Scott Pendlebury of the Magpies plays on to advantage and kicks a goal only to be call back by Umpire Shaun Ryan during the AFL Round 08 match between the Geelong Cats and the Collingwood Magpies at the MCG, Melbourne. Slattery Images
With only a few weeks to go before the AFL finals series commences, I have assembled what the All-Australian should look like.
2011 All-Australian team:
Full back:
Dales Morris: Has been one of the shining lights for the Western Bulldogs this year; if it weren’t for him in many cases they would’ve suffered more defeats.
Matthew Scarlett: Key forwards he has played on haven’t bothered the scorekeeper greatly this year as well as being ranked highly in disposal efficiency.
Heath Shaw: Has been instrumental for the Pies this year from the back line. It is a great sight seeing Shaw take a few bounces down the wing and deliver it nicely to the big forwards.
Half back:
Jimmy Bartel: A marketing and tackling machine who continues to fly under the radar by continually beats his opponent.
Ben Reid: Effective key back who can stop the key forwards; season highlights include 21 disposals and 10 marks against St Kilda on the weekend and 31 disposals with 11 marks and a goal vs Hawthorn.
James Kelly: Has stepped it up a gear this year; Kelly has been excellent in applying fierce pressure inside 50. Kelly is ranked third in tackles per game and is averaging 24 disposals. Against highly ranked clubs, Kelly has produced quality. Against Collingwood he racked up 22 touches, seven tackles and a goal; 11 tackles and 24 disposals vs Hawthorn; and 24 possessions, 14 tackles and a goal when Geelong played West Coast in Perth.
Centres:
Matthew Boyd: Gaining more than 30 possessions per game, 5.3 tackles and second in total inside 50s; also, never stops running for his team.
Sam Mitchell: Has dominated this year with contest possessions – a blonde Diesel Williams?
Marc Murphy: One of the main challengers against Judd for Charlie.
Half forwards:
Dale Thomas: Averaging 25.2 touches per week; applying fantastic tackling pressure and slotting through the goals.
Lance Franklin: Ranked first in goals per game.
Joel Selwood: started the year off slow but has picked up and as we all know, he is one of the toughest players who puts his head over the ball at all times.
Full forwards:
Andrew Walker: Versatile player who will win mark of the year; best season from him – winning the ball, kicking goals and making tackles.
Travis Cloke: Not only has he been in good kicking form, Cloke has stepped up his ability to apply pressure inside 50.
Garry Ablett Jnr: Will be up there in the Charlie stakes.
Followers:
Dean Cox: Best in the business and Leigh Matthews has stated possibly the best ruckman ever.
Chris Judd: About to become a triple Brownlow medallist.
Scott Pendlebury: Norm Smith medallist who has continued his scintillating form this year. Ranked seventh in disposals per game and in tackles, in addition to being positioned 12th in goal assist per game.
Interchange: Adam Goodes, Drew Petrie, Jordan Lewis, Dane Swan.
Coach: John Worsfold.
Do you agree or disagree?
Brad Nied
Guest
maybe james kelly or sam fisher?
Brad Nied
Guest
All Australian Team 2011 Full Backs: Leon Davis (Collingwood) Josh Gibson (Hawthorn) Brett Deledio (Richmond) Half Backs: Heath Scotland (Carlton) Ben Reid (Collingwood) Centre: Marc Murphy (Carlton) Gary Ablett(VC) (Gold Coast) Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn) Half Forwards: Adam Goodes (Sydney) Lance Franklin (Hawthorn) Nathan Fyfe (Fremantle) Full Forwards: Steve Johnson (Geelong) Travis Cloke (Collingwood) Stephen Milne (St Kilda) Followers: Dean Cox (West Coast) Chris Judd(C) (Carlton) Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood) Interchange: Dane Swan (Collingwood) Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs) Scott Thompson (Adelaide) Todd Goldstein (North Melbourne) Coach: Mick Malthouse (Collingwood) still not sure about other half back flank position, any help?
Brad Nied
Guest
i've changed it, i put goddard half back instead of fisher, and then i put goldstein on the bench instead of priddis, what you think?
Graeme R
Guest
I'd almost pick the same team, Gibson, Fyfe, Priddis, Deledio, Scotland, have had great seasons, Leon Davis has been great this year and Steve Johnson has to be picked, he is one of the best players I've ever seen, I'd like to see Simon Black get a jumper though, as he has been great for the Lions in a bad year for them.
