Round 1 v Port Adelaide
Tom Hickey (14 votes in the Trevor Barker Award) – 56 hitouts (club record), 20 possessions (13 contested), 6 clearances and 4 rebound 50s
Jack Steven (13 votes) – 36 disposals, 8 inside 50s, 7 clearances, 5 tackles
Opposition Watch: Sam Gray and Robbie Gray got the job done around the ball, Jasper Pittard provided plenty of drive out of the back half, while Chad Wingard booted three goals.
Round 2 v Western Bulldogs
Leigh Montagna (9 votes) – 31 disposals at 81 per cent efficiency and 4 rebound 50s
Nick Riewoldt (7 votes) – 23 disposals, 14 marks and 2 goals
Opposition Watch: Lachie Hunter and Jack Macrae found plenty of leather on the outside, while Bob Murphy and Jason Johannisen provided plenty of run and carry off half-back.
Round 3 v Collingwood
Leigh Montagna (15 votes) – 40 disposals at 83 per cent efficiency, 14 marks and 7 inside 50s
Seb Ross (13 votes) – 31 disposals, 3 rebound 50s and 3 marks
Jack Steven (10 votes) – 30 disposals, 6 clearances, 6 tackles, 3 goals
Opposition Watch: Taylor Adams led the way for the Magpies with 28 disposals (15 contested), while Collingwood skipper Scott Pendlebury was also influential with 27 touches of his own.
Round 4 v Hawthorn
David Armitage (15 votes) – 35 possessions (12 contested), 6 tackles, 5 inside 50s and 4 clearances
Shane Savage (9 votes) – 30 possessions (11 contested), 6 marks and 3 rebound 50s
Opposition Watch: Sam Mitchell was a clear best on ground after collecting 44 disposals and 10 clearances. Jordan Lewis and Grant Birchall were also influential with 27 and 25 touches respectively.
Round 5 v Greater Western Sydney
Jack Steven (9 votes) – 30 possessions (12 contested), 7 tackles, 5 inside 50s and 5 clearances
Nick Riewoldt (9 votes) – 25 disposals, 11 marks, 4 clearances and 4 goals
Opposition Watch: With 31 disposals, 4.3 and five goal assists, All-Australian Toby Greene shone brightest in a superb performance. Stephen Coniglio and Heath Shaw were also prolific for the Giants.
Round 6 v Melbourne
Nick Riewoldt (16 votes) – 24 disposals, 14 marks, 7 inside 50s and 3 goals
Blake Acres (14 votes) – 28 disposals, 7 marks, 5 tackles and 2 goals
Tim Membrey (13 votes) – 16 disposals, 8 marks (4 inside 50) and 5 goals
Opposition Watch: While Membrey dominated upon return, Melbourne power forward Jesse Hogan wreaked havoc at the other end of the ground booting seven goals.
Round 7 v North Melbourne
Nick Riewoldt (15 votes) – 24 disposals, 16 marks, 5 inside 50s and 3 goals
Sam Gilbert (14 votes) – 24 disposals, 7 marks, 7 inside 50s, 6 rebound 50s and 5 tackles
Leigh Montagna (10 votes) – 34 disposals (10 contested), 6 marks and 4 rebound 50s
Opposition Watch: Kangaroos midfielders Jack Ziebell and Ben Cunnington starred in North’s narrow win.
Round 8 v West Coast
Seb Ross (9 votes) – 31 possessions (10 contested), 8 tackles, 5 inside 50s and 4 clearances
Sean Dempster (9 votes) – 17 possessions (8 contested), 8 spoils and 4 marks
Opposition Watch: On a night to forget for the Saints, Luke Shuey and Andrew Gaff were prolific for the Eagles, while Mark LeCras booted six and Josh Kennedy finished with five.
Round 9 v Essendon
Jack Steven (15 votes) – 40 possessions (16 contested), 10 clearances, 9 inside 50s and 9 tackles
Seb Ross (15 votes) – 37 possessions (16 contested), 11 marks, 8 clearances and 6 inside 50s
Josh Bruce (9 votes) – 16 possessions, 6 tackles, 5 marks (3 inside 50) and 5 goals
Opposition Watch: James Kelly, David Zaharakis and Zach Merrett were all prolific for the Bombers, while Matt Dea hauled in 15 marks playing behind the ball.
Round 10 v Fremantle
David Armitage (15 votes) – 28 possessions (14 contested), 17 tackles (club record) and 7 clearances
Jack Steven (12 votes) – 32 possessions (14 contested), 9 tackles, 6 clearances and 5 inside 50s
Dylan Roberton (14 votes) – 29 possessions (10 contested), 11 rebound 50s and 6 marks
Opposition Watch: Ball magnet Lachie Neale continued his stellar start to the season with another 30 possessions haul.
Round 11 v Adelaide
Jarryn Geary (15 votes) – Held All Australian Eddie Betts to just 1 goal and 11 disposals
Opposition Watch: Josh Jenkins booted seven goals to dominate the Saints, while Matt Crouch and Rory Sloane were both dominant around the ball with 36 and 32 touches respectively.
