A CRUCIAL Sydney victory over Collingwood rocketed the Swans back into finals contention, and both co-captains make afl.com.au's Team of the Week for round nine.

Both Chloe Molloy and Lucy McEvoy were simply outstanding at either end of the field for the Swans, leading their younger charges to an outstanding win.

The team is selected to mirror the All-Australian side: five defenders, six midfielders (including a ruck), five forwards and five interchange players, trying to get as even a spread of playing positions on the bench as possible.

DEFENDERS

Lucy McEvoy (Sydney), Chelsea Biddell (Adelaide), Lauren Ahrens (Gold Coast), Gabby Newton (Western Bulldogs), Beth Lynch (Richmond)

The cool head of McEvoy (22 disposals, eight intercepts) held firm as the Swans scored a crucial win over Collingwood, with Biddell (17, eight intercepts, five marks) starring once again. 

Lynch (20 and 16 intercepts) played her best game under a weight of inside 50 entries, Newton (21 and 12) was key in the Dogs' breakthrough win and Ahrens (16 and 10) held the fort for the Suns.

MIDFIELDERS

Sabrina Frederick (Collingwood, ruck), Ellie Blackburn (Western Bulldogs), Laura Gardiner (Sydney), Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne), Ebony Marinoff (Adelaide), Claudia Whitfort (Gold Coast) 

Frederick's stunning late-season form continued with 39 hitouts, 12 disposals and two goals.

Garner (27, seven clearances, two goals) and Marinoff (29, three clearances, nine tackles) went head to head in an intriguing battle.

Another Swan in Gardiner (30, 10 clearances, 10 tackles) also made the cut, along with another vastly improved player in Whitfort (34 and nine clearances).

FORWARDS

Sophie Alexander (Essendon), Greta Bodey (Hawthorn), Chloe Molloy (Sydney), Jesse Wardlaw (St Kilda), Eden Zanker (Melbourne)

Alexander turned in a match-winning three-goal performance in her 50th game, while Bodey starred with four against Port Adelaide.

Molloy (18 and three goals) was outstanding against her former side, as was Wardlaw (14, five marks, two goals), while Zanker (13, 2.2) hit the lead in the goalkicking charts.

INTERCHANGE

Nat Grider (Brisbane), Megan Kauffman (Fremantle), Paxy Paxman (Melbourne), Georgie Prespakis (Geelong), Maddy Prespakis (Essendon)

Kauffman bobbed up to boot a career-high three goals in tricky conditions at Casey Fields, while Grider locks down the last defensive spot with 15 disposals, nine intercepts and seven tackles.

In the midfield bench spots, it's a Prespakis double – Georgie with 27, nine clearances and a goal against Richmond, and Maddy with 28, seven and six score involvements against Carlton – with Paxman (27, five tackles and a goal) producing another polished performance.