The final round of the AFL home and away season is over – let’s see who made the final Team of the Week for 2019.

Back Pocket – Nick Vlastuin (Richmond)
Was superb in a Richmond defence that kept the highest-scoring team of the year to just eight goals. Vlastuin picked up 19 touches at 84 per cent efficiency and hauled in nine marks. Spent a lot of time on Lincoln McCarthy, who had next to no impact.

Full Back – Tom Stewart (Geelong)
Was resolute as always down back for the Cats on Saturday against Carlton, winning 27 possessions at 85 per cent efficiency for his team. That included nine rebounds from defensive 50, while he took seven marks, five of them intercepts, and laid three tackles.

Back Pocket – James Sicily (Hawthorn)
Generated a heap of run from the back half on Saturday night in Hawthorn’s upset win over West Coast, gaining 505 metres from his 18 disposals, which included five defensive 50 rebounds. He also took eight grabs, laid three tackles, had eight spoils and kicked a goal.

Half Back – Conor McKenna (Essendon)
Speaking of generating run, the Irishman from the Bombers was immense on Friday night in a tight loss to Collingwood. Gained a monster 711 metres from a career-high 35 disposals, while he had eight rebound 50s and took five marks.

Centre Half Back – Jacob Weitering (Carlton)
With the Blues conceding 19 goals on Saturday evening, it’s hard to fathom that Tom Hawkins hardly got his hand on the pill. That was thanks largely to Weitering’s efforts on the big Cat, who was able to get his fist on the ball a number of times throughout the game.

Didn’t have a huge impact offensively, but anyone who keeps Hawkins scoreless in a big Geelong win deserves recognition.

Half Back – Bachar Houli (Richmond)
Continued his great year with 30 possessions at an incredible 90 per cent efficiency against the Brisbane Lions. Had 549 metres gained along with four defensive 50 rebounds and five marks.

Wing – Jared Polec (North Melbourne)
While he didn’t quite find as much of the ball as he did last year for Port Adelaide, Polec was a handy goalkicking midfielder in his first season at North Melbourne.

That rang true on Saturday afternoon against Melbourne in Hobart, with the 26-year-old kicking two fantastic goals from his eight score involvements and 29 disposals.

Also gained 708 metres along with nine inside 50s, while he laid five tackles. Should feature prominently in the Syd Barker Medal award.

Centre – Matt Crouch (Adelaide)
The ball-magnet had another monster year, finishing third across the league for average disposals per game.

While the Crows were smashed convincingly on Sunday against the Bulldogs, Crouch had a career-best day with an incredible 47 possessions at 80 per cent efficiency, 11 of them contested, while he won eight clearances and gained 594 metres.

Also kicked a goal while taking seven marks and laying three tackles. Big call, but would not be surprised if that was Crouch’s final game in Adelaide colours.

Wing – Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
Did as he pleased against Adelaide in Ballarat on Sunday, collecting 31 touches, 16 of them contested and winning seven clearances at 74 per cent efficiency.

Had nine score involvements and laid an impressive 10 tackles, while his goal in the first quarter showed his immense class and poise. Could this performance be the one that wins him the Brownlow Medal?

Half Forward – Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)
Speaking of the Brownlow Medal, this bloke will no doubt be awarded the three votes for one of the most dominant individual performances of the season.

He set the tone from the opening bounce, kicking a goal from a centre clearance in the opening ten seconds against Carlton. Finished with 4.3 from 34 disposals, 18 of them contested, while he won 12 clearances.

Gained a huge 818 metres, helped by nine inside 50s, while he took five marks, laid six tackles and had 11 score involvements.

Centre Half Forward – Jeremy Cameron (Greater Western Sydney)
Went into Saturday night’s game against Gold Coast needing to fill his boots to win a maiden Coleman Medal, and fill his boots he did.

Six goals behind Ben Brown, Cameron edged past him by three-quarter time, finishing with a club-record and a personal-best nine majors. Also kicked five behinds, so realistically it could have been a much bigger night than what it already was.

While bitter as a North Melbourne supporter, Cameron is a thoroughly deserving winner of the Coleman, having averaged a league-high 3.4 goals per game in 2019.

Half Forward – Gary Ablett (Geelong)
After a few lean weeks in front of the goals, the little master returned to form in devastating fashion with a brilliant performance against the Blues.

Ablett racked up an equal season-high 28 disposals, gaining 678 metres thanks to nine inside 50s, while he kicked three goals from 14 score involvements.

Perhaps the most impressive aspect of his game as the Cats head into yet another finals campaign? He laid six tackles, making it 32 tackles from the past four matches. ‘Gazza’ could hold the key to a fourth Geelong premiership in 13 years.

Forward Pocket – Bailey Dale (Western Bulldogs)
What a story. Since coming back into the line-up in Round 18 against St Kilda, Dale has transformed the Bulldogs’ forward line into arguably the league’s most potent.

The Dogs are averaging 111 points per game since that Saints game, while they enter September having posted scores of 137, 126 and 121 in the past three weeks.

Dale has kicked 20 goals in a six-week purple patch, including a bag of five from nine score involvements against the Crows on Sunday. Out-of-contract at the end of this season, just quietly.

Full Forward – Tim O’Brien (Hawthorn)
Hawthorn fans have been waiting a long time for O’Brien to deliver on his potential, but his past five games have been the best of his career.

The 25-year-old was very damaging on Saturday night against an elite West Coast defence, taking four marks, three of them contested and three inside 50, and kicking a career-high four goals from nine score involvements.

Now has 12 goals from his last five matches, which is a very solid platform to build on for 2020.

Forward Pocket – Jamie Elliott (Collingwood)
Fresh from a dominant display against Adelaide, Elliott backed it up with a handy contribution against Essendon on Friday night.

