2026 Rolling All-Australian Team

[SSSSSS]

I’d have Ward ahead of Newcombe right now, but neither in the side. No doubt Newcombe goes close if he plays the whole year but right now I couldn’t have him in as a mid.

The one everyone is sleeping on is Ginnavan. I’d have zero issue if he was named at half forward in the AA side right now

I don't think even Ward's mother would have Ward ahead of Newcombe at the moment.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I don't think even Ward's mother would have Ward ahead of Newcombe at the moment.

Overall no but we talking this season right.

 

[SSSSSS]

Overall no but we talking this season right.

Both.

Newcombe on the right.

 

[SSSSSS]

From a Crows perspective, I think Wayne Milera should be in serious consideration for a place on the half back flank or the interchange bench.

He will fly under the radar of most fabs, especially in a conversation like an All Australian side but in 2026 he is slowly putting together a very good season as both a defender and as a ball winner. He should be in this discussion.

I always feel like it takes two seasons of excellence for these lesser name defenders to finally get recognised with a blazer.

It's a good shout though. Milera has been great. I always felt he teased on his potential but he has really stepped up in 2026.

 

[Sucker for Trade Period]

Wilkie (STK) Pearce (FRE) Worrell (ADE)

Sicily (HAW) McCartin (SYD) Sinclair (STK)

Smith (GEE) Heeney (SYD) Holmes (GEE)

Bailey (BL) Treacy (FRE) Rachele (ADE)

Gunston (HAW) King (GC) Watson (HAW)

Gawn (MEL) Serong (FRE) N.Daicos (COL)

Grundy (SYD) Pickett (MEL) Butters (PA) Bontempelli (WB) McInerney (SYD)

*Zorko probably would have been in but his injury makes his inclusion redundant. Petracca probably also in on output but hasn't played enough games.

 

[Kavliaris69]

Newcombe wouldn't be in. I would have thought Hawthorn would have 3 definites at this stage Gunston, Watson and Barrass.
Ginnivan would be a possible but half forward has become an important position where some of the best players are. He isn't ahead of Heeney and probably not Bailey

I had Ginni as emergency.

 

[bungalow_bill]

Parker has been immense off the HB line for North..

Yep had a brilliant game v lions.

 

[Guardian Hawk]

Overall no but we talking this season right.

I still think there is a fair gap between the 2 this season. Newcombe got best on from both coaches on the weekend again and is top 10 in the comp for coaches votes (with 2 best ons and votes in another). Ward is yet to receive a single vote.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

I still think there is a fair gap between the 2 this season. Newcombe got best on from both coaches on the weekend again and is top 10 in the comp for coaches votes (with 2 best ons and votes in another). Ward is yet to receive a single vote.

I tend to not look at votes/stats, and rather just dot down who I personally thought was best. I recon it''s been 2 years since I looked at stats, just know that they can be made to look better than they are all the time. I had Ward getting votes in 2 games, had Newcombe in 2 but less votes for mine. It's close, but really neither should be near these sides yet anyway. I fully expect in a month Newcombe to be in there he's a gun but right now it's a no.

 

[joe444]

Holmes probably deserves a spot on the bench; not sure he's a starter.

Smith continues to be knocked for his disposal; perhaps the eye deceives but he's been better this year than last.

Watson has nice highlights but goes missing too long for an AA spot, especially when you can pick the less sexy but more useful Max Hall. Or Murphy Reid.

 

[LukeParkerno1]

Holmes probably deserves a spot on the bench; not sure he's a starter.

Smith continues to be knocked for his disposal; perhaps the eye deceives but he's been better this year than last.

Watson has nice highlights but goes missing too long for an AA spot, especially when you can pick the less sexy but more useful Max Hall. Or Murphy Reid.

Reid isn't really playing as a forward this year, I know these selectors are nitwits, but boy I hate this plonking blokes where they are not playing, the bloke is going at 25 plus possessions or something, he's doing the mid role. Watson will be there, he's on track for 40 plus as a small forward, that gets in any AA side basically. Nearly the Hawks most influencial player in a top 4 side.

Smith should be on the bench, can bag his disposal but he's been a stack better this year. He won't get in but O'Connor could get in the squad/team over the next few years, quietly building.

Tell you another that's ultra close and it's from your side and that's Bowes. Having a stunning start to the season. He's on the cusp.

 

[Sphynx]

Good side - Ashcroft was my unluckiest player so good call (McInereny has had a great start and should be in though - especially as a true winger).

