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Opinion
With only days to go before the start of the 2021 AFL season, I decided to put everything on the line with predicting the All Australian team.
I wanted to keep players in their specific positions and unlike last year’s selectors, I did not put midfielders in the forward pocket. The bench consists of one player from each positional group.
Back pocket: Brad Sheppard – West Coast Eagles
One of the best pure small defenders in the AFL, Sheppard took his game to the next level in 2020 making his first All Australian team. The balance of elite ball use (kicking the ball at 86 per cent efficiency in 2020) and defensive skill means Sheppard is one of the very best in the league.
Full back: Harris Andrews – Brisbane Lions
Yes, it’s the boring and obvious choice but how can I go past the big man from up north? Andrews is the best key defender in the AFL, with the ability to intercept mark while also locking down the opposition’s best forward. Andrews is a star.
Back pocket: Jake Lloyd – Sydney Swans
He has only made one team in the past, but with the new rule changes and a premium on elite ball use out of the back line, this will be Lloyd’s year. He even said in a pre-season interview his job was to get the ball and kick it. In the 2021 game style, that is the role you want.
(Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)
Half back flank: Jayden Short – Richmond Tigers
He finished the 2020 season on fire and he had 43 disposals (35 of them kicks) in their only pre-season game. The upwards trend looks to be continuing. The pattern of elite kicks in the back line continues.
Centre half back: Steven May – Melbourne Demons
He got better as the year went on last season, finishing with a best-on-ground performance against GWS in Round 17. May has the perfect balance of defence and offence and at the age of 29 should be at the very peak of his powers in 2021.
Half back flank: Jordan Ridley – Essendon Bombers
He was the breakout player of the 2020 season, making the squad of 40 but not breaking into the All Australian team. With big changes in the Essendon back line through injury and off-season departures, I can see Ridley going to another level and carrying the Bombers’ back line.
Wing: Andrew Gaff – West Coast Eagles
Everything is in Gaff’s favour: longer quarters mixed with less rotations will suit his endurance, while the man on the mark rule will suit handball receives and short kicks. Everything points to Gaff dominating the wings out west and earning an All Australian cap.
(Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
Centre: Marcus Bontempelli (captain) – Western Bulldogs
Bontempelli looked in ominous form against Melbourne in the one pre-season game and the 25-year-old is primed for a career peak. With extra midfield help and more forward time, Bontempelli is ready to tear the AFL apart.
Wing: Sam Menegola – Geelong Cats
Menegola had an incredibly consistent 2020, anchoring one side of the field for the Cats. His two-way running and ability to hit the scoreboard is a huge weapon. With new recruits coming in, Menegola will have even less opposition attention and will star for Geelong.
Half forward flank: Toby Greene – GWS Giants
Everyone is aware of just how talented Greene is but through injury or suspensions, he has rarely been able to put together a full season. I have faith that Greene is going to have a massive 2021 and with a share of forward and midfield time, he will take his game to a new and more consistent level.
Centre half forward: Charlie Dixon – Port Adelaide Power
Dixon has become a revelation and fan favourite but more importantly one of the most dominant forwards in the league. His size and strength make him nearly impossible to match up with and with the Power challenging for a flag, I am tipping Dixon for the Coleman medal.
(Photo by Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images)
Half forward flank: Isaac Heeney – Sydney Swans
This is my boldest call of the piece, but Heeney is a star. Like Greene, injury is the thing that has kept Heeney from reaching his potential and we are all hoping he gets a clean run at it in 2021. With a young Swans side, Heeney will be a focus down forward as well as running through the middle.
Forward pocket: Charlie Cameron – Brisbane Lions
The excitement machine from up north makes the crowds and supporters jump out of their seats and is elite. He was the focal point up forward last year but with the addition of Joe Daniher, Cameron’s forward craft will be as diverse as ever this year.
Full forward: Tom Lynch – Richmond Tigers
He and Jack Riewoldt took a year to work together and I am anticipating the same teething pains for the twin towers in Geelong, so Lynch is the man. He is not the most loved player among the general footy public, but no one can argue his class down forward.
Forward pocket: Dan Butler – St Kilda Saints
What a story this would be. Given away by the Tigers at the end of 2019, Butler made the squad of 40 last season and he will go one better this year. The Saints played an extremely attacking brand in the pre-season, which will suit Butler beautifully.
Ruck: Max Gawn – Melbourne Demons
All signs point to Gawn resting forward and kicking goals in 2021 and that extra dynamic will have him as the best ruckman of the year. His ruck craft and skill is unmatched and it helps that he is one of the most likeable characters in the league.
(Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)
Rover: Lachie Neale – Brisbane Lions
The Brownlow medallist had an incredible 2020 and there is absolutely no reason he can’t do it again in 2021. He has an incredible instinct for finding the ball and his ability to break tags has got better and better as he has got older and more experienced.
Rover: Nat Fyfe (vice-captain) – Fremantle Dockers
The two-time Brownlow medallist looks incredible coming into 2021 and although he is expected to play big forward minutes, Fyfe will still be a dominant midfield force this year.
Caleb Daniel – Western Bulldogs
Elite ball use out of the back line has been my theme and this guy brings it in spades. They deliberately give him the ball and he will rarely make the wrong choice. I can see Daniel finishing top of the league in kicking efficiency this year.
Zach Merrett – Essendon Bombers
Merrett is going to be the hottest commodity of the 2021 free agency period and a career year is coming. He finished the 2020 season in incredible fashion once moving into the midfield and away from the wing and he will be the man in 2021.
Brodie Grundy – Collingwood Magpies
Grundy is a close second to Max Gawn in terms of the ruck position and after struggling in the hub, he will look to bounce back into his best form this year. His presence around the ground is incredible and Grundy will be a force for the Magpies.
Dustin Martin – Richmond Tigers
Every year Martin takes it a bit easier during the regular season before exploding in the finals and reminding us how good he is. I expect the trend to continue. His grand final performance last year was his best ever and with a three-peat at stake, expect him to leave plenty in the tank for his September assault.
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