As the Magpies booked a top four berth, Elliott had nine score involvements, kicking 3.4 while taking six marks inside 50.

An in-form Elliott changes the entire dynamic of the Magpies forward line, especially with Jordan De Goey and Jaidyn Stephenson to come back in. Watch out, Geelong.

Ruckman – Max Gawn (Melbourne)
Went toe-to-toe with Todd Goldstein, fresh off one of the most dominant performances by a ruckman in recent memory. Gawn raised the bar like the champion he is, however, collecting 26 touches, 20 of them contested, winning 10 clearances, taking eight grabs, four of them contested and three intercepts.

Gained 462 metres on the day, while he had 15 hitouts to advantage from his 41 in total. Oh, and he slotted three goals. Big Maxy can hold his head high in 2019. Not many of his teammates can.

Ruck Rover – Josh Kennedy (Sydney)
It seemed quite appropriate that, on a day the Swans farewelled club champions in Kieren Jack, Jarrad McVeigh, Nick Smith and Heath Grundy, Kennedy turned back the clock with a superb performance against St Kilda.

In front of a raucous crowd, the co-captain gained 498 metres from 32 possessions, 15 of them contested, he won 11 clearances, took five marks, laid nine tackles and booted two goals.

Rover – Lachie Neale (Brisbane)
If Neale’s performance at the MCG on Sunday is any indication of what he’ll deliver in September for the Lions, we are in for a real treat.

The former Docker had an incredible 51 disposals, the equal fourth-most ever recorded in a game. An incredible 45 of his touches were effective, while 25 were contested. He also won 14 clearances, took six marks, laid six tackles and had five score involvements.

As Brisbane gear up for their first September campaign since 2009, Neale is one of just four Lions to have experienced the Grand Final stage.

Interchange – Brodie Grundy (Collingwood)
Astonishing that he couldn’t get a gig as the first-choice ruckman in this side. Grundy put in a colossus performance against Essendon on Friday night, winning 33 touches, 21 of them contested, seven clearances and 35 hitouts (10 to advantage).

Interchange – Luke Breust (Hawthorn)
Was a constant threat up forward for the Hawks as they caused a huge boilover in the west against the Eagles. Breust had 18 possessions, 14 of them contested, delivered inside 50 on seven occasions, laid five tackles and booted three goals.

Interchange – Matt Suckling (Western Bulldogs)
The former Hawk has become one of the Dogs’ most important members of the back six and he was excellent on Sunday against Adelaide. Suckling collected 29 disposals at an elite 93 per cent efficiency, gaining 504 metres while having seven rebounds from defensive 50. He also took nine marks, capping off a very good three weeks.

Interchange – Shaun Higgins (North Melbourne)
The smooth-moving Roo was the hero in a heartstopping finish against the Demons on Saturday in Tasmania. The veteran picked up 34 touches at 88 per cent efficiency, he delivered it inside 50 six times, took three marks, laid three tackles and kicked two goals, the last of which put North Melbourne in front with just over a minute left on the clock.

Emergency – Seb Ross (St Kilda)
Was St Kilda’s best in their final game of the year against Sydney, winning 27 disposals at 85 per cent efficiency, while he had 13 score involvements which included two goals.

Emergency – Justin Westhoff (Port Adelaide)
Has had a bit of a shaky season but he finished strongly against Fremantle, collecting 23 possessions, laying five tackles and taking six grabs, three of those inside 50. His two goals were part of 11 score involvements.

Emergency – Lance Franklin (Sydney)
It was hard to leave out ‘Buddy’, who turned it on in game 300 with four majors from 14 disposals, 10 marks three tackles. A fit and firing Franklin in 2020 is something to look forward to.

Emergency – Quinton Narkle (Geelong)
In just his third game of the season, Narkle booked a spot in Geelong’s best 22 for their Qualifying Final against Collingwood.

The youngster was sensational against Carlton, gaining 663 metres from 27 possessions, while he took three marks, laid five tackles, won eight clearances and kicked 1.2 from 12 score involvements.

On paper
FB: Nick Vlastuin (Richmond), Tom Stewart (Geelong), James Sicily (Hawthorn)
HB: Conor McKenna (Essendon), Jacob Weitering (Carlton), Bachar Houli (Richmond)
C: Jared Polec (North Melbourne), Matt Crouch (Adelaide), Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
HF: Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong), Jeremy Cameron (Greater Western Sydney), Gary Ablett (Geelong)
FF: Bailey Dale (Western Bulldogs), Tim O’Brien (Hawthorn), Jamie Elliott (Collingwood)
R: Max Gawn (Melbourne), Josh Kennedy (Sydney), Lachie Neale (Brisbane)
I/C: Brodie Grundy (Collingwood), Luke Breust (Hawthorn), Matt Suckling (Western Bulldogs), Shaun Higgins (North Melbourne)
EMG: Seb Ross (St Kilda), Justin Westhoff (Port Adelaide), Lance Franklin (Sydney), Quinton Narkle (Geelong)

By team
Adelaide: M.Crouch (1)
Brisbane: Neale (1)
Carlton: Weitering (1)
Collingwood: Elliott, Grundy (2)
Essendon: McKenna (1)
Fremantle: Nil (0)
Geelong: Stewart, Dangerfield, Ablett (3)
Gold Coast: Nil (0)
Greater Western Sydney: Cameron (1)
Hawthorn: Sicily, O’Brien, Breust (3)
Melbourne: Gawn (1)
North Melbourne: Polec, Higgins (2)
Port Adelaide: Nil (0)
Richmond: Vlastuin, Houli (2)
St Kilda: Nil (0)
Sydney: Kennedy (1)
West Coast: Nil (0)
Western Bulldogs: Bontempelli, Dale, Suckling (3)