I didn't go for Sicily as my side already has 4 talls - competing with Worrell and Wilkie for me and I think those two have been a fraction better so far.

Love Ginni and didn't include as I didn't want to appear biased - plus a few half forwards have had incredible starts - Rachele, Pickett (Heeney if you count him), I'd have Ginni next (like you) but then there is S. Bolton, Z. Bailey, C. MacDonald and even Murphy Reid has been impressive.

Newcombe is my favourite player but I left him out for similar reasons as Ginni (didn't want to be biased and the midfield slots are highly competitive) - your side has 6 Hawks feels which probably feels a little too much to me. He's be in the squad but not the side for me...

Speaking of which, maybe I should complete my squad of 44...

Ashcroft had the worst disposal use rating over a 4 game period in a decade in his 4 games to start the season.

He is absolutely nowhere near this side to this point, unless you simply look at disposals and his name.

People are regurgitating the same names as other sides/previous years with recognised bias, I've barely read the following, who should all be in the conversation (as a minimum) to this point:

Justin McInerney
Max Hall
Kade Chandler
Jake Stringer
Cooper Trembath
Brodie Grundy
Bodhi Uwland
Luke Parker
Connor Idun
Wayne Milera
Jack Steele
Clayton Oliver
Sam Walsh
Jack Crisp
LDU

 

[hawkman]

Holmes probably deserves a spot on the bench; not sure he's a starter.

Smith continues to be knocked for his disposal; perhaps the eye deceives but he's been better this year than last.

Watson has nice highlights but goes missing too long for an AA spot, especially when you can pick the less sexy but more useful Max Hall. Or Murphy Reid.

Reid has kicked 3 goals. He isn't taking an AA forward spot when he isn't kicking regular goals

Hall is averaging 17.8 disposals 1.4 goals and 0.8 goal assists while Watson is going at 15.4 disposals, 2.2 goals and 1.2 goal assists. No one sensible is putting Hall above Watson currently

 

[Guardian Hawk]

Holmes probably deserves a spot on the bench; not sure he's a starter.

Smith continues to be knocked for his disposal; perhaps the eye deceives but he's been better this year than last.

Watson has nice highlights but goes missing too long for an AA spot, especially when you can pick the less sexy but more useful Max Hall. Or Murphy Reid.

Holmes pretty unlucky the last 2 years (esp. 2025) and is probably on the fringes again right now. Could see him being rewarded this year with only a slight uptick on current performance this season.

Smith has been doing enough IMO - sometimes iffy disposal but gets enough of it that he still has plenty of touches that hurt the opposition - death by a thousand cuts - a bit like Dane Swan at his peak.

Other people have begun to mention but Max Hall/Murphy Reid do not play the same position as Nick Watson. Watson is a true forward pocket while Hall and Reid are high half forwards that spend a lot of the time in the midfield. All forward pockets 'go missing' at times - even the elite ones like Betts/Milne/etc. It's the nature of the role of playing deep that you are not constantly involved in the play in the same way that a midfielder or high half forward is.

Despite this, Watson has been averaging over 15 touches a game - which for a small forward is very involved (Eddie Betts career high is 13 touches a game - in his AA years and Milne got 15 touches a game once in his career - when St. Kilda drew the GF). At Watson's current average, he is on track to kick 50+ goals this season (Murphy Reid on track to kick 14 for the year and Hall 24). Things may well change of course, but at this point of the season, Watson has kicked the most goals of any small forward, the most goals + assists of any small forward and has the most coaches votes of any small forward. With all of that said, would not be unusual for the selectors to put Pickett, Rachele or even Bolton there instead, despite all 3 spending most of their time in the midfield.

 

[KissKiss]

Holmes pretty unlucky the last 2 years (esp. 2025) and is probably on the fringes again right now. Could see him being rewarded this year with only a slight uptick on current performance this season.

Smith has been doing enough IMO - sometimes iffy disposal but gets enough of it that he still has plenty of touches that hurt the opposition - death by a thousand cuts - a bit like Dane Swan at his peak.

Other people have begun to mention but Max Hall/Murphy Reid do not play the same position as Nick Watson. Watson is a true forward pocket while Hall and Reid are high half forwards that spend a lot of the time in the midfield. All forward pockets 'go missing' at times - even the elite ones like Betts/Milne/etc. It's the nature of the role of playing deep that you are not constantly involved in the play in the same way that a midfielder or high half forward is.