Brad Nied
Guest
this will be the team of the year, some of yous have made stupid decisions... Full Backs: L.Davis (Collingwood) J.Gibson (Hawthorn) B.Deledio (Richmond) Half Backs: H.Scotland (Carlton) B.Reid (Collingwood) S.Fisher (St Kilda) Centre: M.Murphy (Carlton) G.Ablett(VC) (Gold Coast) S.Mitchell (Hawthorn) Half Forwards: A.Goodes (Sydney) L.Franklin (Hawthorn) M.Pavlich (Fremantle) Full Forwards: S.Johnson (Geelong) T.Cloke (Collingwood) N.Fyfe (Fremantle) Followers: D.Cox (West Coast) C.Judd(C) (Carlton) S.Pendlebury (Collingwood) Interchange: N.Dal Santo (St Kilda) D.Swan (Collingwood) M.Boyd (Western Bulldogs) M.Priddis(Sub) (West Coast) Coach: Mick Malthouse (Collingwood)
Mick
Guest
ummm only 1 non victorian club player in cox. What a joke. Glass should be full back and im victorian
Bruce
Guest
How way off exactly?
Alfred Chan
Expert
My take on it: M. Scarlett J. Gibson L. Davis B. Deledio B. Reid S. Fisher D. Swan C. Judd S. Mitchell A. Walker L. Franklin T. Cloke S. Johnson D. Petrie E. Betts D. Cox S. Pendlebury G. Ablett M. Murphy T. Goldstein N. Dal Santo H. Scotland
amazonfan
Roar Guru
You're asking swannie why he's trolling? This guy lives to troll AFL sites, as well as to continue the ridiculous code wars.
Redb
Roar Guru
The Irish wouldn't cope with the oval ball. it's still along way off yet but one day Ireland might be able to play Australia with a sherrin, they appear the team to beat in the International Cup.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
I think I was actually exaggerating. If Buddy finishes with 72 goals, given his current average, he will have kicked the least number of goals to win the Coleman since Leigh Matthews kicked 67 in 1975. However, given that Matthews wasn't a regular key forward, Buddy will have kicked the least number of goals of any regular forward since Ted Fordham kicked 73 in 1966, and before that, John Peck with 56 in 1965. Still, that it could be the lowest mark in 35 years is pretty amazing, and not in a good way.
Camcallsthegame
Guest
Worsfold has brought his team back when many include myself thought they would be low again. Scott took over the best team or second best team. Worsfold had done more than malthouse with where Both teams were at at the start of the year -- Comment left via The Roar's iPhone app. Download The Roar's iPhone App in the App Store here.
Bruce
Guest
Results might be a bit lopsided.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
Since the mid 60s? I didn't know that. Not long afterwards, we have some of the very biggest names in the history of the game vying for the medal: Wade, Hudson, McKenna, even Jezza.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
You're probably right. The Coleman medal will certainly be won with a low tally, in fact it'll be the lowest since the mid 60's.
The Cattery
Roar Guru
I don't think Jack has had a consistently good season. This year the Coleman medal will probably be won with a low goal tally.
amazonfan
Roar Guru
why the dislike for Jack Riewoldt? He's second in the goal-kicking, yet nobody has him in their team?
amazonfan
Roar Guru
Except it shouldn't matter how the Bulldogs (or Crows) did in the finals. The All-Australian team is based on home & away season, and the coaching position shouldn't be treated any differently. If the coaching position includes finals, then 9 coaches will be ineligible, which is pretty unfair considering that the players were judged purely on H&A form. Plus, even if you include finals, the premiership coach isn't automatically the best coach. I can understand the desire to make up for not having awarded Blight the AA coach position, but the reality is that, based on H&A form, he simply wasn't the best coach of either season. Anyway, both seasons, he walked away with a bigger prize. :D
The Cattery
Roar Guru
amazon The context of that decision in 1999 is that Wallace won the All-Australian coach position in 1998, having brought the dogs to 2nd position at the end of the H&A season, but in the end, for the 2nd season running, Blighty's Crows beat the dogs in a prelim and won back-to-back premierships. It's outrageous that Blighty never won it in either year,having brought a good-average team to back-to-back premierships (Crows won from 4th and 5th in the respective years, and remain the only team in the history of the game to have won it from 5th).
amazonfan
Roar Guru
How is selecting the Team of the Year pointless? It's no different to the NBA selecting All-NBA teams & All-Defensive teams, European soccer selecting the FIFA FIFPro World XI, and numerous other sports selecting Teams of the Year.