Welcome to the finale of my team of the week articles, which have been published each week throughout the 2019 home-and-away season.

In this piece, I will be naming the team of the year. This is not my opinion of who should be in the All Australian team.

Players get picked in this team purely on how many appearances they made in the team of the week this year.

It was incredibly hard to leave out some players, so I have made up two teams: team A and team B.

Let’s get into team A.

Back pocket – Brad Sheppard (West Coast)
Desperately stiff not to feature in West Coast’s premiership side last year due to a hamstring injury, Sheppard bounced back with a superb year, playing every game and averaging 19.6 disposals, while he took a total of 172 marks, the most of any player in the league. Sheppard appeared in the team of the week four times throughout 2019.

Full back – Tom Stewart (Geelong)
It’s staggering that this guy was playing local football only a few years ago. He took his game to another level in 2019, averaging a career-high 23.4 disposals and 7.5 marks per game, with his 165 marks for the year ranked third in the competition.

The beauty of Stewart’s game is that the 190-centimetre defender is capable of taking opposition talls and shutting them out of the game, or he can be an offensive weapon with his intercepting skills and ability to counter from defensive 50, highlighted by his 185 rebounds (No.1 in the AFL) and 11.3 kilometres gained across the season. Stewart appeared in the team of the week seven times throughout 2019.

Back pocket – Nick Vlastuin (Richmond)
Vlastuin was the intercept king at the Tigers in 2019, finishing equal-third across the league with a total of 168 for the season. He averaged 19.3 possessions and 6.5 marks, helping form a tight-knit Richmond defence that let through an average of 75.6 points per game. Vlastuin appeared in the team of the week five times throughout 2019.

Half back – Conor McKenna (Essendon)
The speedy Irishman enjoyed a career-best year, becoming an offensive weapon off the half back line for Essendon. He took a total of 79 running bounces in 2019, an incredible 35 more than the next best, while he averaged 20.9 disposals. McKenna appeared in the team of the week four times throughout 2019.

Centre half back – Robbie Tarrant (North Melbourne)
Started the year slowly due to a shoulder injury suffered on the eve of Round 1, but it didn’t take Tarrant long to reaffirm himself as one of the league’s most dependable key backs. The 30-year-old didn’t miss a game, averaging 15.8 touches and 6.2 marks per game. Did some fantastic jobs on some of the league’s best forwards, and was very unlucky not to be named in the All Australian squad of 40. Tarrant appeared in the team of the week five times throughout 2019.

Half back – James Sicily (Hawthorn)
Was the best intercept player in the game in 2019, amassing a league-high of 187 for the year ahead of Jeremy McGovern. Sicily also finished top five in the competition for total marks, while his 6.2 defensive 50 rebounds per match were a career-best. Won’t be surprised to find a Peter Crimmins Medal around his neck on October 5. Sicily appeared in the team of the week seven times throughout 2019.

Wing – Jackson Macrae (Western Bulldogs)
Macrae’s ability to find the ball is quite staggering, averaging 33.5 disposals from 22 games in 2019. He dipped below 30 touches just six times for the year, while post the Bulldogs’ mid-season bye, 30 possessions was Macrae’s lowest total in a game. Rarely did the 25-year-old waste it when he got the ball, ranked second in the league for effective disposals, while he was third for goal assists. Macrae appeared in the team of the week six times throughout 2019.

(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Centre – Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)
The Geelong superstar has stormed into Brownlow Medal favouritism after an unreal finish to the season. Only one player delivered it inside 50 on more occasions than Dangerfield, while he had 160 score involvements for the year, ranked equal second. 25 of those score involvements were goals off his own boot, while he averaged 27.3 possessions, 5.6 clearances and 4.5 tackles per match. Dangerfield appeared in the team of the week nine times throughout 2019.

Wing – Dustin Martin (Richmond)
From one Brownlow Medallist to another. Dusty didn’t quite reach the lofty heights he set in Richmond’s premiership year of 2017, but he was better than last year, averaging 27.1 disposals, 4.5 clearances and six inside 50s per game, ranked second in the league. Didn’t quite have the impact in attack as he has in the past couple of years, but still kicked 20 goals. Martin appeared in the team of the week seven times throughout 2019.

Half forward – Michael Walters (Fremantle)
Graduated from a player with an abundance of x-factor to a genuine star of the competition in 2019, with Walters averaging career-best numbers of 21.8 touches, 3.9 inside 50s, 3.6 tackles and 3.8 clearances. The 28-year-old found the perfect balance between midfield and forward, kicking 40 goals from 22 matches, including a season-best of six against Port Adelaide mid-year. Walters appeared in the team of the week five times throughout 2019.

Centre half forward – Jeremy Cameron (Greater Western Sydney)
It’s not surprise the Coleman Medallist appears in this side after a fantastic year for the Giants. Cameron played 20 games for 67 goals at an average of 3.4 majors per game. Not only did he kick the most goals of any player across the competition, but he had the most amount of score involvements and took the most amount of marks inside 50, averaging 3.35 a match.

Cameron was also a valuable link-up player for GWS, averaging a career-best 15.9 disposals per game. He had an incredible 14 scoring shots in the final round of the season, kicking 9.5 against Gold Coast, while he also had a haul of seven (from 12 shots) against Richmond early in the season. Cameron appeared in the team of the week seven times throughout 2019.

Half forward – Dayne Zorko (Brisbane)
Took his game to another level with the added responsibility of captaining the Lions in 2019. Zorko averaged 22.3 possessions, four clearances and kicked 22 goals in 22 games. His 147 tackles were ranked third across the league, while he led the competition for inside 50s with 6.5 per match. Zorko appeared in the team of the week five times throughout 2019.