Despite this, Watson has been averaging over 15 touches a game - which for a small forward is very involved (Eddie Betts career high is 13 touches a game - in his AA years and Milne got 15 touches a game once in his career - when St. Kilda drew the GF). At Watson's current average, he is on track to kick 50+ goals this season (Murphy Reid on track to kick 14 for the year and Hall 24). Things may well change of course, but at this point of the season, Watson has kicked the most goals of any small forward, the most goals + assists of any small forward and has the most coaches votes of any small forward. With all of that said, would not be unusual for the selectors to put Pickett, Rachele or even Bolton there instead, despite all 3 spending most of their time in the midfield.

Agree at this point Watson is competing (and front runner) for the pocket spot with guys like Dudley and Lohman.

Reid, Rachele, Hall are going for flank spots. Which is more likely competing with guys like Heeney, Petracca and Bailey

 

[BarbieITFC]

Reid has kicked 3 goals. He isn't taking an AA forward spot when he isn't kicking regular goals

Hall is averaging 17.8 disposals 1.4 goals and 0.8 goal assists while Watson is going at 15.4 disposals, 2.2 goals and 1.2 goal assists. No one sensible is putting Hall above Watson currently

Just to be clear - I don't think there's a Freo fan that would argue that Reid is in AA contention. We're just super happy he's not suffering from a second season drop. I have no doubt he'll have multiple AAs by the end of his career and maybe even a Brownlow; but he's got plenty of time for that.

As someone else said, if there's anyone who's challenging Watson for a spot in the team, it's Dudley - but he's only close on goals not on any other metric.

But this is the AA team, so don't be surprised if the selectors put Bolton into a small forward spot ahead of Watson - even though he's playing most of his time as a midfielder.

 

[BarbieITFC]

Ashcroft had the worst disposal use rating over a 4 game period in a decade in his 4 games to start the season.

He is absolutely nowhere near this side to this point, unless you simply look at disposals and his name.

People are regurgitating the same names as other sides/previous years with recognised bias, I've barely read the following, who should all be in the conversation (as a minimum) to this point:

Justin McInerney
Max Hall
Kade Chandler
Jake Stringer
Cooper Trembath
Brodie Grundy
Bodhi Uwland
Luke Parker
Connor Idun
Wayne Milera
Jack Steele
Clayton Oliver
Sam Walsh
Jack Crisp
LDU

Some decent shouts in there - but let's be clear there isn't a single person outside of the North fanbase who is seriously suggesting Trembath or LDU are anywhere near the AA Squad let alone the team. Parker maybe for the squad, but the other two - no chance.

Even putting aside past squads/teams - and there's no doubt it does introduce bias - there are 9 seasoned tall forwards who have kicked more than Trembath (King, Gunston, Larkey, Naughton, Georgiades, Treacy, Neale, Darcy and Amarty). And then you have the likes of Allen, Waterman, Curnow, Thilthorpe, McKay and Cameron who are all on the same or within a goal of Trembath. If you filled the AA team with just tall forwards, Trembath might get a seat on the Subs bench.

 

[Sphynx]

Some decent shouts in there - but let's be clear there isn't a single person outside of the North fanbase who is seriously suggesting Trembath or LDU are anywhere near the AA Squad let alone the team. Parker maybe for the squad, but the other two - no chance.

Even putting aside past squads/teams - and there's no doubt it does introduce bias - there are 9 seasoned tall forwards who have kicked more than Trembath (King, Gunston, Larkey, Naughton, Georgiades, Treacy, Neale, Darcy and Amarty). And then you have the likes of Allen, Waterman, Curnow, Thilthorpe, McKay and Cameron who are all on the same or within a goal of Trembath. If you filled the AA team with just tall forwards, Trembath might get a seat on the Subs bench.

People have Harry Sheezel in sides.

LDU has been a lot better than Harry if you don't look solely at the disposal count.

If LDU is nowhere near the side, then neither is Caleb Serong, as they have virtually identical stat lines this year.

Also, I said "in the conversation"

And you can reel off as many names as you like,

The impartial player ratings have the KPF rankings so far this season as:

1. Treacy
2. Larkey
3. Trembath
4. Gunston
5. Thilthorpe

The only one that plays in the ruck of those 5 is Trembath....

And he has the highest center square win % in the league for all players and one of the highest hit outs to advantage rates.

Trembath is statistically a better ruckman than 210cm Sam Darcy so far because the new rules allow him to use that leap of his in the center bounces. They ruck a similar amount too..

He takes more contested marks than almost all those names.

But sure, he's not in the conversation because he's kicked 2 less goals across 5 games than Treacy and Darcy.

