All-Australian Squad Announced

[Joseph41]

See here for more.

Squad of 40

Rory Laird, Adelaide
Harris Andrews, Brisbane
Dayne Beams, Brisbane
Patrick Cripps, Carlton
Jordan de Goey, Collingwood
Brodie Grundy, Collingwood
Scott Pendlebury, Collingwood
Steele Sidebottom, Collingwood
Devon Smith, Essendon
Lachie Neale, Fremantle
Mark Blicavs, Geelong
Patrick Dangerfield, Geelong
Tom Hawkins, Geelong
Tom Stewart, Geelong
Callan Ward, GWS
Lachie Whitfield, GWS
Luke Breust, Hawthorn
Jack Gunston, Hawthorn
Tom Mitchell, Hawthorn
Max Gawn, Melbourne
Clayton Oliver, Melbourne
Ben Brown, North Melbourne
Shaun Higgins, North Melbourne
Robbie Gray, Port Adelaide
Tom Jonas, Port Adelaide
Josh Caddy, Richmond
Trent Cotchin, Richmond
Shane Edwards, Richmond
Dylan Grimes, Richmond
Kane Lambert, Richmond
Dustin Martin, Richmond
Alex Rance, Richmond
Jack Riewoldt, Richmond
Lance Franklin, Sydney
Jake Lloyd, Sydney
Andrew Gaff, West Coast
Shannon Hurn, West Coast
Jeremy McGovern, West Coast
Elliot Yeo, West Coast
Jack Macrae, Western Bulldogs

Who makes your team? Who was stiff to miss?

From a Melbourne perspective, I think they've got it pretty spot on. Gawn and Oliver have been immense all year, and should both make the final 22. You could make a case for T McDonald, Hogan and Jetta (in particular) making the squad, but I have no major qualms with any of them missing.

[S200]

I'm really hoping that Lloyd gets into the final 22. He has been a weapon for us all season.
I thought Parker might have got in, but nope...

[vox nihili]

Coniglio and Fyfe were bloody stiff to miss.


Cotchin was an interesting inclusion, although I think a lot of people forget how well he started the season.


Of our boys I think Martin, Riewoldt, Rance and Grimes will make it to the final 22. You could make an argument against Rance, who hasn't quite been up to his standard this year, but he's still a jet and anyone who says otherwise can fight me.

EDIT: Ablett deserved a gig in the squard too imo. He's had a fucking huge year despite all of the talk otherwise.

[Yertle the Turtle]

I feel like Hoskin-Elliot really missed out, he's been great up forward for us this year. Otherwise, pretty satisfied, though it's been a decent year for Cox as well.

[tomatosauce]

Callan Ward, Lachie Whitfield & Stephen Coniglio... they're set to win! But my opinion... sharing AFL with the rest of the world is not a good idea... it's our thing, why can't Australia have anything truly Aussie?

[Aaron]

*sigh* Tarrant misses out again. Pls

Higgins has had a fantastic year. Brown has dropped off last 6 or so rounds. If anybody deserves a place, it's Higgins.

I'd probably say Cunnington was a bit stiff not to get selected? Contested possession king maybe I exaggerated 'king' but still, he's good.

[Joseph41]

*sigh* Tarrant misses out again. Pls

Higgins has had a fantastic year. Brown has dropped off last 6 or so rounds. If anybody deserves a place, it's Higgins.

I'd probably say Cunnington was a bit stiff not to get selected? Contested possession king maybe I exaggerated 'king' but still, he's good.

Would say Stratton and Astbury are stiffer than Tarrant this year.

[zacci12]

Where's Short?!?!

I think Grimes is a bit of a surprise inclusion, but I love him, and hope he gets in, but how do you leave out the number one player for metres gained?

There seems to be quite a few defenders in general, also, do you guys think Grundy and Gawn will make it?

I think we'll see Riewoldt, Brown and Franklin in the same team, with Breust and possibly a Devon Smith and Robbie Gray or Edwards (Hawkins and Higgins are other options). They've generally loved playing Martin or someone similar forward, so that may happen again.

I think it will be hard to decide a midfield, but Macrae, Neale, Mitchell, Cripps and Oliver were possibly the best (don't kill me).

Defence wise, there will be some Eagles, Rance obvious full-back (or half-back for some reason), Hurley is stiff, so we will probably see McGovern. Tom Stewart probably deserves a spot, although you could argue a case for Jonas or Grimes. Hurn is the third tall, and then you have Whitfield off half-back (or on the wing), with Laird and Lloyd the others (Yeo also a possibility here).

Bench can go to Caddy, Beams, Dangerfield and Gunston (names I haven't mentioned already, also sorry Collingwood supporters).

Also, I think Tim Kelly had a chance, Fyfe stiff as well (he definitely would have won the Brownlow if fit and not suspended).

[Rod]

Quite pleased with four players in the top 40. Grundy will definitely make it as the ruck man, Sidebottom should make it in the midfield or bench at least. Not too sure if Pendlebury and De Goey will end up making it in, but they both deserve it. De Goey has kicked 36 goals in 17 games, and his impact on the game is so massive. A bull.

I feel like Hoskin-Elliot really missed out, he's been great up forward for us this year. Otherwise, pretty satisfied, though it's been a decent year for Cox as well.

He has been excellent for us but has dropped off heaps this last month. I have a feeling he is carrying an injury. If he had kept up his usual form he could have reached close to 50 goals, which is extraordinary given he is a small forward playing in a team with many other key forwards that are preferred over him when the ball goes inside 50.

[vox nihili]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dlw1M-qUcAAvmdv.jpg:large

Entire team is out!

What are your thoughts?

[Aaron]

Good choice for Higgins. Happy that he's been chosen.

I honestly don't think Gunston has been that great this year, Breust fair enough - not to mention the guy who has led the Coleman for majority of the season wasn't included. Interesting.

[Joseph41]

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/Dlw1M-qUcAAvmdv.jpg:large

Entire team is out!

What are your thoughts?

Edwards over Macrae is questionable. And Franklin is a very unusual choice for captain given you have Hurn just sitting there.

[vox nihili]

Edwards over Macrae is questionable. And Franklin is a very unusual choice for captain given you have Hurn just sitting there.

The Edwards discussion has been a really weird one. Didn't really know a lot about him until the last couple of years. A lot of people popped up mid season to say he was underrated, particularly in light of how well he does on stat aggregates like the AFL player ratings (where he's top 20). He's definitely on the borderline.

Dev Smith was stiff to miss I think. Buddy a weird choice for captain, Hurn being the right choice there or even Dangerfield or Riewoldt. Thought Blicavs was probably a bit stiff too. He stands up in big games and is an absolute workhorse. Heavily biased by the fact that I watch a lot of Geelong and Richmond.