Swan on the rise, reigning champ back to his best: 2022 AFL MVP

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.

Round 9 provided some absolute thrashings with plenty of high scoring games and a few close calls in what was an exciting round of football.

A couple of newer names are thrown into the mix this week, with Adam Treloar stepping up for the Doggies, Tom Lynch kicking bags for the Tigers and Touk Miller putting in a shift for a Suns upset.

2021 Zero Hanger MVP champion Ollie Wines was back to his best on Saturday, recording perfect votes in the win over North Melbourne.

Collingwood vs Western Bulldogs

	Mitch Keating	Ed Carmine	Jack Fitzpatrick	Nick Splitter
5	Adam Treloar	Adam Treloar	Adam Treloar	Adam Treloar
4	Bailey Smith	Bailey Smith	Bailey Smith	Bailey Smith
3	Tom Liberatore	Tom Liberatore	Josh Dunkley	Bailey Dale
2	Jack Crisp	Jack Macrae	Bailey Dale	Jack Crisp
1	Josh Dunkley	Josh Dunkley	Jack Crisp	Jeremy Howe

The Dogs proved too much for the lacklustre Pies, who fell almost 50 points short at the final siren. The Dogs' ball winners completely took over, with Adam Treloar running the show. The midfielder kicked three goals and had a solid 35 disposals, while Bailey Smith did his own thing with a modest 41 disposals of his own. 37 for Jack Macrae and 35 for Caleb Daniel was enough to see the Dogs cruise past Collingwood.

Hawthorn vs Richmond

	Mitch Keating	Ed Carmine	Jack Fitzpatrick	Nick Splitter
5	Shai Bolton	Toby Nankervis	Toby Nankervis	Toby Nankervis
4	Toby Nankervis	Shai Bolton	Shai Bolton	Shai Bolton
3	James Sicily	Dion Prestia	James Sicily	Dustin Martin
2	Dion Prestia	Dustin Martin	Tom Lynch	James Sicily
1	Dustin Martin	Liam Baker	Dion Prestia	Nick Vlastuin

Both sides put up a massive fight in what was an entertaining contest, but the Tigers proved a bit too much for the Hawks on the day. Tom Lynch was at his best for Richmond, kicking a bag of four with a solid 16 disposals. Dion Prestia also put in a shift with a game-high 28 disposals. Mitch Lewis was impressive for the Hawks kicking three majors, while Jarman Impey chipped in with 25 disposals of his own.

North Melbourne vs Port Adelaide

	Mitch Keating	Ed Carmine	Jack Fitzpatrick	Nick Splitter
5	Ollie Wines	Ollie Wines	Ollie Wines	Ollie Wines
4	Sam Powell-Pepper	Connor Rozee	Connor Rozee	Todd Marshall
3	Connor Rozee	Sam Powell-Pepper	Sam Powell-Pepper	Sam Powell-Pepper
2	Luke Davies-Uniacke	Luke Davies-Uniacke	Ryan Burton	Ryan Burton
1	Zak Butters	Zak Butters	Luke Davies-Uniacke	Darcy Byrne-Jones

Port blew the Roos completely out of the water on Saturday, with the 69-point win piling the pressure on the Roos to step up. Ollie Wines completely outclassed the Roos with 32 disposals and two goals, while Todd Marshall and Mitch Georgiades were influential up front with three goals each. Cameron Zurhar put in a shift for North with three goals and 17 disposals for the forward.

St Kilda vs Geelong

	Mitch Keating	Ed Carmine	Jack Fitzpatrick	Nick Splitter
5	Brad Crouch	Brad Crouch	Paddy Ryder	Jack Sinclair
4	Paddy Ryder	Paddy Ryder	Brad Crouch	Paddy Ryder
3	Jack Sinclair	Jack Sinclair	Jack Sinclair	Brad Crouch
2	Zach Tuohy	Jade Gresham	Zach Tuohy	Zach Tuohy
1	Jade Gresham	Zach Tuohy	Tom Hawkins	Callum Wilkie

The Saints got up in a narrow 10-point victory over the Cats, with both teams putting up a big fight and playing some great footy. Brad Crouch was a class above for the Saints with 36 disposals. Jack Sinclair and Jade Gresham also put in solid performances with 31 and 30 disposals respectively. Paddy Ryder chipped in with a solid three goals and 22 hit-outs. Tom Hawkins stood out for the Cats with four goals while Tom Stewart put in a shift with 27 disposals.

