All Australian side

[GVGjr]

They say one of the hardest jobs in Australian Sport is to pick the AFL All Australian side.

Over the next few weeks the papers will be filled with senior journalist having their say. It's a thankless job and it's very easy for others to pick it apart but in the interest of fair play I thought I should have a crack at it myself.

One question though, just how many Bulldogs can I actually leave out?
I've been on this for an hour and no one is springing to mind.

Have your say on the All Australian side and see how you go.

[Happy Days]

Was actually thinking about this earlier today, here's what I came up with;

B: Enright Thompson Crowley
HB: Walker Taylor Malceski
C: Pendlebury Selwood Griffen
HF: Dangerfield Roughhead Wingard
F: Thomas Kennedy Cameron
Foll: Minson Ablett Jack

I/C: Boak Hannebery Swan Goldstein

Lots of mids (Cotchin, Fyfe, Lineratore, Sloane, etc) stiff, the lack of dominant backmen and a season of incredible performance, not to mention the new trend of selecting a tagger sees Crowley earn his spot. Have I missed anyone?

[LostDoggy]

Was actually thinking about this earlier today, here's what I came up with;

B: Enright Thompson Crowley
HB: Walker Taylor Malceski
C: Pendlebury Selwood Griffen
HF: Dangerfield Roughhead Wingard
F: Thomas Kennedy Cameron
Foll: Minson Ablett Jack

I/C: Boak Hannebery Swan Goldstein

Lots of mids (Cotchin, Fyfe, Lineratore, Sloane, etc) stiff, the lack of dominant backmen and a season of incredible performance, not to mention the new trend of selecting a tagger sees Crowley earn his spot. Have I missed anyone?

Good side but R.Murphy instead of Walker

[GVGjr]

Happy Days, you know Roughead has been playing as a defender most of the season? He obviously deserves to be in it but CHF is a stretch.

[Happy Days]

Happy Days, you know Roughead has been playing as a defender most of the season? He obviously deserves to be in it but CHF is a stretch.

Despite showing nothing as a forward and loads as a defender, I've taken up some of the forum's line of thinking that he's the best swingman since Grant, so he's selected on potential.

[GVGjr]

Despite showing nothing as a forward and loads as a defender, I've taken up some of the forum's line of thinking that he's the best swingman since Grant, so he's selected on potential.

Yep, you're on the right track there.

[GVGjr]

Happy Days, I have just worked out what you have done. You've picked the best of the rest and chucked in Griffen and Minson to even things up. Fair play I suppose.


All jokes aside, pretty good effort on your behalf.

[Happy Days]

Happy Days, I have just worked out what you have done. You've picked the best of the rest and chucked in Griffen and Minson to even things up. Fair play I suppose.


All jokes aside, pretty good effort on your behalf.

Tall backmen this year, aside from Taylor, have been largely disappointing, no? I've picked Scott Thompson at FB, but he is really much more of a rebounding flanker lining up at FB. I thought about Michael Johnson, but he's much the same, and Zac Dawson, but that felt too dirty.

The side feels like its missing a tall, who would you have gone with?

[bornadog]

Libba is so close to All Australian its not funny.

[Bulldog Joe]

Was actually thinking about this earlier today, here's what I came up with;

B: Enright Thompson Crowley
HB: Walker Taylor Malceski
C: Pendlebury Selwood Griffen
HF: Dangerfield Roughhead Wingard
F: Thomas Kennedy Cameron
Foll: Minson Ablett Jack

I/C: Boak Hannebery Swan Goldstein

Lots of mids (Cotchin, Fyfe, Lineratore, Sloane, etc) stiff, the lack of dominant backmen and a season of incredible performance, not to mention the new trend of selecting a tagger sees Crowley earn his spot. Have I missed anyone?

Well we need Libba in No 1 clearance - perhaps to replace Selwood - right in the middle where he does his best.
Murphy in for Malceski - just has some much more - marks, run and excitement.

