AFL Team of the Week

Lance Franklin was in devastating form for the Swans against Port Adelaide. Picture: Matt King Source: Getty Images

IT was redemption round in the AFL last weekend as a host of high-profile players who have been under the pump this season answered their critics.

Lance Franklin has probably copped more heat than anyone after his move to the Swans but he proved why he deserves what Sydney is paying him by winning a game off his own boot against Port.

Travis Cloke — while not getting the win — also showed his early-season form slump is firmly behind with a six-goal bag against the Bulldogs, while Nic Naitanui and Tom Scully repaid some of the faith shown in them by their footy clubs.

All four featured in the Round 13 Team of the Week.

Jai Bednall's AFL Team of the Week Source: The Advertiser

DEFENCE

Rhyce Shaw (Sydney)

All the focus was rightly on Buddy after the Swans' narrow win against Port but there were a few timely interceptions in the backline which helped Sydney home in the final quarter. Shaw was the best of a back six which just did enough.

Daniel Talia (Adelaide)

Another stand-up job by Talia on the weekend. He restricted Drew Petrie to just six disposals and one goal in the Crows' season-saving win.

Shannon Hurn (West Coast)

The Eagles wouldn't have won on the weekend without Hurn, whose 26-disposal performance also featured a game-high five contested marks.

Brodie Smith (Adelaide)

A few people outside of South Australia may have been surprised with Smith's inclusion in some midyear All-Australian teams but he showed why he fully deserves it with another huge game against the Kangaroos.

Adelaide's Brodie Smith evade Kangaroo veteran Brent Harvey. Picture: Sarah Reed Source: News Corp Australia

Lynden Dunn (Melbourne)

Dunn continued his remarkable transformation into one of the competition's best defenders with 16 rebound 50s against the Bombers.

Jimmy Bartel (Geelong)

Afforded way too much space by the Saints, Bartel racked up 27 uncontested possessions and dished out three goal assists.

MIDFIELD

Brad Hill (Hawthorn)

Hill also handed out three goals on the weekend in a polished performance against the Blues.

Brendon Goddard (Essendon)

Outside of that costly final-quarter miss, Goddard was pretty much perfect against the Demons.

Essendon's Brendon Goddard in full flight. Picture: Wayne Ludbey Source: News Corp Australia

Tom Scully (GWS)

He might be overpaid but Scully showed he's a fine footballer against the Lions on Saturday night.

ATTACK

Robbie Gray (Port Adelaide)

Almost dragged the Power over the line with a superhuman final-quarter effort against the Swans.

Port Adelaide's Robbie Gray gets a handball away under pressure from Sydney's Josh Kennedy. Picture: Toby Zerna Source: News Corp Australia

Lance Franklin (Sydney)

A few more games like that and Franklin will be back in the All-Australian team after a one-year absence.

David Zaharakis (Essendon)

Back-to-back Team of the Week honours for Zaharakis, who had 31 disposals and kicked four goals against Melbourne.

Hayden Ballantyne (Fremantle)

A bag of six against the Tigers has Ballantyne on track to kick a career high in goals this season.

Josh Kennedy (West Coast)

When he's on, he's on but the Eagles need Kennedy to find a bit more consistency. Eighteen of his 32 goals this season have come in two games.

Travis Cloke (Collingwood)

Cloke has kicked more goals in the past three weeks than he managed in the first nine games of the season.

FIRST RUCK

Nic Naitanui (West Coast)

Without Dean Cox in the line-up, Naitanui showed why the future of the Eagles' ruck division is the least of their concerns with a BOG performance against the Suns.

West Coast's Nic Naitanui off David Swallow of the Suns. Picture: Paul Kane Source: Getty Images

Brad Ebert (Port Adelaide)

Another who ultimately fell in Buddy's shadow but Ebert's 40-disposal effort against the Swans was as good as any by a midfielder this season.

Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs)

Liberatore makes putting up double-figure totals in tackles and clearances look easy. Now if commentators would just stop calling him Tony ...

INTERCHANGE

Nat Fyfe (Fremantle)

Just pay the man what he wants.

Lachie Whitfield (GWS)

All of the drama surrounding the Giants' bad fortnight against the Eagles and Tigers is a distant memory after three weeks of solid footy. Whitfield has been prominent throughout.

Scott Thompson (Adelaide)

Thompson has quietly upped his average disposals by two on last season to show he's far from a spent force.

Mitch Duncan (Geelong)

The degree of difficulty was low against St Kilda, but Duncan's 20 disposal, three-goal game was still quite impressive.

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