The players chosen in the Round 17 predicted team strongly mirror the positions they will play in for Round 17, including those on the interchange bench.
There are no teams with a bye in Round 17, which means there are all 18 teams to choose the predicted team from. Each team bar Hawthorn and West Coast have at least one player in the predicted team.
Three players retain their positions from Round 16’s predicted team: Sam Collins, Sam Menegola and Matt Crouch.
Find out who else made the Predicted team in Round 17.
Round 17 predicted team of the week
B: Daniel Rich (Brisbane Lions), Sam Collins (Gold Coast), Noah Balta (Richmond)
HB: Brayden Maynard (Collingwood), Darcy Byrne-Jones (Port Adelaide), Lachie Whitfield (Giants)
C: Sam Menegola (Geelong), Matt Crouch (Adelaide Crows), Zach Merrett (Essendon)
HF: Toby McLean (Western Bulldogs), Sam Day (Gold Coast), Michael Walters (Fremantle)
FF: Harry McKay (Carlton), Rowan Marshall (St Kilda), Tom Papley (Sydney Swans)
Foll: Scott Lycett (Port Adelaide), Jed Anderson (North Melbourne), Clayton Oliver (Melbourne Demons)
Int: Bailey Smith (Western Bulldogs), Brad Crouch (Adelaide Crows), Adam Cerra (Fremantle), David Mundy (Fremantle)
Tom Papley. (Cameron Spencer/AFL Photos via Getty Images)
Backs
Daniel Rich needs to be at his best as he is an important player for the Brisbane Lions with finals on the horizon.
Sam Collins will be a pivotal part of the Gold Coast team if they are to cause an upset against the Collingwood.
Noah Balta has the opportunity to prove why he is one of Richmond’s most important players against Geelong.
Brayden Maynard will probably be an All Australian in AFL season 2020. Expect Maynard to show why against Gold Coast.
Darcy Byrne-Jones will want to prove that his performance in Round 16 wasn’t an aberration.
Lachie Whitfield should prove why he is one of the most consistent players in the AFL in Round 17.
Midfielders
Sam Menegola should be classified as an elite player in the competition based on his consistency in AFL season 2020.
Matt Crouch has been instrumental for the Adelaide Crows, winning two games in a row. Expect that to be three games, as they are a chance of causing an upset against Carlton.
Zach Merrett has been a shining light for Essendon and has the opportunity to display why in Round 17 when Essendon play the top team on the AFL ladder as it stands, Port Adelaide.
Sam Menegola (Photo by Albert Perez/Getty Images)
Forwards
Toby McLean should prove why he is one of the most underrated players in the competition if he can replicate his performance in Round 16.
Sam Day has so much talent. He has the opportunity to prove it in Round 17 when Gold Coast play Collingwood.
Michael Walters will be endeavouring to prove that his display in Round 16 wasn’t an aberration when Fremantle play North Melbourne.
Harry McKay just needs to kick straight and he’ll kick plenty of goals in Round 17. That’s the only thing lacking from his game.
Rowan Marshall just needs to play in the manner that he did in Round 16 against Hawthorn if he is to be rightfully considered one of the most underrated players in the competition.
Tom Papley could help the Sydney Swans cause an upset against the Brisbane Lions if he plays to his potential.
Followers
Scott Lycett will be looking to prove why he is still capable of being renowned as a quality ruckman against Essendon in Round 17.
Jed Anderson should prove what a good player he is when North Melbourne take on Fremantle.
Clayton Oliver will prove why he is possibly Melbourne’s most important player in Round 17, which is a must-win game for the Demons against the Giants.
Interchange
Bailey Smith has been in good form in 2020. He should display why he is underrated when the Western Bulldogs play against Hawthorn in Round 17.
Brad Crouch was one of the best players on the ground in Round 16. Expect him to replicate that in Round 17 when the Adelaide Crows play Carlton.
Adam Cerra had an outstanding game in Round 16. He should do the same in Round 17.
David Mundy should prove that he is capable of playing in the AFL in 2021 if he can perform the way he did in Round 16 where he was one of the best players on the ground.