As the regular season begins to come to a close, Round 17 left us with some big top-of-the-ladder clashes, as well as some upsets resulting in premiership contenders dropping much-needed points.
Luke Davies-Uniacke and Shai Bolton both shone as their teams failed to get over the line, while big bags for Charlie Curnow and Peter Wright secured each of the big men some big votes. A series of the league's best young guns stepped up, while Andrew Brayshaw added fuel to his already careening Brownlow charge.
Each round this season, the Zero Hanger team - consisting of editor Mitch Keating, senior reporter Jack Fitzpatrick, general manager Nick Splitter, and deputy editor Ed Carmine - will vote on every game to establish our AFL MVP for 2022.
Votes will be given out on a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 system for each game, meaning the maximum score any player can record in any game is 20.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Fitzpatrick | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Cameron Guthrie | Cameron Guthrie | Cameron Guthrie | Cameron Guthrie |
| 4 | Tom Atkins | Mitch Duncan | Mitch Duncan | Patrick Dangerfield |
| 3 | Patrick Dangerfield | Clayton Oliver | Patrick Dangerfield | Jack Viney |
| 2 | Jack Viney | Patrick Dangerfield | Clayton Oliver | Mitch Duncan |
| 1 | Mitch Duncan | Tom Atkins | Tom Atkins | Tom Atkins |
Midfield
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
In the blockbuster 1st vs 2nd matchup, Geelong took top spot with a comfortable 28-point win over the reigning premiers. Cameron Guthrie pulled the strings in the midfield for the Cats, racking up 28 disposals, seven tackles and two goals. Patrick Dangerfield was damaging despite his shooting woes, managing 31 disposals, while Tom Atkins held up the defence with 21 disposals and nine tackles. Jack Viney and Clayton Oliver were solid for the losing side with 35 and 34 disposals respectively.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Fitzpatrick | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Chad Warner | Chad Warner | Chad Warner | Callum Mills |
| 4 | Paddy McCartin | Paddy McCartin | Tom Papley | Chad Warner |
| 3 | Isaac Heeney | Callum Mills | Paddy McCartin | Isaac Heeney |
| 2 | Callum Mills | Isaac Heeney | Callum Mills | Paddy McCartin |
| 1 | Sam Reid | Tom Papley | Isaac Heeney | Adam Treloar |
Midfield
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
In a must-win for both teams, Sydney were too much for the Dogs at home, giving them the edge in the race for the top eight. Young gun Chad Warner was too much for the Dogs to handle, kicking two goals alongside 25 disposals and four tackles. Callum Mills was his usual self ,with 23 disposals and a goal, while Paddy McCartin was solid in defence with 22 disposals and 14 marks. Isaac Heeney chipped in with a handy four-goal haul, while Tom Papley was also lively with 25 disposals and two goals.
Collingwood vs North Melbourne
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Fitzpatrick | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Luke Davies-Uniacke | Luke Davies-Uniacke | Luke Davies-Uniacke | Luke Davies-Uniacke |
| 4 | Josh Daicos | Nick Larkey | Josh Daicos | Taylor Adams |
| 3 | Nick Larkey | Taylor Adams | Taylor Adams | Nick Larkey |
| 2 | Scott Pendlebury | Josh Daicos | Nick Daicos | Darcy Cameron |
| 1 | Taylor Adams | Nick Daicos | Darcy Cameron | Steele Sidebottom |
Midfield
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
North Melbourne almost pulled off one of the upsets of the season, leading for most of the game but falling short to the Pies by seven at the final siren. Despite the loss, Luke Davies-Uniacke was almost unstoppable in the Roos' midfield, gathering 33 disposals, 16 contested possessions, 11 tackles and 12 clearances. Josh Daicos took over on his wing, with 28 disposals and a goal, while Scott Pendlebury was solid with 23 disposals himself. Taylor Adams was damaging before his substitution with 28 disposals, while Nick Larkey was impressive for North, booting a bag of five.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Fitzpatrick | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Shai Bolton | Shai Bolton | Shai Bolton | Shai Bolton |
| 4 | Touk Miller | Noah Anderson | Noah Anderson | Touk Miller |
| 3 | Noah Anderson | Touk Miller | Touk Miller | Noah Anderson |
| 2 | Daniel Rioli | Daniel Rioli | Daniel Rioli | Dion Prestia |
| 1 | Ben Ainsworth | Jarrod Witts | Ben Ainsworth | Mabior Chol |
Midfield
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
The Suns left it late to eventually get over the line against the Tigers in an upset win, with Noah Anderson kicking a goal to secure a two-point win late in the game. Despite the loss, Shai Bolton was the best player on the field, kicking three goals alongside 29 disposals. Touk Miller was impressive with 27 disposals and a goal, while the hero Anderson was also impressive with two goals and 26 disposals. Daniel Rioli and Dion Prestia were also solid for the Tigers with 31 and 24 disposals respectively.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Fitzpatrick | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Andrew Brayshaw | Andrew Brayshaw | Andrew Brayshaw | Andrew Brayshaw |
