Some outstanding individual performances powered their team to upset victories, while some of the best players in the league showed why they are exactly that. Welcome to the AFL Team of the Week for Round 3.
All the wash-up from AFL Round 3
» Eight quick takes
» Power Rankings
Back Pocket – Alex Rance (Richmond)
After a bit of a slow start to the season, Alex Rance returned to his All-Australian best on the weekend, putting in a superb effort against the dangerous forward line of the West Coast Eagles.
Spending most of his time on Jack Darling, Rance kept him to just one goal, while also peeling off and affecting other contests. He finished with 20 disposals at 80 per cent efficiency, while he took four grabs and laid three tackles.
Full Back – Joel Hamling (Fremantle)
One of the heroes of the Western Bulldogs’ drought-breaking premiership last season, Hamling played his best game to date for the Fremantle Dockers on Saturday.
Matched up on Travis Cloke, Hamling restricted him to a meagre 10 touches and no score. Hamling himself had 12 possessions at 91 per cent efficiency and took six marks.
Back Pocket – Kyle Hartigan (Adelaide)
Some eyebrows were raised when the 195cm Hartigan went to the in-form and nimble Robbie Gray who stands 183cm. But it proved a masterstroke by Adelaide coach Don Pyke, with Hartigan keeping Gray relatively quiet.
Gray still managed 19 disposals and two goals, such is his immense class, but his impact on the Showdown was very limited thanks to the efforts of Hartigan.
Half Back – Taylor Adams (Collingwood)
Was a key architect of Collingwood’s thrilling one-point victory over Sydney on Friday night, with the former Giant amassing 31 disposals, 13 of them contested, taking six marks and laying a massive 11 tackles.
Centre Half Back – Henry Schade (Collingwood)
Thrown a lifeline by the Magpies after being delisted by Gold Coast, Schade has quickly made a name for himself as a close-checking and agile key defender in Nathan Buckley’s best 22.
However, the odds were stacked against him on Friday night when he went toe-to-toe with Swans’ superstar Lance Franklin, who was celebrating his 250th game.
In a magnificent display of discipline, Schade kept ‘Buddy’ to a paltry three behinds, just the seventh time he hasn’t kicked a goal in a match for Sydney. Schade himself had 16 possessions at a perfect 100 per cent efficiency, three marks and six tackles.
He frightened every Collingwood supporter in the country, however, when he attempted a short kick across goal in the dying moments of Friday night’s game, almost conceding a behind as the Magpies tried to hold onto their one-point lead.
Half Back – Jayden Hunt (Melbourne)
Continued his stunning development as one of the game’s most exciting running defenders with a superb effort against Geelong at Etihad Stadium.
Hunt racked up a career-high 30 disposals, took nine marks, laid three tackles and kicked an impressive goal from long range.
Wing – Stephen Hill (Fremantle)
With his side desperately needing a change of on-field fortune, Stephen Hill took it upon himself to help deliver the Dockers their first win of the 2017 season on Saturday night.
Against the reigning premiers, Hill notched up 33 possessions, 13 of them contested, took four marks and laid four tackles. He was influential in the final quarter as Fremantle piled on five goals to nothing.
Centre – Rory Sloane (Adelaide)
Going head-to-head with the hard-nosed Port Adelaide midfield featuring the likes of Ollie Wines, Brad Ebert and Sam Powell-Pepper, Sloane shone at the coalface, amassing 31 touches, an amazing 24 of them contested, while he won eight clearances.
He also took five grabs, laid nine bone-crunching tackles and kicked a goal to claim the Showdown Medal.
Wing – Josh Kelly (Greater Western Sydney)
After a week of making headlines, Kelly was keen to get out on the park and impress, and impress he did.
The number two draft pick racked up 31 possessions, won six clearances, took three marks, laid seven tackles and kicked a goal in a very all-round performance.
Half Forward – Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda)
Making his return to footy just two weeks after a knee injury that looked a lot worse than what it turned out to be, Riewoldt cast aside any doubt that he returned too early with an emphatic performance against Brisbane.
The champion hauled in 12 marks while amassing 28 disposals at 78 per cent efficiency, while he finished with three goals.
Centre Half Forward – Taylor Walker (Adelaide)
After shaking off injury concerns that saw him miss Round 1, the Adelaide skipper returned to top form on Saturday night in the Showdown.
Walker was commanding with 17 touches, 10 marks, three tackles and four majors, including a thumping goal late in the match that saw off the Power.
Half Forward – Jack Martin (Gold Coast)
Played a massive role in the surprise rout of Hawthorn on Sunday evening, with the prodigious talent notching up 25 possessions at 88 per cent efficiency, took five marks, laid five tackles and booted three goals.
Forward Pocket – Brandon Matera (Gold Coast)
In his first game for 2017, Matera feasted on the Hawthorn carcass as the Suns romped away to their biggest win in their history.
The small forward kicked three goals in the third quarter, before finishing the game with another three in the last to finish with a career-high six majors.