Round 12 v Carlton
Jack Steven (15 votes) – 25 disposals, 10 inside 50s, 9 tackles and 3 goals
Tom Hickey (12 votes) – 32 hitouts, 16 disposals (12 contested), 7 clearances and 4 tackles
Tim Membrey (12 votes) – 17 disposals, 10 marks (5 inside 50) and 5 goals
Opposition Watch: Expect the Saints to be lining up for votes here, but if a Blue was to feature, Kade Simpson was the pick of the bunch.
Round 14 v Geelong
Seb Ross (15 votes) – 33 possessions (12 contested), 5 clearances and 5 inside 50s
Maverick Weller (15 votes) – 19 disposals at 90 per cent efficiency, 6 tackles and 4 inside 50s
Jack Steven (13 votes) – 25 disposals, 7 inside 50s and 4 clearances
Opposition Watch: Patrick Dangerfield went head-to-head with Ross and got beaten despite having 29 touches, while Joel Selwood was damaging with 29 possessions.
Round 15 v Gold Coast
Jarryn Geary (9 votes) – 17 disposals at 82 per cent efficiency, 5 rebound 50s and 5 spoils
Opposition Watch: Michael Rischitelli was on fire in Queensland, Nick Malceski was at his classy best, while Tom Lynch hauled in 14 marks in attack.
Round 16 v Essendon
Jack Steven (16 votes) – 41 possessions (22 contested), 12 clearances, 12 tackles and 9 inside 50s
Tim Membrey (10 votes) – 11 disposals, 4 marks (3 inside 50), 5 goals and 2 goal assists
Jack Newnes (8 votes) – 27 disposals (11 contested), 7 inside 50s and 5 clearances
Opposition Watch: Crichton medallist Zach Merrett was at his very best, amassing 36 possessions and seven clearances.
Round 17 v Melbourne
Tom Hickey (15 votes) – 27 hitouts, 21 disposals and beat All Australian Max Gawn
Tim Membrey (14 votes) – 16 possessions, 10 marks (6 inside 50) and 4 goals
Jarryn Geary (12 votes) – 15 disposals and beat Jeff Garlett
Opposition Watch: Bernie Vince and Jack Viney won a mountain of ball, finishing with 34 and 33 possessions respectively.
Round 18 v Western Bulldogs
Jack Steven (14 votes) – 39 possessions (14 contested), 7 tackles and 6 clearances
Maverick Weller (11 votes) – 22 possessions (13 contested), 8 marks, 5 inside 50s and 3 tackles
Opposition Watch: On a night of carnage for the Dogs, Marcus Bontempelli played a telling role with 25 touches and three goals, while Lachie Hunter found plenty of the ball.
Round 19 v North Melbourne
Blake Acres (9 votes) – 22 possessions (10 contested), 4 tackles and 4 inside 50s
Opposition Watch: Ben Cunnington was the best midfielder on the ground on a night where Brent Harvey broke the games record. Jamie Macmillan starred across half-back, while Sam Gibson was prolific on a wing.
Round 20 v Carlton
Jack Newnes (14 votes) – 32 disposals, 9 marks, 5 inside 50s and 2 goal assists
Jade Gresham (11 votes) – 25 disposals (13 contested), 8 clearances (4 centre square) and 5 inside 50s
Nick Riewoldt (11 votes) – 21 disposals, 16 marks, 6 inside 50s and 2 goal assists
Opposition Watch: For the second time this season, Kade Simpson was the Blues’ best against the Saints, this time collecting 39 disposals in a classy performance by the veteran.
Round 21 v Sydney
Blake Acres (9 votes) – 23 possessions (10 contested). 5 rebound 50s, 5 tackles, 4 inside 50s and 4 goal assists
Opposition Watch: Lance Franklin torched the Saints, booting six goals from 28 possessions, while Dan Hannebery, Josh Kennedy and Luke Parker dominated in the midfield.
Round 22 v Richmond
Seb Ross (12 votes) – 34 possessions (11 contested), 6 inside 50s, 6 clearances and 6 tackles
Nick Riewoldt (10 votes) – 21 possessions, 10 marks (3 inside 50) and 6 inside 50s
Opposition Watch: In an ugly affair at the home of football, Dustin Martin and Trent Cotchin found plenty of the ball, but neither were all that damaging. Bachar Houli was creative off half-back.
Round 23 v Brisbane
Nick Riewoldt (20 votes) – 26 possessions, 21 marks (12 inside 50), 15 score involvements and 9 goals
David Armitage (13 votes) – 30 possessions (15 contested), 10 marks, 8 clearances and 5 rebound 50s
Jack Steven (12 votes) – 31 possessions (15 contested), 9 clearances and 4 inside 50s
Opposition Watch: Tom Rockliff found the ball 37 times, but it was the Nick Riewoldt show in the final game of 2016.