| 4 | Jordan Clark | Jordan Clark | Nat Fyfe | Sean Darcy |
| 3 | Nat Fyfe | Nat Fyfe | Sean Darcy | Jack Sinclair |
| 2 | Will Brodie | Lachlan Schultz | Will Brodie | Nat Fyfe |
| 1 | Sean Darcy | Will Brodie | Jordan Clark | Lachlan Schultz |
Midfield
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
Fremantle got over the line very comfortably in a statement win against the Saints, winning by 41 points on the night. Midfielder Andrew Brayshaw continued to hype up his Brownlow chances, taking control with 36 disposals, 10 tackles and a goal. Jordan Clark also put in a shift with 30 disposals, while Sean Darcy dominated in the ruck with 16 disposals, two goals and 27 hit outs. Nat Fyfe looked like his formal self with an impressive three goals and 21 disposals, while Lachlan Schultz looked lively with two goals and 20 disposals.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Fitzpatrick | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Connor Rozee | Connor Rozee | Connor Rozee | Connor Rozee |
| 4 | Sam Powell-Pepper | Jeremy Finlayson | Sam Powell-Pepper | Travis Boak |
| 3 | Jeremy Finlayson | Stephen Coniglio | Jeremy Finlayson | Jeremy Finlayson |
| 2 | Zak Butters | Sam Powell-Pepper | Karl Amon | Stephen Coniglio |
| 1 | Stephen Coniglio | Zak Butters | Stephen Coniglio | Kane Farrell |
Midfield
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
Port looked far too good for the lacklustre Giants, who couldn't score more than three goals the entire game. Connor Rozee kicked more goals than the Giants, with a bag of four to go alongside 24 disposals and six marks. Sam Powell-Pepper was impressive with 25 disposals and a goal, while Zak Butters took control of the midfield with 26 disposals. Jeremy Finlayson was impressive with 22 disposals and 13 hit outs, while Stephen Coniglio was the only positive for the Giants with 32 disposals.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Fitzpatrick | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Jye Caldwell | Jye Caldwell | Jye Caldwell | Peter Wright |
| 4 | Zach Merrett | Peter Wright | Peter Wright | Jye Caldwell |
| 3 | Brandon Starcevich | Kyle Langford | Zach Merrett | Zach Merrett |
| 2 | Peter Wright | Jordan Ridley | Kyle Langford | Oscar McInerney |
| 1 | Kyle Langford | Hugh McCluggage | Brandon Starcevich | Brandon Starcevich |
Midfield
Disposals
Tackles
Clearances
The Bombers pulled off another incredible upset, getting up against the Lions in Brisbane by 10 points. Jye Caldwell was instrumental in the midfield, racking up 26 disposals alongside seven tackles and a goal while keeping Lachie Neale quiet. Peter Wright was back amongst the goals again with a haul of five majors, while teammate Kyle Langford wasn't too far behind with four goals as well as 18 disposals. Zach Merrett was also impressive with 31 disposals, while Hugh McCluggage was solid for the losing team with 29 disposals.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Fitzpatrick | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Dylan Moore | Mitchell Lewis | Mitchell Lewis | Dylan Moore |
| 4 | Mitchell Lewis | Dylan Moore | Dylan Moore | Mitchell Lewis |
| 3 | Rory Laird | Blake Hardwick | Blake Hardwick | Tom Mitchell |
| 2 | Blake Hardwick | Changkuoth Jiath | Rory Laird | James Sicily |
| 1 | Ben Keays | Rory Laird | James Sicily | Rory Laird |
Forward
Marks
Goal Assists
Tackles
Hawthorn heaped more pressure onto the struggling Crows, getting up by 32 points on the day. Dylan Moore put in a shift for the Hawks with 29 disposals, seven tackles and seven marks, while Mitch Lewis dominated in the forward line with a bag of five. Blake Hardwick was solid with 32 disposals, while James Sicily was impressive in defence with 23 disposals and 13 marks. Rory Laird did his best for the Crows with 42 disposals.
| Mitch Keating | Ed Carmine | Jack Fitzpatrick | Nick Splitter | |
| 5 | Charlie Curnow | Charlie Curnow | Charlie Curnow | Patrick Cripps |
| 4 | George Hewett | George Hewett | Harry McKay | Charlie Curnow |
| 3 | Harry McKay | Harry McKay | George Hewett | Adam Cerra |
| 2 | Matthew Kennedy | Matthew Kennedy | Patrick Cripps | Sam Docherty |
| 1 | Shannon Hurn | Shannon Hurn | Shannon Hurn | Andrew Gaff |
Forward
Goals
Marks
Goal Assists
The Blues completely ran over the Eagles on Sunday, getting over the line by a modest 63 points away from home. Charlie Curnow was too hard to stop for the Blues, kicking five gaols alongside 15 disposals and eight marks. Teammate Harry McKay wasn't to be outdone, however, kicking five of his own, while Patrick Cripps was solid with 24 disposals and a goal. Matthew Kennedy ran the midfield with 27 disposals, while Andrew Gaff put in a shift for the losing side with 30 disposals.
