THERE could have been no doubt about the first player picked in AFL.com.au's AFLW Team of the Week after Brooke Lochland's stunning seven-goal display for the Western Bulldogs.
Lochland was one of six Dogs named in the side after they thumped Carlton last Friday.
Collingwood was similarly well rewarded with four players in the team after the Magpies broke through for their first win of the season, against Melbourne.
Adelaide and Greater Western Sydney were involved in a draw last Sunday and each had two representatives.
The team is selected to mirror the All Australian team: five defenders, six midfielders (including a ruck), five forwards and five interchange players.
Like the All Australian team, we have selected players in general categories, rather than in traditional positions. The 16-a-side setup often means teams play with differing configurations, making set selections (e.g wings and flanks) difficult.
AFL.com.au AFLW Team of the Week – Round Four
Defenders: Chelsea Randall (Adelaide), Meg Downie (Melbourne), Libby Birch (Western Bulldogs), Kate Lutkins (Brisbane), Hannah Scott (Western Bulldogs)
Randall and Lutkins have earned reputations as brilliant defenders and once again produced performances worthy of that status.
Birch did yet another important job, this time keeping Carlton star Darcy Vescio scoreless, while Scott had 16 disposals and provided plenty of rebound.
The Dees didn’t win but Downie wasn't at fault, helping to repel many of the Magpies' forays forward.
Midfielders: Ebony Marinoff (Adelaide), Tahlia Randall (Brisbane), Jaimee Lambert (Collingwood), Alicia Eva (Greater Western Sydney), Ellie Blackburn (Western Bulldogs), Emma Kearney (Western Bulldogs)
Marinoff set an AFLW record 21 tackles while Eva was enormous for the Giants, collecting 23 disposals.
Dogs pair Kearney and Blackburn racked up 26 and 18 disposals respectively and Lambert recovered after some early friendly fire from Mo Hope to contribute well against the Demons.
Meanwhile, Randall's ruck dominance against Freo gave the Lions a huge edge.
Forwards: Jessica Wuetschner (Brisbane), Christina Bernardi (Collingwood), Caitlyn Edwards (Collingwood), Brooke Lochland (Western Bulldogs), Bonnie Toogood (Western Bulldogs)
Lochland was the headline act with seven goals while her teammate Toogood booted three. Both flourished in the absence of Bulldogs skipper Katie Brennan.
Bernardi kicked only one goal but was important to setting up many more. Edwards was one of those to be a beneficiary, who slotted two goals and was dangerous for much of the night.
Wuetschner adapted well to conditions at the South Pine Sports Complex, which had been impacted by torrential rain.
Interchange: Sarah Hosking (Carlton), Stephanie Chiocci (Collingwood), Kara Donnellan (Fremantle), Rebecca Beeson (Greater Western Sydney), Karen Paxman (Melbourne)
Chiocci produced a captain's performance to help her side finally notch a victory, including booting a brilliant goal in the final term to effectively end the contest.
Paxman fought hard for Melbourne and picked up 18 disposals.
The Blues were soundly beaten by the Western Bulldogs but stand-in skipper Hosking fought hard all night in the middle of the ground.
Beeson kicked a goal for the Giants in a low-scoring contest and Dockers captain Donnellan had 15 disposals in a typically influential display.
'The regulars' – players who have been selected in multiple AFLW Teams of the Weeks in 2018:
- Emma Kearney (Western Bulldogs, four)
- Chelsea Randall (Adelaide, three)
- Kate Lutkins (Brisbane, three)
- Chloe Molloy (Collingwood, three)
- Courtney Gum (Greater Western Sydney, three)
- Ebony Marinoff (Adelaide, two)
- Ally Anderson (Brisbane, two)
- Emily Bates (Brisbane, two)
- Jess Wuetschner (Brisbane, two)
- Brianna Davey (Carlton, two)
- Sarah Hosking (Carlton, two)
- Christina Bernardi (Collingwood, two)
- Kara Donnellan (Fremantle, two)
- Alicia Eva (GWS, two)
- Phoebe McWilliams (Greater Western Sydney, two)
- Megan Cunningham (Melbourne, two)
- Meg Downie (Melbourne, two)
- Elise O’Dea (Melbourne, two)
