The best of 2011?

Well, folks. Here it is, the All Australian Squad for season 2011. Tell us who’s in that should be out and who’s out that should be in. And which of the 40 should make it to the final 22?

ALL-AUSTRALIAN SQUAD:
Adelaide: Scott Thompson.
Carlton:
Eddie Betts, Chris Judd, Marc Murphy, Heath Scotland.
Collingwood: Travis Cloke, Leon Davis, Scott Pendlebury, Ben Reid, Dane Swan, Dale Thomas.
Fremantle:
Nathan Fyfe, Luke McPharlin.
Geelong:
Corey Enright, Steve Johnson, James Kelly, Matthew Scarlett, Joel Selwood, Harry Taylor.
Gold Coast:
Gary Ablett.
Hawthorn: Grant Birchall, Lance Franklin, Josh Gibson, Sam Mitchell.
North Melbourne:
Todd Goldstein, Drew Petrie, Andrew Swallow, Daniel Wells.
Richmond: Brett Deledio.
St Kilda: Nick Dal Santo, Sam Fisher, Stephen Milne.
Sydney Swans:
Adam Goodes.
West Coast: Dean Cox, Andrew Embley, Darren Glass, Josh Kennedy, Matthew Priddis.
Western Bulldogs:
Matthew Boyd, Robert Murphy

Comments

  1. I’m rapt to see Bob Murphy in there. Reckon he would’ve got a guernsey years ago if not for injury.

  2. I am happy with the six Collingwood players chosen, Geelong and Hawthorn seem about right although it would be hard to justify not selecting Luke Hodge. I find it very strange that Essendon can reach the final eight without having a single player in the top 40. Surely Watson belongs in the 40 even if the Collingwood, Carlton and Geelong midfielders keep him out of the final 22. Not sure about Stephen Milne but that may just be my prejudice against him.

  3. Am surprised there are so many Geelong players. Have had a very even year with many contributors. think Enright is a given, Kelly is deserving, Johnson has been consistent. Am particularly surprised by Selwood’s inclusion, particularly as he has missed 5 games, and struggled in a few.

  4. Hard to argue against any of those selected (Luke McPharlin perhaps?) but with a bit of thought I’m sure I could come up with a lengthy list of unlucky ones. Watson does seem an obvious one.

    I support Gigs’ opinion about Murphy and that’s coming from someone who always regarded him as supremely talented but inclined to go missing when it really counts. From what I’ve seen of him in 2011, I couldn’t make that criticism any more.

    I’ve been similarly critical of Milne in the past but I’d also support his inclusion on this year’s form. A couple of good finals performances will absolutely confirm it.

  5. Nick Dal Santo is ‘stiff’.

  6. Oh, he’s actually selected..

    Well that ruins a good joke.

  7. Luke McPharlin. Unbeaten all year in a disintegrating team. An obvious selection.

  8. Gee, the All-Australian selectors love their Cats.
    Harry Taylor?

    Pete,
    You could argue that Selwood in fact missed 6 matches, when one
    factors in his first-round knockout in the first five minutes of the game.

  9. Two Hawks backmen selected. That’s pretty good considering going into the season our backline was supposed to be our Achilles heel. And by week 7 or 8 we were down our No. 1 Full Back and Centre Half Back.

    But no Hodge, deary me.

    Cheers

  10. Steve Healy says

    I’ll give it a shot at selecting:

    B Birchall Gibson Fisher
    HB Davis Reid Fyfe
    C Swan Mitchell Priddis
    HF Goodes Franklin M.Murphy
    F S.Johnson Cloke Milne
    Followers Cox Ablett Judd

    Interchange: Goldstein, Thomas, Pendlebury, Boyd

    I think players that were unlucky to be selected were Hodge, Goddard. Watson and Cotchin (Cause Cotchin was way better than Deledio)

  11. Agree, Rick. Shocked by no Hodge.

  12. From an Eagles perspective Priddis is our only ‘lock’. Glass and Cox would be close. Mumford is the only ruckman I have seen beat him this year. I would rate Glass higher than Gibson. Kennedy and Embley’s best were more in the first half of the season. I rate Hodge as the League MVP and he seems to be in that form now. Did he have a slow start or injuries? I can only think that Mumford must have missed games as he has been great whenever I have seen the Swans, which is not that often.

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