At least 4 Bulldogs - Surely!!!!

even if you allow that other Roughead from Hawthorn to take CHF.

Must add Cooney to the squad now and Wallis must be closing in on the midfield tagger role. His hair has more excitement than anything Crowley does.


...and more love for Hunter as the rising star as well.

[Ozza]

B: S.Thompson; L.McPharlin; A. Walker
HB: McVeigh; Taylor, H; L.Hodge
C: Griffen; Selwood (VC); Pendelbury
HF: Dangerfield; N.Riewoldt; Swan
F: Cameron; Kennedy; L.Thomas
R: Minson; Ablett (C); Jack
Int: Roughead (Haw); Boak; Fyfe; S.Mitchell

Certainly a difficult exercise - I'm sure there are plenty of good candidates I have left out.

I had to put Nick Riewoldt in. Most marks in the league, playing Centre Half Forward in a dreadful side.
Didn't fit any Richmond players in. Perhaps Deledio is unlucky to not be on a half back flank.

[Bulldog Joe]

B: S.Thompson; L.McPharlin; A. Walker
HB: McVeigh; Taylor, H; L.Hodge
C: Griffen; Selwood (VC); Pendelbury
HF: Dangerfield; N.Riewoldt; Swan
F: Cameron; Kennedy; L.Thomas
R: Minson; Ablett (C); Jack
Int: Roughead (Haw); Pendelbury; Fyfe; S.Mitchell

Certainly a difficult exercise - I'm sure there are plenty of good candidates I have left out.

I had to put Nick Riewoldt in. Most marks in the league, playing Centre Half Forward in a dreadful side.
Didn't fit any Richmond players in. Perhaps Deledio is unlucky to not be on a half back flank.

McPharlin has missed too much footy.
Surely Murphy ahead of Walker/McVeigh or Hodge
and Libba ahead of Dangerfield.

Got to get more Dogs in the side.

[choconmientay]

B: S.Thompson; L.McPharlin; A. Walker
HB: McVeigh; Taylor, H; L.Hodge
C: Griffen; Selwood (VC); Pendelbury
HF: Dangerfield; N.Riewoldt; Swan
F: Cameron; Kennedy; L.Thomas
R: Minson; Ablett (C); Jack
Int: Roughead (Haw); Pendelbury; Fyfe; S.Mitchell

Certainly a difficult exercise - I'm sure there are plenty of good candidates I have left out.

I had to put Nick Riewoldt in. Most marks in the league, playing Centre Half Forward in a dreadful side.
Didn't fit any Richmond players in. Perhaps Deledio is unlucky to not be on a half back flank.

Where do you get 2 of Pendelbury :) Can we also have 2 Griffen, 2 Libba, 2 Murphy as well :)

[Ozza]

Where do you get 2 of Pendelbury :) Can we also have 2 Griffen, 2 Libba, 2 Murphy as well :)

AH! I didn't realise I did that - too much shuffling of the team!

Will edit.

[Sedat]

Libba didn't even make the final cut for the 40 man squad. The best clearance player in the entire competition is apparently not good enough to make the AA team (or even the AA b-team). That's not to mention being #2 in the entire competition for contested possessions and #4 for tackles.

Selectors are either taking the piss or have a collective IQ of 50.

[bulldogtragic]

Libba didn't even make the final cut for the 40 man squad. The best clearance player in the entire competition is apparently not good enough to make the AA team (or even the AA b-team). That's not to mention being #2 in the entire competition for contested possessions and #4 for tackles.

Selectors are either taking the piss or have a collective IQ of 50.
Quite offensive really. No other way of taking it.

[LostDoggy]

Richard Douglas, Jack Steven, Josh Kennedy (Syd) making it ahead of Libba is simply laughable. There's others that are questionable also.

Josh Kennedy has had a very poor year, they must have selected him on last years form..

