When only the best win a place
IT’S never an easy task to pick an All-Australian team.
I don’t envy the selectors this year with such a strong squad to choose from.
Do you play Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy? Or do you play one, even though they are both inside the top 10 players in the competition?
Do you go with Lance Franklin or Tom Hawkins? Ben Brown or Jack Riewoldt?
How can you sneak Tom Stewart and Mark Blicavs into a side when guys like Shannon Hurn, Alex Rance and Jeremy McGovern have had standout seasons.
And don’t even get me started on that midfield.
This is my starting 18.
He captains my team. West Coast finished second with huge injuries and he has been a great skipper for a long time.
Robbie Tarrant is unlucky. I don’t think Rance has had as great a year as he had previously. But when you’re No.1 someone has to knock you off the spot and I don’t think anyone has knocked him off that spot.
Yeo is just a star. You could find a spot for him anywhere on the ground, to be honest. He is one of the best utilities in the game.
He is probably the best ball user coming off the half-back line and when you’re talking about that as an important part of the game then he is the man. Laird also wins a lot of the footy.
McGovern is a marking machine. He controls the air better than anyone for a big man.
I picked Lachie as an AllAustralian when the decision was made that he would be going back. I watched him in that role all year and I think he has been outstanding.
He is a genuine winger. Gaff has averaged more than 30 touches a game this season and has had 74 inside-50s.
Cripps has been huge. I think this is a position he could own for the next for or five years. Even though his side finished bottom, he deserves his spot in the team more than anyone.
Sidebottom is an absolute star. He has been racking it up and he just doesn’t miss targets. He uses it so well.
One part of what could be the best half-forward line of all time. Martin is No.1 for score involvements and can be a great rotation option on the ball. This has been Hawkins’s most consistent year. He is third in the league for score involvements and second for inside-50 marks.
Another outstanding season for Patty. Dangerous up forward and obviously a beast in the middle. Breust is the best small forward in the competition this year. The Coleman medallist should always be your key forward. More importantly, he ranks fifth for inside-50 tackles. He has become the ultimate team player.
One of the main reasons why Hawthorn finished top four. He has been absolutely outstanding. The first man in the AFL to have 1000 hitouts. That scores him the starting position on the ground. He has been phenomenal this season.
An inside beast. A contested ball winner. He will bring you clearances, too.
Another sensational clearance player and a contested ball winner. Can own this spot for the next few years.