In again: Nat Fyfe leads the competition for contested possessions. Credit:Getty Images He's one of no fewer than 10 players in this team who, were they to hold their current form until the end of the season, could end up All-Australians for the first time. The spread of talent on a club-by-club basis in my 22 reflects what, Fremantle and Sydney aside, has been a very even and unpredictable season. Hawthorn are a good example. No one seriously expects the Hawks to finish anywhere but the top four come the pointy end of this season, but their 6-4 record is mirrored on an individual level by the presence of just one Hawk, Sam Mitchell, in my team. Sydney and West Coast have the most representatives, but that's still just three apiece. Four clubs have a couple, and another eight have one player. Four clubs – the disappointing Port Adelaide, Brisbane, Carlton and Gold Coast – don't have any.

Perhaps the biggest eyebrow-raisers in my team are in the back line. There are three would-be new All-Australians in key defenders Tom McDonald and Michael Hurley and Richmond's Bachar Houli. McDonald came of age last year, but he's gone to another level in 2015, already an obvious candidate for captaincy down the track. He had some trouble with Travis Cloke the other week, but is hardly the first key defender to suffer that fate. He's racked up impressive disposal statistics, and while a good negator, No.1 in the competition for spoils, is also ranked second for rebound-50s. That's a handy combination. My other key defender is Essendon's Michael Hurley, who has consistently held up under often fierce bombardment. It's no wonder the Dons have agonised over the Jake Carlisle-Hurley back-forward dilemma, as in the form he's been in, shifting Hurley forward would be robbing Peter to pay several Pauls.

Houli, meanwhile, has been a pillar of Richmond's recent resurgence, but was holding his own even before that, currently ranked third in the AFL for rebounds. My other small defender might surprise, but Western Bulldog Matthew Boyd has earned his spot, having made a wonderful transition from seasoned midfielder to effective backman. The 32-year-old stands first for disposals among backmen, averaging 27.2 per game, is third for intercept marks and fourth for intercept possessions. His experience in the defensive 50, it goes without saying, has also been a massive bonus for the Bulldogs this year. As usual, there's a long roll call of worthy midfield candidates for this team. Fyfe, obviously, was the first picked, but there are several others who simply had to be in this 22. One of the most obvious is West Coast Brownlow medallist Matt Priddis, who hasn't just matched his form of last season, but improved on it. Priddis in 2015 is averaging more disposals, more contested ball and more clearances than last year, but even more significantly, has doubled his scoreboard impact, which measures points a player kicks and score assists.

Two mids enjoying clear breakout seasons, meanwhile, are StKilda's David Armitage, whose teammate Jack Steven was probably the most unlucky omission from my 22, and Greater Western Sydney's Dylan Shiel. Armitage is third in the AFL for disposals with 30.8 per game, close to a 30 per cent spike on his previous career best of 22. The Saints were patient with this bloke, now in his ninth season, but they're reaping the rewards of that wait. Shiel is perhaps the best individual example of the Giants' coming of age. He's been strong all season, averaging 29 disposals per game and high scoreboard impact. West Coast's Andrew Gaff, meanwhile, has built again on a good 2014, when he finished fourth in the Eagles' best and fairest. He also averages 29 touches a game, the value of his outside run reflected in his ranking of second for uncontested ball. Perhaps the best indicator of his season, though, is in the nod he's been given by no less an authority than the AFL coaches, Gaff currently eighth in their award. Forwards? I thought the two keys picked themselves, Josh Kennedy a mile ahead in the Coleman Medal, and Franklin a perfect fit for centre half-forward, Jeremy Cameron also perfect for a third tall role.

In terms of balance, they're complemented beautifully by Eddie Betts, an obvious choice as small forward with 32 goals already this season, and Collingwood's Jamie Elliott, terrific in the air for his size but just as sharp at ground level. Little wonder he's fast become a Magpie favourite. And let's finish by going back to the half-back line for this team's good news story. Geelong veteran Corey Enright plays his 300th game this week. But far from limping to the milestone, Enright, already a five-time All-Australian, is playing some of the best football of his career. Enright turns 34 this September, but his superb reading of the play hasn't waned at all, shown in his ranking of equal third for intercept marks. If the Cats are to make the finals for a ninth year in a row, "Boris" will again have had plenty to do with it. And in a year when teams and players alike have been up and down, it's good to know that some things haven't changed.

KEY d = disposals

ip = intercept possessions

im = intercept marks

r50 = rebound 50s

cp = contested possessions

c = clearances

si = scoreboard impact

m = marks

t = tackles

g = goals

ho = hitouts