Full squad:

Adelaide:
Patrick Dangerfield
Richard Douglas

Brisbane:
Nil

Carlton:
Nil

Collingwood:
Travis Cloke
Scott Pendlebury
Dane Swan

Essendon:
Jobe Watson

Fremantle:
Nathan Fyfe
David Mundy
Chris Mayne
Michael Johnson
Michael Walters

Geelong:
Corey Enright
Andrew Mackie
Joel Selwood
Steven Motlop
Harry Taylor

Gold Coast Suns:
Gary Ablett

GWS:
Jeremy Cameron

Hawthorn:
Lance Franklin
Josh Gibson
Luke Hodge
Sam Mitchell
Jarryd Roughead

Melbourne:
Nil

North Melbourne:
Todd Goldstein
Daniel Wells
Scott Thompson
Lindsay Thomas

Port Adelaide:
Travis Boak
Chad Wingard

Richmond:
Nil

St Kilda:
Nick Riewoldt
Jack Steven

Sydney Swans:
Daniel Hannebery
Kieran Jack
Josh Kennedy
Jarrad McVeigh
Nick Malceski

West Coast Eagles:
Josh Kennedy
Eric Mackenzie

Western Bulldogs:
Will Minson
Ryan Griffen

[GVGjr]

Have a look at the forward line. 6 key forwards in the squad when in reality you need just Cameron and Roughead. Riewoldt doesn't deserve to be there and the Eagles Josh Kennedy is very lucky

[Greystache]

Daniel Wells gets in over Libba?

I guess after years of underachieving any decent return is a breakout. His season stats are comparable with Luke Dahlhaus and he didn't get a mention as being a contender.

[Maddog37]

Sam Mitchell!???!!?.

He has had an average year.

[LostDoggy]

Sam Mitchell!???!!?.

He has had an average year.

Very good year for mine
Libba should be in for Josh Kennedy ( Swans)

[Maddog37]

Very good year for mine
Libba should be in for Josh Kennedy ( Swans)

Mitchell has dropped a yard in pace and was hidden on the back flank as a result IMHO.

[Scraggers]

I may have missed someone, but am I right in saying Big Wilbur is the only ruck to be named in the squad?

[Maddog37]

Goldstein.

[anfo27]

Insulting Libba has not made the cut. Surprised Andrew Walker didn't get in the 40 either.

[LostDoggy]

If Libba played for Collingwood/Essendon/Carlton he'd be talked about as a Brownlow smokey...

[Scraggers]

Goldstein.

So my answer is no ?? :D
Big Will should be a shoe-in ... Shouldn't he?

[Scraggers]

So when Carlton meet Richmond this week in the elimination final, how much are the commentators going to mention that both teams make the finals and neither has a representative??

[Maddog37]

So my answer is no ?? :D
Big Will should be a shoe-in ... Shouldn't he?

Comparing their stats he should.

[Bulldog Joe]

So my answer is no ?? :D
Big Will should be a shoe-in ... Shouldn't he?

As Maddog37 suggests on stats Will should clearly get the spot.

A lot of knock on Will is his lack of influence around the ground, but he has had more possesion, more clearances and more tackles to go with more hitouts.

He trails by just over 1 mark per game but is only 0.1 per game behind in contested marks.

The footy wire site doesn't give hotouts to advantage but I believe this is the area that Will is most dominant.

While you can never be certain of anything when it comes to the selectors, Will is clearly the best ruckman of 2013.

[boydogs]

A lot of knock on Will is his lack of influence around the ground

Goldstein has the same weakness.

[bornadog]

Very good year for mine
Libba should be in for Josh Kennedy ( Swans)

Josh Kennedy? The number one for contested Possessions?

[Ozza]

Have a look at the forward line. 6 key forwards in the squad when in reality you need just Cameron and Roughead. Riewoldt doesn't deserve to be there and the Eagles Josh Kennedy is very lucky

Have to disagree on Nick Riewoldt. He was outstanding this season. Should be Centre Half Forward in the team.

