UNSURPRISINGLY, minor premier Adelaide leads the way with five players in Champion Data's 2022 AFLW All-Star stats team.
Selection is based on pre-determined statistical categories for those positions (spoils for defence, uncontested possessions for midfield etc), with the leader in each category given the nod. Only players who have played four or more games throughout the home and away season were eligible for the team.
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If a player qualified for two positions, one was picked with the runner-up given a guernsey in the other category.
After zero players made the side last year, Melbourne is next best represented with three players, while finalist Collingwood has just one player featured.
Selection and statistics courtesy of Champion Data
DEFENDERS
Aine Tighe, Fremantle - one-on-one loss rate
After two years on the sidelines working her way through serious knee injuries, Aine Tighe finally made her debut in round one this year in attack. When the Dockers got stretched in defence due to a facial fracture for Janelle Cuthbertson, Tighe proved her versatility and moved into defence. Impressively, in 13 one-on-one contests, Tighe had a 0 per cent loss rate. Added to this, the utility registered double-digit intercepts twice this season, with 12 against Collingwood in round four and 11 against Carlton in round six.
Pepa Randall, Greater Western Sydney - spoils
In a side that conceded an average of 31.6 inside 50s per game this year, Pepa Randall stood strong. Often tasked with the opposition's strongest key forward, Randall's ability to stay close to her opponent and stretch to impact the flight of the ball resulted in a competition-high 4.9 average spoils.
Maddy McMahon, Geelong - intercept possessions
Taking the place of backline partner Meg McDonald in this year's team, Maddy McMahon has been an intercepting machine in the 2022 season, averaging a competition- high 7.4. McMahon is averaging three more intercepts per game this year compared to 2021, including four games with 10 or more.
Ruby Schleicher, Collingwood - intercept possessions
Schleicher's intercept game has continued with an average of 7.2 intercept possessions this year, including three double-digit games. In doing so, the All-Australian registered a career-high 36 rebounds this season.
Sarah D'Arcy, Richmond - intercept marks
Originally slated to spend some more time in attack this year, D'Arcy was sent back to defence when Harriet Cordner went down with injury. D'Arcy's ability to read the ball and weigh up the risk of leaving her direct opponent to take the intercept mark sees her lead the competition this year with 2.9 per game.
MIDFIELDERS
Montana McKinnon, Adelaide - ruck, hitout to advantage rate
McKinnon played just two games in her inaugural season of 2020, and then failed to get the call-up last year. A big off-season has seen the young ruck play nine of a possible 10 home and away games this year, and the hard work has paid dividends on field. Averaging the highest hitout to advantage rate in the competition, 19.8 per cent of McKinnon's hitouts have ended in the hands of a teammate.
Monique Conti, Richmond - contested possessions
At times playing the lone hand in Richmond's midfield, Monique Conti has been a picture of consistency this year. Averaging a competition-high 15.2 contested possessions a game, 61.8 per cent of Conti's possessions this year have been contested.
Emily Bates, Brisbane - clearances
Equal second in line behind Bowers, and equal with Amy McDonald, Emily Bates' improvement this season included an average of 5.6 clearances per game, including 12 against the Dogs in round 10, the equal second-most in competition history. Bates averaged career-high numbers in several metrics, including 21.7 disposals, while also kicking three goals.
Ashleigh Riddell, North Melbourne - disposals
Starting the season off with a bang, Riddell equalled the competition record of 35 disposals in round one, and casually closed out the home and away season with a record-breaking 42 touches. Riddell has registered 30 or more touches seven times in her career - more than any other player - and six of those have come this year, resulting in an average disposal count of 29.9.
Anne Hatchard, Adelaide - inside 50s
Hatchard's workrate and ability to spread outside the contest has seen her average the most inside 50s of any player this year, with 4.6 per game, an increase of 0.9 on last season. Impressively, Hatchard's work on the outside also saw her average 6.9 marks per game, proving to be one of the Crows' most damaging players.
Ebony Marinoff, Adelaide - metres gained
Into the side for the second year running thanks to her massive metres gained numbers, Marinoff moved the ball forward an average of 395.7 metres per game this season. With a career-average of 338.4 metres gained, Marinoff reached a high of 495 this year in round four against Melbourne.
FORWARDS
Erin Phillips, Adelaide - score involvements
Maintaining her place in the side for the second year in a row thanks to her 5.6 average score involvements, Phillips averaged the same number in 2021. As part of her attacking game, the star registered eight goal assists and six goals in her nine games this year.
Tayla Harris, Carlton - contested marks
Harris' arrival at Melbourne brought a strong forward presence, particularly in the air. Averaging 2.4 contested marks throughout the season, Harris' 24 contested marks is the highest tally in AFLW history, beating Isabel Huntington's 21 of last year.
Bonnie Toogood, Western Bulldogs - marks inside 50
Just behind Tayla Harris for this metric, Bonnie Toogood averaged 1.6 marks inside 50 this year. Impressively, this was despite a mountain of work up the field to assist her teammates, then often finding herself with multiple defenders to contend with once back in the attacking arc.
Daisy Pearce, Melbourne - score assists
A permanent move forward for Daisy Pearce this year has been just what Melbourne has needed. Her leadership to encourage more composure in attack has been represented on the stat sheet with a competition-high 1.5 score assists this season. On top of setting up her teammates, Pearce has kicked 13 goals of her own across 10 games.
Ashleigh Woodland, Adelaide - goals
After kicking nine goals last year in her first season in attack, Woodland more than doubled that tally this year with 19 goals. The forward sped to 10 goals in just three games to start the season, and became the first player in AFLW history to kick four or more goals in back-to-back games.
INTERCHANGE
Emma Kearney, North Melbourne - metres gained (defenders)
This year Kearney had to "park the ego" to move out of the midfield and onto the half-back line, but has flourished in the new role. Averaging 319.1 metres gained, the most of any defender this year, Kearney has done well to create some attack and drive out of the back half for her Kangaroos.
Courtney Hodder, Brisbane - tackles inside 50
Incredibly, Hodder increased on her forward pressure this year, averaging a competition-high 2.2 tackles inside 50 throughout the season. Across her 21-game career, Hodder has laid 43 tackles inside the forward arc, and kicked 15 goals off the back of that pressure.
Lily Mithen, Melbourne - uncontested possessions
Fifth in line behind Riddell, Marinoff, Hatchard and Schleicher - who were all chosen in different categories - Mithen has been a crucial player on the outside for Melbourne this year. Averaging 13.3 uncontested possessions, 68.6 per cent of Mithen's possessions this year have been uncontested.
Amy McDonald, Geelong - groundballs
McDonald won an impressive 10.9 groundballs each week throughout the season, going hand in hand with her 13.1 contested possessions per game - the third-highest average in the competition. A picture of consistency on the ball for Geelong.
Kiara Bowers, Fremantle - pressure points
No surprises here, Kiara Bowers set the standard for pressure in the competition this year with an average of 79.6 pressure points. Bowers averaged 13.2 tackles in six games this season, which included seven double-digit hauls and a massive 17 in 60 per cent of game time against the Suns as she returned from suspension and a knee injury.
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