SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 19: Swans head coach John Longmire speaks to the media during a Sydney Swans AFL training session at Sydney Cricket Ground on July 19, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)
SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JULY 19: Swans head coach John Longmire speaks to the media during a Sydney Swans AFL training session at Sydney Cricket Ground on July 19, 2016 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Winner: John Longmire

Sydney head coach John Longmire has not been shy to selection gambles this season, favouring younger and sometimes rookie options at small forward as opposed to experienced campaigner Ben McGlynn.

He again rolled the dice against the Blues on Saturday, omitting popular key defender Ted Richards and keeping the promising Aliir Aliir in the side. The risk paid off, with the young Swan having arguably the best game of his career so far.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 24: Debutante, Aaron Francis of the Bombers in action during the 2016 AFL Round 18 match between the Essendon Bombers and the Brisbane Lions at Etihad Stadium on July 24, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JULY 24: Debutante, Aaron Francis of the Bombers in action during the 2016 AFL Round 18 match between the Essendon Bombers and the Brisbane Lions at Etihad Stadium on July 24, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Winner: Aaron Francis

Aaron Francis was made to wait probably a little longer than he expected to break into a severely depleted Essendon Bombers side, but the wait for Francis and fans alike was well worth it, with the young redhead impressing on debut.

We had heard about the rebound from defence, good reading of the play and intercept marking all year, but we finally saw it in action on Saturday, as he recorded three of the latter stat in the first half alone.