[Scorlibo]

The All-Australian side continues to perplex me. Bob Murphy has been just as damaging this year and last year as he was in 2011, when selected. I forget the year that Dale Morris was selected in, but it wouldn't seem that his form has dropped away since. Contrasting that is Corey Enright's continued selection despite showing no clear supremacy over other half-back options - year after year.

Anyone who has watched Pearce Hanley's game lately will know that he's now the most damaging outside runner in the game and deserves to be in the squad beyond doubt.

Libba's non-selection is just absurd, an absolute travesty. The best clearance count in the AFL, not just for this year, but for the last 5 years. People are throwing up a few names but for mine David Mundy has not got anywhere near All-Australian standard, Luke Hodge the same. Those two, and others (but more marginally), should be making way for the best inside midfielder in the competition. It makes be think that the coaching staff have intervened, maybe thinking that Libba's ego might inflate. I recall he didn't receive a rising star nomination either, yet probably would have finished top 5 in that year had he been nominated.

[bornadog]

Good Luck to Will and Ryan tonight - I think they will get in.

[ratsmac]

Good Luck to Will and Ryan tonight - I think they will get in.

In my biased opinion they make it easy and in my unbiased opinion they make it easy = they make it easy

[SlimPickens]

Griff on the wing. Now for Minno.

[bulldogtragic]

Well done boys!

[chef]

Great effort.

[SlimPickens]

And Minno now in, terrific results for both players and the club.

[GVGjr]

Have to disagree on Nick Riewoldt. He was outstanding this season. Should be Centre Half Forward in the team.

So you would have him ahead of Cloke, Cameron and Roughead?

[LostDoggy]

Yeah for Minno. Griff was a no-brainer; great to see they went the right way in the ruck. Hugely deserving and opposition supporters don't generally understand the workload he's had. Great, great stuff for the smartest stupid person on the field!! (Sic). Really pleased for both!

[LostDoggy]

I am wrapped for both but more pleased for Will. Ryan has been pure class since he started, he has stepped up another level this year. Will has done it the hard way, many said he was not up to it, Rocket's last year he could not even get a game when Huddo was dropped. Will has shown a lot of people they were WRONG. Congrats to Ryan & Will well earned and deserved reward for all your hard work. Real exciting times ahead with 2 AA and all the young emerging talent. Go Dogs !

[bulldogtragic]

Interesting Luke Darcy's comments at the function... If Rocket was still there Will would have been moved on...

[Eastdog]

Very happy for both Griff and Mino. Well deserved. They have had great seasons.

[mighty_west]

Interesting Luke Darcy's comments at the function... If Rocket was still there Will would have been moved on...

Yeah but in fairness Will did struggle at times under Rocket being dropped quite a few times with poor form, but has really taken the next step being the number one ruck after Huddo retired.

Just makes Gold Coast Suns decision to take Josh Fraser over Will even more ridiculous.

[bulldogsman]

Well done Big Will and Griff

[ratsmac]

Pumped for the lads. Well done fellas.

[Remi Moses]

Well done to both and thouroughly deserved.
Libba was dead stiff not to at least get in the forty.
The consensus will be that players are picked out of position, but lets be honest every team has about 15 midfielders. Thought Crowley should have been in, and Fyffe.

[Remi Moses]

Interesting Luke Darcy's comments at the function... If Rocket was still there Will would have been moved on...

He would have been shipped off to GC.
Another tick for the coach getting him up and about

[KT31]

Well done to both Wil and Griff very well deserved.
Hopeful both will back it up and make the side next season, bar Johnno we seem to get a player in one season and forgotten about the next .

[Topdog]

So you would have him ahead of Cloke, Cameron and Roughead?

Ahead of Cloke and Cameron for sure. Not ahead of Rough.

[Ozza]

So you would have him ahead of Cloke, Cameron and Roughead?

I would certainly have had him in front of Cameron. Cloke came home with a bit of a rush and might have edged Riewoldt out of CHF in the last couple of rounds. But it shouldn't be understated that Riewoldt was able to take more marks than any other player in the league, despite a very very weak side and no support from another regular tall forward.