Sydney vs Essendon

	Mitch Keating	Ed Carmine	Jack Fitzpatrick	Nick Splitter
5	Callum Mills	Callum Mills	Callum Mills	Callum Mills
4	Chad Warner	Chad Warner	Errol Gulden	Errol Gulden
3	Tom Papley	Errol Gulden	Tom Papley	Chad Warner
2	Errol Gulden	Tom Papley	Chad Warner	Nick Blakey
1	Jake Lloyd	Luke Parker	Sam Wicks	Tom Papley

Sydney were in complete control against Essendon, with the Swans getting up by 58 points. Chad Warner stood out for the Swans with 32 disposals and seven marks, while Tom Papley was lively with two goals and 21 disposals. Lance Franklin also put in a shift with two goals of his own, however it was Callum Mills that was all class for the Bloods.

Adelaide vs Brisbane

	Mitch Keating	Ed Carmine	Jack Fitzpatrick	Nick Splitter
5	Dayne Zorko	Dayne Zorko	Lachie Neale	Zac Bailey
4	Lachie Neale	Lachie Neale	Dayne Zorko	Oscar McInerney
3	Zac Bailey	Oscar McInerney	Zac Bailey	Dayne Zorko
2	Oscar McInerney	Zac Bailey	Rory Laird	Lachie Neale
1	Rory Laird	Rory Laird	Oscar McInerney	Jackson Hately

The Lions were at their usual best against the struggling Crows, cruising to victory in a 36-point win. Lachie Neale was his usual self, putting up an impressive 36 disposals and a goal, while Charlie Cameron lit up the forward line with four goals. Zac Bailey was also impressive with three goals and 19 disposals. Rory Laird was lively for the Crows with 33 disposals, while Shane McAdam chipped in with three goals.

Gold Coast vs Fremantle

	Mitch Keating	Ed Carmine	Jack Fitzpatrick	Nick Splitter
5	Touk Miller	Touk Miller	Noah Anderson	Touk Miller
4	Jarrod Witts	Jarrod Witts	Touk Miller	Jarrod Witts
3	Mabior Chol	Mabior Chol	Mabior Chol	Will Brodie
2	Griffin Logue	Caleb Serong	Caleb Serong	Griffin Logue
1	Noah Anderson	Noah Anderson	Griffin Logue	Mabior Chol

The Suns provided the major upset for the week as they knocked off an in-form Freo by a convincing 36 points. Touk Miller ran the show for the suns with 34 disposals, while Mabior Chol had an impressive performance of his own with four goals and 10 disposals. Noah Anderson was also lively with 26 disposals and a goal of his own. Griffin Logue was impressive for the losing side with a solid 29 disposals.

GWS vs Carlton

	Mitch Keating	Ed Carmine	Jack Fitzpatrick	Nick Splitter
5	Sam Walsh	Sam Walsh	Sam Walsh	Sam Walsh
4	Jack Silvagni	Jack Silvagni	Josh Kelly	George Hewett
3	Jacob Weitering	Matthew Kennedy	Braydon Preuss	Jacob Weitering
2	Zac Fisher	Braydon Preuss	Jack Silvagni	Josh Kelly
1	Sam Docherty	Sam Docherty	Sam Docherty	Jack Silvagni

The Blues heaped a lot more pressure onto the struggling Giants in a convincing 30-point victory. Sam Walsh was influential, kicking two majors while managing 31 disposals. George Hewett was impressive with 30 disposals, while Sam Docherty played well with 28 disposals and a goal. Josh Kelly put in a shift for the losing team with 36 disposals and a goal, while Harry Himmelberg and Jake Riccardi chipped in with two goals each.

West Coast vs Melbourne

	Mitch Keating	Ed Carmine	Jack Fitzpatrick	Nick Splitter
5	Christian Petracca	Christian Petracca	Christian Petracca	Christian Petracca
4	Kysaiah Pickett	Jack Viney	Kysaiah Pickett	James Jordon
3	Jack Viney	Kysaiah Pickett	Jack Viney	Jack Viney
2	James Jordon	Clayton Oliver	Clayton Oliver	Kysaiah Pickett
1	Clayton Oliver	James Jordon	James Jordon	Luke Jackson

There are absolutely no signs of slowing down for the rampaging Demons, who showed no mercy in their 74-point win over the Eagles. Tom McDonald was prolific with a bag of four goals and 14 disposals, while Clayton Oliver had a 'quiet' night with 29 disposals of his own. Christian Petracca took over with two goals and 28 disposals, while Tim Kelly looked fiery for the struggling Eagles with 32 disposals.