Full Forward – Tom Hawkins (Geelong)
Continued his good goal kicking form with another five majors on Saturday against Melbourne.
Hawkins was too big and too powerful for the McDonald brothers, also helping himself to 17 touches, five marks and, pleasingly for Chris Scott, six tackles.
Forward Pocket – Daniel Menzel (Geelong)
Another who has had a sensational start to the season, Menzel was a constant threat up forward with his amazing agility and goal sense.
Picked up 15 disposals, took five marks and slotted four goals. What a story.
Ruckman – Brodie Grundy (Collingwood)
Gave his midfielders first use which allowed the Magpies to control the play early on during Friday night’s clash with the Sydney Swans.
Grundy won 43 hitouts but also won plenty of the ball himself, grabbing 23 possessions, 10 of them contested, winning seven clearances and getting his hands dirty with seven tackles.
Ruck Rover – Dustin Martin (Richmond)
Played an absolute blinder on Saturday afternoon against West Coast at the MCG. Despite carrying a fractured cheekbone, Martin was inspirational, winning seven clearances in the first quarter alone.
Martin ended with 40 disposals, 21 of them contested, 15 clearances, three marks, five tackles and two goals.
Rover – Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)
Sparked the Cats with a brilliant display in the midfield, amassing 36 disposals, 20 of them contested, winning nine clearances, taking four marks and getting forward to kick three goals.
Marc Murphy (Carlton)
The Blues’ skipper was simply outstanding in trying conditions against Essendon at the MCG on Sunday.
Murphy collected 32 disposals, won six clearances, laid 10 tackles and kicked two goals. His checkside goal on the run in the third quarter will feature in the goal of the year discussion at the end of the season.
Joel Selwood (Geelong)
Another captain who led from the front to help his side claim victory. Selwood collected 37 touches, 17 of them contested, won nine clearances, took six marks, laid seven tackles and kicked a goal.
It will be interesting come September to see who receives the three Brownlow Medal votes in this game. Paddy or Joel?
David Mundy (Fremantle)
The former captain played his best game for some time on Saturday night, propelling the Dockers to an inspiring win over the Western Bulldogs.
Mundy had 30 possessions, 10 contested, won five clearances, took seven marks, laid seven tackles and booted two important goals.
David Swallow (Gold Coast)
After returning to footy following a long lay-off from injury last week, Swallow reminded the footy world how good he can be with a starring performance against Hawthorn.
The former number one draft selection amassed 34 disposals, half of them contested, won nine clearances, took four marks and laid six tackles in a very polished display.
Gary Ablett (Gold Coast)
After a tough week of seeing his name in the headlines for all the wrong reasons, Ablett responded like true champions do.
Against the Hawks, Ablett racked up 36 touches, 14 of them contested, won 10 clearances, laid four tackles and kicked two goals. Hopefully, this is a sign of what’s left to come.
Oliver Wines (Port Adelaide)
Continued his fantastic start to the 2017 campaign, notching up 30 possessions in the Showdown on Saturday night. That included eight clearances and two goals, while he also laid seven important tackles.
Jeremy Cameron (Greater Western Sydney)
The star Giant was hard to stop on Saturday afternoon against North Melbourne down in Hobart.
Cameron collected 19 touches, took seven marks, laid three tackles and booted 3.3. If he was more accurate, it would’ve been a superb performance.
FB: Alex Rance (Richmond), Joel Hamling (Fremantle), Kyle Hartigan (Adelaide)
HB: Taylor Adams (Collingwood), Henry Schade (Collingwood), Jayden Hunt (Melbourne)
C: Stephen Hill (Fremantle), Rory Sloane (Adelaide), Josh Kelly (Greater Western Sydney)
HF: Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda), Taylor Walker (Adelaide), Jack Martin (Gold Coast)
FF: Brandon Matera (Gold Coast), Tom Hawkins (Geelong), Daniel Menzel (Geelong)
R: Brodie Grundy (Collingwood), Dustin Martin (Richmond), Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong)
I/C: Marc Murphy (Carlton), Joel Selwood (Geelong), David Mundy (Fremantle), David Swallow (Gold Coast)
EMG: Gary Ablett (Gold Coast), Oliver Wines (Port Adelaide), Jeremy Cameron (Greater Western Sydney)
Adelaide: Hartigan, Walker, Sloane (3)
Brisbane: Nil (0)
Carlton: Murphy (1)
Collingwood: Schade, Adams, Grundy (3)
Essendon: Nil (0)
Fremantle: Hamling, S Hill, Mundy (3)
Geelong: Hawkins, Menzel, Dangerfield, Selwood (4)
Gold Coast: Martin, Matera, Swallow (3)
Greater Western Sydney: Kelly (1)
Hawthorn: Nil (0)
Melbourne: Hunt (1)
North Melbourne: Nil (0)
Port Adelaide: Nil (0)
Richmond: Rance, Martin (2)
St Kilda: Riewoldt (1)
Sydney: Nil (0)
West Coast: Nil (0)
Western Bulldogs: Nil (0)
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