The All Australian squad
The announcement of this squad was delayed by a week in light of the Sydney news, but came yesterday afternoon.
What do you reckon, who was unlucky to miss out? The name that came up most strongly online was Harry Sheezel, and fair enough too. Who else? Max Hall? Harley Reid? Billy Frampton?
That squad will be whittled down to a final 23 tonight.
When is a rookie not a rookie?
Ok Dean, I’ll bite. What the heck is the difference between Best Emerging Player, Best First Year and Rising Star?
– Jenny
It’s a good question! And I’m glad someone asked it.
Best Emerging Player goes to the player who is in within two years of making his AFL debut (no age limit) who has the most coach’s votes at the end of the season. I think this will probably be Jagga Smith.
Best First Year player is voted on by the players and, as you can probably imagine, can only go to a player in his first season after being drafted. I imagine this will go to either Harry Dean or Willem Duursma.
The Rising Star is voted on by a specific panel and can go to any player who is a) under the age of 21 at the beginning of the year, b) has played 10 games or fewer at the start of the season and c) receives a nomination in one of the rounds of the season. Jagga Smith is the runaway favourite for this award.
Of the three, the Rising Star is the most prestigious.
A few players are rolling in
Here’s Freo duo Josh Treacy and Luke Jackson, both surely locks for All Australian nods this year.
Also looks like every Rising Star nominee has received an invite, which explains the pictures of Mitch Edwards and Josh Lindsay I have just seen.
Are Sydney’s banned players eligible for the All Australian team?
No, they are not.
The AFL confirmed last week Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, Riley Bice and James Jordon would not be eligible for selection in this year’s All Australian team.
Each of Heeney, Warner and Blakey would have been very, very good bets to have made the team otherwise.
Meanwhile Charlie Curnow, who won this year’s Coleman Medal and is another likely inclusion in the All Australian team, is not expected to attend tonight’s ceremony. Nor are coach Dean Cox or CEO Matthew Pavlich.
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