Alan Didak of Collingwood fends of Robert Murphy of the Western Bulldogs during the AFL Round 22 match between the Collingwood Magpies and the Western Bulldogs at the Docklands Stadium. Slattery Images
Earlier this week, the AFL announced a 40-man squad from which the 2009 All-Australian team will be chosen. Typically, there were a few selections which raised eyebrows and attracted scrutiny, but essentially the main talking point is who will make the cut for the final 22?
The All-Australian selectors will officially name that team of 22 on Monday September 14.
The initial 40-man squad comprises of 12 forwards, 12 defenders and 16 midfielders/ruckmen and that list will be cut down to 22, with six players selected from each position plus an assortment of those remaining for the interchange bench.
Superstars of the 2009 season like Gary Ablett, Leigh Montagna, Dane Swan, Nick Riewoldt, Jonathon Brown and Matthew Scarlett will all inevitably get a guernsey, but it’s the fringes which always divides opinion.
Indeed, declaring which players are in the frame for selection two weeks prior to the official announcement ensures the final side will receive plenty of scrutiny.
Nevertheless, the 40-man squad is a good initiative by the AFL to acknowledge some of 2009’s best players who probably aren’t good enough for the 22.
The likes of Simon Prestigiacomo, Bernie Vince, Brad Sewell, Marc Murphy and Stephen Milne are probably a few who fall into this category.
But with the All-Australian team there are always talking points.
Already this week Herald Sun footy journalist Mike Sheahan voiced his opinion on one, when he wrote about Collingwood’s Dane Swan being curiously selected in the side as a forward.
Indeed, not picking the league’s highest disposal winner and the current Brownlow Medal second-favourite in his favoured position seems absurd, especially when you consider Swan’s Pies teammate Alan Didak was named in midfield despite enjoying a fair bit of time in the forward line.
It’s decisions like these which leave the public wondering what the All-Australian panel where drinking on selection night.
There are also some odd inclusions in the actual 40-man squad with Geelong forward Steve Johnson the strangest selection, having missed over a quarter of the regular season.
And towards the end of the season, when Johnson finally did get on the park, he had a couple of injury-affected matches with his hip complaint a clear hindrance.
So despite Johnson’s obvious brilliance when fit, it’s hard to make a case for him in 2009 ahead of excluded players like Bulldogs pair Brad Johnson and Jason Akermanis or even Sydney’s Ryan O’Keefe.
Also there were some players who had injury interrupted seasons included in the squad such as Paul Chapman, Dustin Fletcher and Collingwood’s Didak.
That’s not to say these players aren’t outstanding and haven’t been influential in 2009 but when you consider those who played full seasons yet were excluded, such as the aforementioned forward trio or West Coast’s Shannon Hurn, Sydney’s Darren Jolly, Brisbane’s Simon Black and Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell, it becomes difficult and rather subjective.
Indeed, different viewpoints are what the All-Australian selection debate is essentially all about.
We’ve all got our own individual opinions on who is the best, so it’s a discussion which inevitably finds no satisfied conclusion amongst us all.
But there are some key rules which make selecting the team more than just picking the best 22 AFL players in 2009.
The AFL’s All-Australian selection format, which divides the players into positions is good, but there’s more strict criteria such as key forwards, small forwards, midfield ball-winners, outside players, taggers, around-the-ground ruckmen, dashing defenders and backline negators.
Selecting taggers isn’t in vogue at the moment, but small forwards such as Mark LeCras are underestimated parts of any team, while negators such as Simon Prestigiacomo and Craig Bolton have a critical role to play as well and shouldn’t be overlooked.
On that point, in selecting an All-Australian defence, I’ve always believed the best way to do so is by comparing it to the forward line.
Indeed, a backline of dashing defenders may struggle against the likes of Fevola, Riewoldt and Brown.
So the fundamental point is the All-Australian team should be balanced by the best players in certain roles, not just the best 22 players in 2009.
Nevertheless, picking the best players for those positions in any season is always subjective and we’ve all got our own opinions.
Which raises the question, what’s your 2009 All-Australian team?
SQUAD:
Defenders: Corey Enright, Andrew Mackie, Matthew Scarlett (Geelong), Sam Gilbert, Brendon Goddard (St Kilda), Ryan Hargrave, Brian Lake (Western Bulldogs), Nick Maxwell, Simon Prestigiacomo (Collingwood), Craig Bolton (Sydney), Dustin Fletcher (Essendon), Simon Goodwin (Adelaide).
Midfielders/ruckmen: Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel, Joel Selwood (Geelong), Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes, Leigh Montagna (St Kilda), Alan Didak, Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood), Chris Judd, Marc Murphy (Carlton), Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs), Bernie Vince (Adelaide), Mitch Clark (Brisbane), Hamish McIntosh (North Melbourne), Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle), Brad Sewell (Hawthorn).
Forwards: Paul Chapman, Steve Johnson (Geelong), Nick Riewoldt, Stephen Milne (St Kilda), Leon Davis, Dane Swan (Collingwood), Jonathan Brown (Brisbane), Jason Porplyzia (Adelaide), Brendon Fevola (Carlton), Adam Goodes (Sydney), Lance Franklin (Hawthorn), Mark LeCras (West Coast).
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