AFL unveils 40-man All Australian squad for 2019

The question becomes”Do you want….. with ball in hand in the backline? “And,how did he get it?” Do you beat a small forward over the ground or a big forward in the air? If your up-the-ground teammates have made the opposition’s entry erratic or ill-directed then you can get the stats. Stewart ahead of Hurn for me this season

I don't think Dusty deserves a spot. Don't get me wrong, he may go close to a Brownlow (although inellgible) but I feel that AA should reward players for consistently playing at an elite level and Dusty didn't do that this year. He had 4 games with practically no impact and also missed 2 with injury. That's a quarter of a season. My starting mids would be Fyfe and Bont as the rovers Neale as the centre. McCluggage and MaCrae on the wings. Danger and Walters on the HF line and Shuey and Yeo on the bench.

Plus 2 in a certain elimination final where they got trounced at home

I don't think whitfield can complain, I believe he only played 16 games. Can hardly be considered a top player in the league when you only play 3/4 of a season.

Is that you Taurus? Doesn't play on the power forwards, doesn't regularly play on and beat any players of note, and offers nothing on the counter-attack. He's a good intercept marker, tough and desperate in one-on-one contest against small or medium players and a reliable soldier in a backline that is supported much better than most by its upfield team pressure. But you have to regularly beat the best to claim you're among the best (and Grimes doesnt) or alternatively, offer damaging, creative rebound (like Houli). Rampe, Stewart and Hurn are all significantly better players than Grimes.

On first glance the squad looks imbalanced. All the defenders are of the same mould. Tall intercept marking defenders. No small sized speedy defenders who can negate a cyril rioli type of forward. Most of the midfielders are inside midfielders who are ball magnets who go hunting for the ball. No genuine wing man in the mould of a peter matera.

Don’t be calling Will darling. The Tom beast is playing for the team. The coach plays him up the ground and swaps him with Esava, puts the water rat, danger and the red devil at full forward just to keel them guessing, Young Tommy never complains. Even when it cost him a Coleman.

But he hardly ever plays as a key defender. He's good at negating small / medium quick players. He's tall enough but not good/strong enough to play on the best key forwards - he generally takes the mediocre forwards. Tell me three good key position forwards he's played-on and beaten this year (I can't think of one). I'm not bagging him - kudos for getting the most out of himself and credit for being able to regularly towel-up mediocre forwards, but his argument doesn't stack-up against the other flankers and pockets in the AA squad on any measure except tackles (which is on a par) and he doesn't play on key forwards, so he shouldn't even be in the squad.

You are joking. He is probably the best defender in the comp. I’m rapt he plays for the Tigers.

Think he is vying for one of the three defensive/lockdown key defenders positions. Up against Blicavs, Haynes, Andrews, Tahlia, and McGovern. The non key defenders would appear to take the other three positions in the starting 18. Three out of Stewart, Sicily, Houli, Rampe, Hurn and Sheppard.

Grimes will be picked but he shouldn't be. Look at the stats of all the non key defenders in the AA squad published today - Grimes is way inferior to other non key defenders Rampe, Stewart, Hurn, Houli, Sicily. His stats are a mile off - he just doesn't stack up by comparison. (Haynes is similarly low.) So if stats don't reflect his worth, then it has to be the quality and penetration of his disposal - which we all know is a weakness not a strength - or it has to be repeatedly taking down good opponents. Yet he doesn't often play on the best forwards. He rarely ever plays on the power forwards. He beat Charlie Cameron (although Cameron still kicked 2 goals) yet he got beaten by Jordan Lewis and he didn't even go to Naughton (when he destroyed the Tiges) even though Rance and Astbury weren't playing. On any objective measure it's hard to see how he's in the squad. Yet the lobbying in the media started by his coach will probably see him picked in the side.

It’s not hard when he’s the greatest person ever of all time.

How does Tim Kelly get in but James Worpel misses out? Has had an equally good a season as Kelly. The stats don’t lie.

Daniel Rich is certainly stiff when comparing his season stats to Brad Sheppard. Disposals 498 vs 430 Inside 50 70 vs 45 Rebound 50 145 vs 94 Metres Gained 11656 vs 7027 Intercept Marks 40 vs 32 Cont Poss 129 vs 83 Disposal Efficiency 81 vs 83 Clearance Stoppages 28 vs 6 Tackles 43 vs 35 Intercept Possess 139 vs 110 Ground ball gets 100 vs 62 Score Invol 83 vs 62 Score Launches 32 vs 14 One Percent 54 vs 89 Pressure Acts 250 vs 213 Both played 22 games.

You must love Yeo nearly as much as IAP...

Can't believe Yeo only made the squad once. Thought for sure he'd make it atleast 3-4 times in varying positions in the backline and midfield. Needs more Yeo.

I was thinking the same thing. I'd have Vlastuin in over Houli any day of the week.

yep, have him in there ahead of Houli in a heartbeat

Darling drops too many marks?????????? I’m pretty sure your basing that off 2 very important marks in 2 grand finals. I admit that it’s been a major part of his game in years past, but this year his hands have been like glue

Hurn was an AA lock prior to his injury on 21st July which was 5 weeks ago. Definitely deserves to be in the squad as his body of work until that point was top shelf. No doubt his injury and form since returning will hurt his chances for making the cut, but he really was superb up until that point.