Its hard to fit them all in.

Cameron's effort to kick 60 goals was great in a hopeless side - but he didn't do anything other than kick goals - and there were plenty of games when he didn't get a kick- Riewoldt was consistently good.

[Mofra]

Fyfe or Libba in for Mackie would have been my change. Hard task, congratulations to Will & Griff.

You do really need two years of performance to get into the AA team, hence Libba's omission.

[Bulldog4life]

Congratulations to both Will & Ryan. Very well deserved. Great to see them recognized by the Australian selectors.

[Sedat]

Fyfe or Libba in for Mackie would have been my change. Hard task, congratulations to Will & Griff.

You do really need two years of performance to get into the AA team, hence Libba's omission.
In terms of pure mids, I have Libba behind only Ablett, Pendlebury, Selwood, Jack and Griff. AA selection should be about brilliance in the season in question - this absurd notion that previous years should count is rubbish. The ultimate measure of midfield brilliance is clearances and contested possessions - Libba has the entire field covered on those measurements, and he's top 5 tackler in the competition to boot.

The truly ridiculous selection in this team is Watson. Firstly because on actual performance, he dropped off significantly in the 2nd half of the season due to both form and injury (his 1st half of the season was absolutely AA-worthy). Secondly, he has a question mark on him as a potential doper. What if he is found to have doped in 2012 and has received artificial benefits of this doping program in 2013? Do we then take away his AA selection? What do you expect when you have fawning sycophants like Luke Darcy on the selection panel - if it was up to him, he'd have Hird as coach of the year due to his ability to handle pressure.

Enright is a brilliant player but his 2013 season was not AA worthy - maybe this is payback for losing out to Nick Maxwell in 2009 (the worst AA selection of all time). Mackie has been a better rebounding half back in 2013.

[Topdog]

Wait Watson got AA. He only played 18 games (19 really but injured after 10 minutes) and had a number of poor games just before the injury and towards the end of the season.

[Scorlibo]

I would certainly have had him in front of Cameron. Cloke came home with a bit of a rush and might have edged Riewoldt out of CHF in the last couple of rounds. But it shouldn't be understated that Riewoldt was able to take more marks than any other player in the league, despite a very very weak side and no support from another regular tall forward.

Its hard to fit them all in.

Cameron's effort to kick 60 goals was great in a hopeless side - but he didn't do anything other than kick goals - and there were plenty of games when he didn't get a kick- Riewoldt was consistently good.

I agree. For players to get into the side purely as get-ball-kick-goal kind of players I would have thought they'd need to kick more than 60.

Riewoldt averaged 9.6 marks per game while the next best was Cloke on 8.6. Would have been a deserving inclusion for mine.

The selectors weren't afraid to put Wingard in the side in his second year of AFL but wait for Libba to back up? Crazy that he wasn't in the squad, absolutely crazy.

[Murphy'sLore]

Did the selectors feel that they couldn't include three players from one of the poorer sides in the squad, especially if two of them were likely to make the final side?

[LostDoggy]

Did the selectors feel that they couldn't include three players from one of the poorer sides in the squad, especially if two of them were likely to make the final side?

Maybe so, but if so, another bullshit reason,

[bornadog]

AFL.com.au All Australian side at half way mark. Dale unlucky


https://pbs.twimg.com/media/E3bIugKVUAA7QAQ?format=jpg&name=4096x4096

[Axe Man]

https://i.postimg.cc/pLQGKZx9/Robbo-s-All-Aus-Team-2021-Eewo6-J2pq.jpg (https://postimg.cc/RWFLBwW9)

[Topdog]

I like Robbos team more.

[mjp]

I like Robbos team more.

In the mythical game this team is supposed to play, I do hope Gawn doesn't get injured.

I did laugh when I saw Parish named as a forward in the team on the afl.com site...all year they have been so 'smarmy' about 'well, maybe if you had been playing him in the right position' blah blah (basically firing bullets at the Essendon coaching staff)...then they get a chance to pick him and shove him at half forward. Where he has not been good.

