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Alex Rance looks set to captain a diverse All Australian team for the second consecutive year.
No team will dominate selections, as the competition has enjoyed another closely contested year, leading to many difficult decisions.
Starting with the backs, leaving out Jake Lloyd had to be done for another lockdown defender in Tom Stewart. Rory Laird and Lachie Whitfield were picked over Lloyd as the running half backs. Jeremy McGovern and Rance will lead the spine of the defenders as the two talls, as Tom Stewart plays as the third tall.
Whitfield’s elite foot skills and exceptional finish to the year has him picked ahead of Lloyd, as does Laird, who leads the defenders in possessions and intercept possessions in 2018.
Elliot Yeo will go back-to-back All Australian as he should be named on the half back flank, can play tall or small, and go through the midfield as he has done with the Eagles all season.
I couldn’t see Shannon Hurn in this mix, as Laird, Yeo and Whitfield are a step above him.
Lachie Whitfield (AAP Image/David Moir)
In the midfield, Dustin Martin has finished the year strongly to be named on the wing, along with Jack Macrae, with both ahead of Isaac Smith.
Josh Kelly just hasn’t played enough football, but Clayton Oliver was a no brainer – his season has once again been exceptional and uber consistent.
Andrew Gaff had a super season, but the uproar of him being named would just be too much for the media.
Brodie Grundy is the ruck man of the year, so he or Max Gawn will lead the rucks and both deserve to be in the team of the year. Tom Mitchell has had the most disposals in a season, inside ball, outside ball, tackles, he does it all, making him a simple selection.
Patrick Cripps, in a team that gets smashed every week, is a superstar and simply cannot miss out.
Lance Franklin, Jack Riewoldt and Ben Brown are the talls to lead, seeing Tom Hawkins miss out, as he just hasn’t been as consistent as the other three.
The smalls are led by Luke Breust, who was an easy pick. Robbie Gray misses out, with Devon Smith surely making his first team of the year as the premier tackle and pressure midfielder forward. Shaun Higgins may be on the bench or in the forward line, but there is no way he can miss out – he has been super this year.
Shaun Higgins (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
The bench is led by Gawn, who just has to make this team. Two rucks must be picked and rewarded for their stellar seasons. Patrick Dangerfield is the best midfielder forward in the competition and somehow must find his way into the team, as he has come home firing with some huge games.
Nat Fyfe hasn’t played many games and that is understandable, however he could still finish on top of the leaderboard on Brownlow night.
Jack Gunston has been super for Hawthorn playing several different roles, who has been a major player in pushing Hawthorn’s premiership credentials.
All Australian team 2018
B: Rory Laird, Jeremy McGovern, Tom Stewart
HB: Elliot Yeo, Alex Rance, Lachie Whitfield
C: Dustin Martin, Clayton Oliver, Jack Macrae
HF: Shaun Higgins, Lance Franklin, Jack Riewoldt
F: Devon Smith, Ben Brown, Luke Breust
FOL: Brodie Grundy, Tom Mitchell, Patrick Cripps
I/C: Jack Gunston, Nathan Fyfe, Patrick Dangerfield, Max Gawn
Who missed out?
DEF: Jake Lloyd, Jayden Short, Tom Jonas, Robbie Tarrant, Harris Andrews, James Sicily, Shannon Hurn, Angus Brayshaw, Neville Jetta, Jeremy Howe, Phil Davis, Ben Stratton, Mark Blicavs and Nick Vlastuin.
MIDS: Josh Kelly, Lachie Neale, Andrew Gaff, Stephen Coniglio, Dayne Beams, Tom Phillips, Ben Cunnington, Gary Ablett, Isaac Smith, Trent Cotchin, Dyson Heppell and Dayne Zorko.
RUCKS: Stefan Martin
FWDS: Robbie Gray, Tom Hawkins, Jack Darling, Justin Westhoff, Shane Edwards, Josh Caddy, Jesse Hogan, Jordan de Goey, Kane Lambert, Tim Kelly and Tom McDonald.
Who’s in your All Australian team?
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