TABtouch Team of Round 11Wednesday, June 20, 2018 - 10:59 AM - by Chris Pike

A COUPLE of exciting Perth forwards combined for 12 goals, the reigning Sandover Medallist was on fire, a versatile Subiaco big man continued to dominate and a West Perth veteran made it 13 goals in his last two games as just some of the standout Round 11 WAFL performers.

There were plenty of outstanding individual performers on Saturday in Round 11 of the 2018 WAFL season with wins along the way for the top three teams Subiaco, South Fremantle and West Perth, and a Perth side who put themselves right in the finals hunt.

The thriller of the afternoon took place at Claremont Oval with West Perth beating Claremont 9.8 (62) to 8.13 (61) with Andrew Strijk booting another five goals for the Falcons.

Subiaco maintained its undefeated start to the season beating East Perth 11.15 (81) to 9.9 (63) in the battle of the Leederville Oval co-tenants with Lachlan Delahunty again superb.

South Fremantle also beat Peel Thunder 16.11 (107) to 10.12 (72) at Fremantle Community Bank Oval with Haiden Schloithe brilliant with 32 possessions and three goals.

The round then concluded at Lathlain Park with Perth too good for the bottom placed East Fremantle, winning 21.13 (139) to 11.9 (75) with Michael Bennell kicking seven goals and Cody Ninyette five.

TABtouch TEAM OF THE ROUND (times named)
BACK: Michael Sinclair (3), Anton Hamp (3), Hayden Kennedy (5)
HALF-BACK: Zac Guadagnin (1), Jordan Lockyer (2), Steven Edwards (2)
CENTRE: Brant Colledge (3), Leigh Kitchin (1), Shaun Bewick (1)
HALF-FORWARD: Michael Bennell (2), Lachlan Delahunty (6), Haiden Schloithe (3)
FORWARD: Cody Ninyette (2), Andrew Strijk (5), Gerald Ugle (1)
RUCK: Brock Higgins (4), Kane Mitchell (4), Shane Nelson (6)
INTERCHANGE: Kristian Cary (1), Aaron Black (4), Nathan Blee (1), Kaiden Gilbert (1)

BACK POCKET – MICHAEL SINCLAIR (Perth)
The 2016 fairest and best winner at Perth could very well be their most important player and it's no coincidence the team's improved form has gone hand in hand with his return over the previous three weeks. Was again rock solid down back in Saturday's big win against East Fremantle with 19 possessions, four tackles and four inside-50 entries.

FULL-BACK – ANTON HAMP (Claremont)
The key defender might have started the 2018 season in the reserves after an interrupted pre-season, but he's right back to his best form now and was named to the Team of the Round for a third time after Saturday's one-point loss to West Perth. He had the big job on Tyler Keitel and did well holding him to one goal, six kicks and three marks while having 11 disposals and five marks himself.

BACK POCKET – HAYDEN KENNEDY (Subiaco)
Following the last two years being hindered by shoulder problems, he continues to be in career-best form in 2018 and was superb again in Saturday's win over East Perth with his run out of the back-line, and strength in the contest down back a standout once more. He was named to the Team of the Round a fifth time for having 26 possessions, eight inside-50 entries, four marks and three tackles.

HALF-BACK FLANK – ZAC GUADAGNIN (West Perth)
The nephew of premiership winning 192-game veteran Matt was given his chance at the start of the 2018 season in West Perth's league team and hasn’t look back filling a role impressively as a mid-size defender. He had the job on Saturday on Claremont captain Ian Richardson who was celebrating his 200-game milestone and held him to 10 touches and a goal while having nine disposals himself.

CENTRE HALF-BACK – JORDAN LOCKYER (Subiaco)
He had a bit of a slow start to the 2018 season following an interrupted pre-season but he's right back to his best at the centre piece of the Subiaco back-line now. He was again important in the Lions making it nine straight wins by beating East Perth on Saturday at centre half-back by finishing with 15 possessions and nine marks.

HALF-BACK FLANK – STEVEN EDWARDS (South Fremantle)
He hasn’t quite been able to string together the same consistent form he had last year and was named to the Team of the Year, but he has now strung three games back together with the Bulldogs and was at his very best in Saturday's win against Peel. He ended the game with 25 possessions, 12 marks and four entries inside-50.

WING – BRANT COLLEDGE (Perth)
He continues to play the type of consistent football Perth was hoping from him when he returned from his time in the AFL at West Coast last year. He's now fully fit and his form is responding with him playing a role through the middle and across half-forward. Had another 32 possessions, eight inside-50 entries and five tackles in Saturday's 64-point thumping of East Fremantle.

CENTRE – LEIGH KITCHIN (Subiaco)
Subiaco's midfield was again dominant against East Perth in Saturday's win in the battle of the Leederville Oval co-tenants and while Kyal Horsley, Chris Phelan and Josh Deluca were terrific too, he stood out both in terms of winning the ball and his attack on the contest and the man. Finished the afternoon with 24 possessions, eight tackles, five inside 50s and four marks.

WING – SHAUN BEWICK (South Fremantle)
He had made his mark as a hard-running wingman over more than 100 games of his WAFL career at both West Perth and South Fremantle, but he has reinvented himself in defensive roles over the past 12 months and become even more important to the Bulldogs. He has been largely playing down back, but had the run-with role on Peel's Danyle Pearce on Saturday holding him to just 14 touches when he has been averaging 30.7. Also had 15 disposals, nine tackles and seven marks himself.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – MICHAEL BENNELL (Perth)
In just his third game of league football he delivered a stunning performance that saw him named the M & J Chickens Player of the Round honour. He kicked seven goals in a brilliant display in the win against East Fremantle to go with 16 possessions and four tackles.