Forward pocket – Charles Cameron (Brisbane)
The 2019 season was the year that Cameron became an out-and-out star of the competition, kicking an incredible 54 goals to finish equal third in the Coleman Medal. As the Lions began their charge to a top-four berth, Cameron was the beneficiary up forward, kicking 33 majors between Rounds 14 and 23. Cameron appeared in the team of the week five times throughout 2019.

(Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Full forward – Ben Brown (North Melbourne)
For the third consecutive year, Brown tallied over 60 goals in a season, and for the third consecutive year, Brown was pipped at the post in the Coleman Medal race. His total of 64 majors was a personal best, which included a sensational ten-goal haul against Port Adelaide in Round 22. Brown appeared in the team of the week five times throughout 2019.

Forward pocket – Gary Ablett (Geelong)
What’s old is new again. The career of Gary Ablett Jr went full circle in 2019, with the little master spending his time predominantly forward, just like he did when he started out back in 2002. Ablett’s 33 goals this year was his best effort since his final year with the Cats before he moved north to Gold Coast in 2010. His 93 tackles were also the most in a season since 2013. Ablett appeared in the team of the week four times throughout 2019.

Ruckman – Brodie Grundy (Collingwood)
Hard to split him and Max Gawn, who solidified themselves as the two best rucks in the game. Grundy was simply superb, playing every game to average career-high numbers of 21.2 disposals, 5.9 clearances, 4.5 marks and 41 hitouts per game. Will the 25-year-old become the first full-time ruckman to win the Brownlow Medal this century? Grundy appeared in the team of the week seven times throughout 2019.

Ruck rover – Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs)
The superstar from the Dogs had an incredible 2019 campaign, averaging a career-best 27 possessions, 4.2 marks, 4.9 tackles and 6.1 clearances from 22 matches. Bontempelli was involved in a league-high 166 scores, kicking 15.25 himself, while his 120 inside 50s saw him ranked top three in the competition. Bontempelli appeared in the team of the week eight times throughout 2019.

Rover – Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)
Another player who is a big chance of winning a second Brownlow Medal, Fyfe’s 2019 season was unreal. The Fremantle skipper averaged a career-high 29.1 touches, having the third-most amount of contested possessions and his 150 clearances were also ranked third across the league. Fyfe was also effective up forward, kicking 16 goals and having a total of 13 goal assists. Fyfe appeared in the team of the week seven times throughout 2019.

(Photo by Daniel Carson/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Interchange – Bachar Houli (Richmond)
A supreme year from the Tiger veteran, who had a career-best year at the tender age of 31. Houli averaged 28.4 disposals, while he was ranked seventh in the league for effective possessions per game, highlighting his ability to use the ball well. Houli appeared in the team of the week four times throughout 2019.

Interchange – Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
Another player over 30 who had a sensational campaign is the Collingwood captain. Pendlebury went at just under 28 possessions per match, while he ranked sixth in the league for inside 50s. The 31-year-old is due to bring up his 300th game in the qualifying final against Geelong, and it will be a celebration of a true champion of our game. Pendlebury appeared in the team of the week seven times throughout 2019.

Interchange – Lachie Neale (Brisbane)
Few would have expected Neale to have such an impact in his first year at the Brisbane Lions, but the former Docker was simply superb as he amassed a whopping 688 disposals, ranked third in the competition, including an incredible 51-possession effort against Richmond in Round 23. Neale won the most amount of clearances as any player in 2019, averaging eight per game. Neale appeared in the team of the week seven times throughout 2019.

Interchange – Jack Darling (West Coast)
Hard to believe that Darling could improve on his wonderful premiership campaign of last year, but he did just that in 2019, going past Josh Kennedy as West Coast’s most important forward. He slotted 54 majors, a career high, with a season-best of six against the Western Bulldogs. He provided terrific forward pressure for a player above 190cm, ranking 12th for total tackles inside 50, while he took 46 marks inside the forward arc. Darling appeared in the team of the week four times throughout 2019.

On paper
FB: Brad Sheppard (West Coast), Tom Stewart (Geelong), Nick Vlastuin (Richmond)
HB: Conor McKenna (Essendon), Robbie Tarrant (North Melbourne), James Sicily (Hawthorn)
C: Jackson Macrae (Western Bulldogs), Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong), Dustin Martin (Richmond)
HF: Michael Walters (Fremantle), Jeremy Cameron (Greater Western Sydney), Dayne Zorko (Brisbane)
FF: Charlie Cameron (Brisbane), Ben Brown (North Melbourne), Gary Ablett (Geelong)
R: Brodie Grundy (Collingwood), Marcus Bontempelli (Western Bulldogs), Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)
IC: Bachar Houli (Richmond), Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood), Lachie Neale (Brisbane), Jack Darling (West Coast)

By team
Adelaide: Nil (0)
Brisbane: Zorko, Cameron, Neale (3)
Carlton: Nil (0)
Collingwood: Grundy, Pendlebury (2)
Essendon: McKenna (1)
Fremantle: Walters, Fyfe (2)
Geelong: Stewart, Dangerfield, Ablett (3)
Gold Coast: Nil (0)
Greater Western Sydney: Cameron (1)
Hawthorn: Sicily (1)
Melbourne: Nil (0)
North Melbourne: Tarrant, Brown (2)
Port Adelaide: Nil (0)
Richmond: Vlastuin, Martin, Houli (3)
St Kilda: Nil (0)
Sydney: Nil (0)
West Coast: Sheppard, Darling (2)
Western Bulldogs: Macrae, Bontempelli (2)

Stay tuned for B team in the coming days.