My mid-year All Australian team combines innovative goal kickers, hard-nut midfielders and elite defenders- who’ve all lifted their game to another level to earn them a coveted spot in the All Australian line up.
The back line boasts the re-emergence of Heath Shaw, whose form surely has him in the lead in Greater Western Sydney’s best and fairest count.
He’s ranked first in the league for total kicks, marks and rebound 50s per game, reinforcing the importance of his presence among a strong back line.
Robbie Tarrant is an unfamiliar face in the All Australian line up, as his career has been fairly quiet and average.
However, he’s lifted his impact in defence this year, creating run and causing turnovers because of his new-found motivation to apply frantic defence on his opponent.
Max Gawn solidifies the number one ruck spot, as his impact in the navy blue and red has played an essential role in Melbourne’s resurgence back up the ladder.
The 208cm monster ranks first in the league for total hitouts and has also contributed 12 goals for the season, making his presence felt all over the ground rather than solely in the ruck domains.
Dangerfield’s spot in the side is a no-brainer. From the word go, the elite midfielder has been playing his own game, initiating his new stripes with a 43 disposal Round 1 performance against Hawthorn.
However, this wasn’t your usual first-game fluke, as he has backed up his performance by continuing to utilise his brute strength at the contest. This has earned him a 48-disposal game against the Kangaroos- a career-best performance that has sky-rocketed him miles ahead of the other contenders in the Brownlow count.
He’s also in the running for goal of the year for his 50m boundary-line launch against the Dogs. Dangerfield’s answered most questions asked of him at the season’s commencement, but there’s just one remaining- can anyone stop him?
Adam Treloar will take a position on the wing, which benefits his hard running and innate thirst for winning the ball around the middle of the ground and through the corridor in particular.
The former Giant has been a revelation in the Collingwood line-up, despite a disappointing season for Bucks’ troops. The 23-year-old is averaging a whopping 30.8 disposals this year and looks set for a huge second half of the year.
The forward line hosts not one, but two elite half forwards that go by the name of Tom Lynch.
Adelaide’s Tom Lynch has been a promising forward throughout his career, who’s had star-studded games here and there (including a ten goal haul against the Giants in 2013) but has struggled with consistency.
2016 has seen the 25-year-old completely transform his attack on the game, playing as a high half forward who no longer supports the big forwards – but is one of them.
Gold Coast’s Tom Lynch is in line to be the next captain of the Suns, as his ability to lead not only vocally, but by example, has been second to none.
Lynch has devoted his heart and soul to his weekly games to ensure that his side provides a contest against some of the toughest sides in the competition.
The 199cm forward currently sits third in the Coleman medal, thanks to his consistent bags of goals that have solidified his status as one of the hottest prospects of the competition.
Move over Hayden Ballantyne – there’s a new pest in the AFL! Toby Greene has created havoc in the Giants’ forward line, not only with his 27 goals for the season, but his ability to tell his opponents all about it!
Greene’s cheeky style of play takes us all back to the traditional days of AFL football, where a game wasn’t complete without a few ‘cheap shots’ by the players.
An All-Australian team wouldn’t be complete without the presence of gun midfielder, Luke Parker. The 23-year-old hasn’t missed a beat all year, providing depth to the Swans midfield as well as manic pressure.
Parker averages 26.3 disposals this year, as well as 6.6 tackles and is the marquee man when it comes to Sydney’s sudden record-breaking tackling pressure on their opponents.
Dylan Shiel is a new face in the All Australian team, as he is having the season of his life this year. If any player deserves to play finals, it’s Shiel, as he’s worked immensely hard to make his impact felt all over the ground throughout his club’s development as one of the in-form teams of the competition.
The 23-year-old is having a career-best season, averaging 28 disposals per game, including a 35 disposal game in the Giants’ upset win over the Cats.
This diverse range of elite players look set to launch in the latter part of the year, as they’ve been nothing short of brilliant in the 2016 season’s first half of initiation.
With many teams pushing for consolidation, the competition’s star players will feel the heat and are tipped to deliver in an emphatic fashion.
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Does anyone have a tape measure?
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