First and foremost, the AFL is a team sport, and all players fight for the ultimate team goal, a premiership.

However, that doesn't mean that we can't appreciate the effort of certain individuals, with the Brownlow Medal the most prestigious individual award on the football calendar.

While Richmond star Dustin Martin looks set to claim his first Chas, he wasn't the only player with big games in 2017, so here are nine of the best individual performances from the past season, in chronological order.

Dustin Martin - Round 3 v West Coast

40 disposals, 21 contested possessions, 15 clearances, nine inside 50s, five tackles, two goals.

The Tiger put in one of the best performances of his career against West Coast at the MCG on a wet Saturday afternoon.

Martin was everywhere, and had the most kicks of any player this season (33), and also collected the third-highest number of clearances with 15.

Richmond were looking to go 3-0 to start the season, and Martin's amazing numbers helped the Tigers set the tone for what would be a successful home-and-away campaign.

Gary Ablett - Round 6 v North Melborune

45 disposals, 27 contested possessions, 18 clearances, 10 inside 50s, nine tackles, five rebound 50s, four goal assists, one goal.

In what could go down as the best individual performance of the season, Ablett set a number of season-highs across the competition.

No player in 2017 had more contested possessions or clearances in a single game, and only three players had more goal assists all season than he did against the Roos.

Despite playing just 14 games all season, this effort shows just how valuable Gary Ablett can still be.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - APRIL 29: Gary Ablett of the Suns gathers the ball during the round six AFL match between the North Melbourne Kangaroos and the Gold Coast Suns at Etihad Stadium on April 29, 2017 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Tom Mitchell - Round 9 v Collingwood

50 disposals, 22 contested possessions, eight tackles, eight marks, five clearances.

Mitchell became just the fifth player in AFL history to record 50 or more disposals in a single game, a feat which he achieved against Collingwood earlier this season.

Surprisingly, the midfielder was criticised for his lack of impact on the match, but there's no doubting he had a lot of the football that night.

Patrick Dangerfield - Round 9 v Western Bulldogs

36 disposals, 20 contested possessions, 10 clearances, 12 tackles, six inside 50s, four goals.

The Geelong star had one of his most complete performances of the season against the reigning premiers down at Simonds Stadium in round nine.

Dangerfield kicked one of the goals of the season in the first quarter and didn't let up all night, with his numbers showcasing just how impressive he was.

Bryce Gibbs - Round 13 v Gold Coast

43 disposals, 10 tackles, seven clearances, seven inside 50s, two goals.

When his side needed someone to stand up against the Suns on the Gold Coast, Bryce Gibbs was that man.

The midfielder kicked two big goals in the last quarter to help the Blues regain a lead they had lost at the beginning of the final term.

It was one of the strongest performances by a player all season, as Gibbs led from the front all night long.

Michael Walters - Round 15 v St Kilda

32 disposals, six marks, three clearances, three inside 50s, six goals.

In one of the best all-around performances in 2017, Walters found himself with a lot of ball in front of goal, and he certainly made his opportunities count.

A brilliant effort saw Walters kick a career-high six goals and collect over 30 touches for just the second time in his career, although it wasn't enough to will his side to victory.

PERTH, AUSTRALIA - JULY 02: Michael Walters of the Dockers kicks the ball into the forward line during the round 15 AFL match between the Fremantle Dockers and the St Kilda Saints at Domain Stadium on July 2, 2017 in Perth, Australia. (Photo by Paul Kane/Getty Images)

Dayne Zorko - Round 16 v Geelong

36 disposals, 10 clearances, 12 tackles, five inside 50s, four marks, four goals.

Despite the Lions getting trounced, Zorko performance against Geelong won't be forgotten for a long time.

The 2017 All-Australian half-forward never found himself too far from the action, as he set season highs for disposals, clearances, tackles and goals.

Patrick Dangerfield - Round 17 v Hawthorn

20 disposals, 12 marks, eight marks inside 50, three tackles, five goals.

When Dangerfield went down midway through the first quarter, everyone at the MCG held their breath.

Thankfully, he returned to the field minutes later, but his leg was clearly bothering him, so he played out of the goal square for the rest of the game, and what a game it was.

Dangerfield was unstoppable, and went on to kick 5.6, in a match-winning performance

Lance Franklin - Round 23 v Carlton

25 disposals, 10 marks, eight marks inside 50, six inside 50s, 10 goals.

In the final round of the season, Franklin became the first player to reach double figures in 2017 after kicking 10 goals against Carlton.

The Coleman Medallist had a day out against the Blues, and bagged his final goal midway through the fourth term.

It was the second time he'd kicked 10 in his career.