I really (really) wonder how many of the people who have opinions on the game 'for a living' have ANY sense of irony.

[Topdog]

In the mythical game this team is supposed to play, I do hope Gawn doesn't get injured.

I did laugh when I saw Parish named as a forward in the team on the afl.com site...all year they have been so 'smarmy' about 'well, maybe if you had been playing him in the right position' blah blah (basically firing bullets at the Essendon coaching staff)...then they get a chance to pick him and shove him at half forward. Where he has not been good.

I really (really) wonder how many of the people who have opinions on the game 'for a living' have ANY sense of irony.

Yeah Darcy Parish with his 5 goals for the year was a big part of my preference for Robbos side. It feel weird to have a preference for anything to do with Robbo.

[mjp]

Yeah Darcy Parish with his 5 goals for the year was a big part of my preference for Robbos side. It feel weird to have a preference for anything to do with Robbo.

There simply MUST be a second ruck option. Even if it is a ruck/forward, they need to be in there. Even if it is Marlion Pickett. Someone has to be in the side.

[jeemak]

I really (really) wonder how many of the people who have opinions on the game 'for a living' have ANY sense of irony.

Don't spend too much time on it mate.

[comrade]

I'm hoping Salem drops off a cliff now that clubs have worked out he needs to be tagged. His last 2 weeks since coming back from his one week injury have been garbage.

[Mofra]

There simply MUST be a second ruck option. Even if it is a ruck/forward, they need to be in there. Even if it is Marlion Pickett. Someone has to be in the side.
The top sides play a ruck/forward and looking at the league there has to be one in there as it's the hardest role to fill on an AFL list.

There are certainly a lot of good kids coming through in that area - Jackson will be a superstar, Big Chilli obviously, Bailey Williams at WCE, and I rate both of the de Konings (although the Geelong brother will probably end up a KPD).
Tom Hawkins may be parked in the F50 most of the time but he may be the best forward-50 boundary ruckman in the competition.

Tom Stewart is having a very good season but does the side need a five KPDs if Harris Andrews is on the pine?

Which of those two rebounders actually stop an opponent?

[Topdog]

There simply MUST be a second ruck option. Even if it is a ruck/forward, they need to be in there. Even if it is Marlion Pickett. Someone has to be in the side.

Both sides are missing one, rucks are always forgotten about in these kinds of sides. I generally ignore all of these sides.

[bornadog]

Both sides are missing one, rucks are always forgotten about in these kinds of sides. I generally ignore all of these sides.

What I don't like is they try and fit in all the good players and use positions to do that, even though they never play there.

eg. Macrae on a wing - hardly ever plays that role.

[Ozza]

What I don't like is they try and fit in all the good players and use positions to do that, even though they never play there.

eg. Macrae on a wing - hardly ever plays that role.

I think with the mids - they kind of have to.

There's only 3 plus a ruckman to be picked inside the middle. Of Bont, Macrae, Petracca, Oliver, Parish, Merrett, Mundy, Martin, Sam Walsh, Libba etc etc....you can't conceivably leave many or any of them out - so they get pushed to wings, bench or sometimes half forward. We would feel Jacko is pretty hard done by if he missed AA selection because he doesn't technically play on the wing often or at all.

[Axe Man]

I think with the mids - they kind of have to.

There's only 3 plus a ruckman to be picked inside the middle. Of Bont, Macrae, Petracca, Oliver, Parish, Merrett, Mundy, Martin, Sam Walsh, Libba etc etc....you can't conceivably leave many or any of them out - so they get pushed to wings, bench or sometimes half forward. We would feel Jacko is pretty hard done by if he missed AA selection because he doesn't technically play on the wing often or at all.

Agree it's not straight forward. If you were picking a real side would you opt for Macrae out of position on the wing, or say Ed Langdon who plays wing but is a far lesser player than Jack? I would stick with Jack.

[boydogs]

I would take Hawkins and Naughton over McKay and Walker