CENTRE HALF-FORWARD – LACHLAN DELAHUNTY (Subiaco)
The biggest bonus of Zac Clarke's arrival at Subiaco in 2018 continues to be what it's done for him. He has done a fine job for a lot of the past three years spending the majority of his time as a mobile ruckman, but now able to spend more time forward, roaming up the ground and just pinch-hitting in the ruck is suiting him brilliantly. Had another 20 possessions, eight marks, eight hit outs and three goals in the win against East Perth.

HALF-FORWARD FLANK – HAIDEN SCHLOITHE (South Fremantle)
The reigning Sandover Medallist and fairest and best winner at South Fremantle was right back to his very best in Saturday's win against Peel with the Bulldogs without Ben Saunders, Mason Shaw, Blaine Johnson and Shane Hockey. He was a dominant figure and best afield with 32 possessions, 12 marks, five inside-50 entries and three goals.

FORWARD POCKET – CODY NINYETTE (Perth)
He was the leading goalkicker at Perth last year and while he wasn't quite able to recapture some of that form prior to Saturday, he did get back to his explosive and dynamic best in the 10-goal win over Sharks. He kicked five goals for the Demons from 15 possessions and five tackles.

FULL-FORWARD – ANDREW STRIJK (West Perth)
He kicked a career-high eight goals back in Round 7 against East Fremantle and then missed the games against East Perth and Peel before returning in style against Claremont on Saturday. He had kicked another five goals by early in the third term meaning he had 13 goals in just over the past six quarters of football he played. He ended with those five goals, 15 possessions and 10 marks.

FORWARD POCKET – GERALD UGLE (Peel Thunder)
The Peel captain is nearing his 100-game WAFL milestone and while he's already a dual premiership skipper, he hasn’t had the 2018 season he would have been hoping for to date. But he was in top form in Saturday despite the Thunder's 35-point loss to South Fremantle finishing with 23 possessions, six marks, four inside 50s and two goals.

RUCK – BROCK HIGGINS (South Fremantle)
It was quite the task for the South Fremantle ruckman on Saturday with Peel throwing a trio of big men at him in the form of Sean Darcy, Scott Jones and Luke Strnadica. He did a lot of the work single-handedly all afternoon and ended up more than holding his own with 14 possessions, five marks, 29 hit outs and two goals. It's only the fourth time in his 114-game career he's kicked two goals in a game.

RUCK ROVER – KANE MITCHELL (Claremont)
The 2012 Sandover Medallist has returned from a year away from the game following his AFL stint with Port Adelaide in tremendous form for Claremont and was prolific again in Saturday's one-point defeat at the hands of West Perth. He racked up another 33 possessions to go with six tackles, five marks and three entries inside the forward 50.

ROVER – SHANE NELSON (West Perth)
His remarkable 2018 season continued on Saturday with West Perth's one-point win and the triple fairest and best winner at the Falcons is likely in the form of his career with 127 games under his belt. Was brilliant again against the Tigers finishing with 34 possessions and five tackles and still is averaging a stunning 36.4 disposals in 2018.

INTERCHANGE – KRISTIAN CARY (Perth)
Having come across to Perth from North Albury in the Ovens and Murray League back in 2016, he had never been quite able to find his best role or secure a permanent position. But that has changed so far in 2018 and he has played an important role in the forward-line with the Demons missing a tall target. He likely delivered the best performance of his 29-game WAFL career on Saturday with two goals along with 20 possessions, six marks and six tackles.

INTERCHANGE – AARON BLACK (West Perth)
The first-year West Perth captain continues to lead his team from the front and was instrumental once again on Saturday in the thrilling win against Claremont. He kicked his team's lone goal in the final quarter to go with his 31 possessions, four tackles and three inside-50 entries in the 161st game of his career.

INTERCHANGE – NATHAN BLEE (East Perth)
East Perth might have suffered a fourth straight loss at the hands of Subiaco on Saturday, but he couldn't have done more much more for the Royals playing a whole variety of roles both forward and back, and through the middle pinch-hitting in the ruck. Ended the afternoon with two goals to go with 18 possessions, five hit outs and three tackles.

INTERCHANGE – KAIDEN GILBERT (Claremont)
In just the second game of his career, he almost proved the match winner for Claremont against West Perth as he tries to help fill the void in attack left by the retired Beau Maister. He kicked four of the first five goals of the day for the Tigers and then had the chance to win the game with a late shot and was on target but was just touched on the line. Finished with 4.4 from 14 disposals and seven marks.

UNLUCKY BUNCH
There were plenty of players who delivered tremendous performances across Round 11 but couldn’t quite fit into the Team of the Round, including:

Claremont's Tom Curren, Jye Bolton, Bailey Rogers, Haydn Busher and Oliver Eastland.

West Perth's Luke Meadows, Trent Manzone and Mitch Peirce.

East Perth's Brendon Ah Chee, Mitch Fraser, Sharrod Wellingham, Matthew Allen and Will Maginness, Brayden Ainsworth.

Subiaco's Ben Sokol, Zac Clarke, Kyal Horsley, Chris Phelan, Josh Deluca and Drew Rohde.

South Fremantle's Jacob Dragovich, Nick Suban, Ryan Cook, Chad Pearson, Blayne Wilson and Cory Dell'Olio.

Peel Thunder's Ben Howlett and Keegan Power.

Perth's Corey Yeo.

East Fremantle's George Hampson, Cameron Eardley, Dion Anthony and Chris Scott.