-high three goals for the Giants.
Kangaroos
Ben Cunnington illustrated why he is such an important player for the Kangaroos with his attack on the footy getting a team high 22 contested possessions.
Shaun Higgins used the ball well and accumulated plenty of the ball; every time Higgins touches the ball something positive comes of it.
Jack Ziebell proved why he is an important part of the Kangaroos line up kicking two goals; he led from the front.
Lions
Lachie Neale is the obvious one, Neale accumulated an extraordinary 43 possessions and had a game-high six tackles.
Hugh Mccluggage played an important role for the Lions as he showed great endeavour whenever he had the opportunity to win the ball.
Daniel Rich provided plenty of run for the Lions out of the back line finishing with an impressive 27 disposals, and more importantly Rich used the ball extremely efficiently.
Hawks
Ricky Henderson is a utility, Henderson has the ability to play a number of roles, Henderson the game in the back pocket and still managed to accumulate 29 possessions.
Jack Gunston kept the Hawks in the contest with four goals.
James Sicily is an incredible player, he showed why he is so valuable to the Hawks with an outstanding performance not only keeping the Hawks within striking distance, but providing plenty of run for the Hawks out of defence.
Bulldogs
Tory Dickson illustrated why there should be no debate as to whether he should be a permanent part of the Bulldogs’ best 22, not only finishing with three goals, but accumulating 20 possessions. Dickson’s performance was also a reason why the Bulldogs’ other three mobile tall forwards kicked eight goals.
Matt Suckling displayed why he is an important part of the way in which the Bulldogs structure their team finishing with 25 kicks, providing plenty of run off half back.
Jack Macrae showed that he is one of the best players in the AFL with 36 possessions.
Suns
Sam Collins played a good game in the back line for the Suns, helping to curtail the influence of the Dockers’ forward line.
David Swallow was relentless with his attack on the footy finishing the game with 16 contested possessions.
Jack Bowes accumulated plenty of disposals starting the game on a halfback flank and Bowes worked hard defensively with a team-high six tackles.
Dockers
Nat Fyfe proved why he is probably unequivocally universally respected as the Dockers’ most important player and the player that they could least afford to lose finishing with 17 contested possessions, the most of any player in the game.
Bradley Hill has to be one of the Dockers’ most important players and his performance in Round 2 substantiates that providing a lot of outside run.
Ed Langdon showed great endeavour going about his work with minimum fuss.
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