 

[BarbieITFC]

People have Harry Sheezel in sides.

LDU has been a lot better than Harry if you don't look solely at the disposal count.

If LDU is nowhere near the side, then neither is Caleb Serong, as they have virtually identical stat lines this year.

Also, I said "in the conversation"

And you can reel off as many names as you like,

The impartial player ratings have the KPF rankings so far this season as:

1. Treacy
2. Larkey
3. Trembath
4. Gunston
5. Thilthorpe

The only one that plays in the ruck of those 5 is Trembath....

And he has the highest center square win % in the league for all players and one of the highest hit outs to advantage rates.

Trembath is statistically a better ruckman than 210cm Sam Darcy so far because the new rules allow him to use that leap of his in the center bounces. They ruck a similar amount too..

He takes more contested marks than almost all those names.

But sure, he's not in the conversation because he's kicked 2 less goals across 5 games than Treacy and Darcy.

I appreciate it's been a while since North had anything to shout about - but for the sake of your own sanity and wearing out your keyboard, my advice is save your energy to focus on arguing about whether Trembath should win rising star rather than AA selection.

There's a good chance you have uncovered a gem, but slow down - whilst Darcy may be cashing in media hype tickets he hasn't quite earned yet, you are not going to win any argument if your premise is that a 10-game mid season rookie should be considered in the same conversation.

As for your LDU vs Serong comparison - any Freo fan will tell you that five games into the season, Serong is probably not performing at AA level to date. It probably goes Treacy, Jackson, Pearce, Bolton, Clark and then Serong in terms of who I would see as in AA conversation from Freo.

 

[Mr Meow]

Holmes pretty unlucky the last 2 years (esp. 2025) and is probably on the fringes again right now. Could see him being rewarded this year with only a slight uptick on current performance this season.

Smith has been doing enough IMO - sometimes iffy disposal but gets enough of it that he still has plenty of touches that hurt the opposition - death by a thousand cuts - a bit like Dane Swan at his peak.

Other people have begun to mention but Max Hall/Murphy Reid do not play the same position as Nick Watson. Watson is a true forward pocket while Hall and Reid are high half forwards that spend a lot of the time in the midfield. All forward pockets 'go missing' at times - even the elite ones like Betts/Milne/etc. It's the nature of the role of playing deep that you are not constantly involved in the play in the same way that a midfielder or high half forward is.

Despite this, Watson has been averaging over 15 touches a game - which for a small forward is very involved (Eddie Betts career high is 13 touches a game - in his AA years and Milne got 15 touches a game once in his career - when St. Kilda drew the GF). At Watson's current average, he is on track to kick 50+ goals this season (Murphy Reid on track to kick 14 for the year and Hall 24). Things may well change of course, but at this point of the season, Watson has kicked the most goals of any small forward, the most goals + assists of any small forward and has the most coaches votes of any small forward. With all of that said, would not be unusual for the selectors to put Pickett, Rachele or even Bolton there instead, despite all 3 spending most of their time in the midfield.

Holmes had to be very, very close for halfbacks in 2024 and midfielders in 2025.

In 2025 you already had 2 pairs of midfielders from the same side - 3 if you recognise Zac Bailey's significant midfield time. Maybe Smith inadvertently bumped Holmes out.

In any case, Max as a halfback/mid the past 2 seasons won 2 BnFs for a strong team (ahead of elite Cameron, Smith seasons) and 161 coaches votes. He certainly has some of that "previous strong season" fairydust behind him if it's a close call again.

 

[Sphynx]

I appreciate it's been a while since North had anything to shout about - but for the sake of your own sanity and wearing out your keyboard, my advice is save your energy to focus on arguing about whether Trembath should win rising star rather than AA selection.

There's a good chance you have uncovered a gem, but slow down - whilst Darcy may be cashing in media hype tickets he hasn't quite earned yet, you are not going to win any argument if your premise is that a 10-game mid season rookie should be considered in the same conversation.

As for your LDU vs Serong comparison - any Freo fan will tell you that five games into the season, Serong is probably not performing at AA level to date. It probably goes Treacy, Jackson, Pearce, Bolton, Clark and then Serong in terms of who I would see as in AA conversation from Freo.

Jesus, calm down. Nobody is stealing your airspace for god sake.

I listed a bunch of names, as the general football fan is generally stupid and has recency bias.

Case in point - "you are not going to win any argument if your premise is that a 10-game mid season rookie should be considered in the same conversation"


The above statement is largely irrelvant, the AA side is, but shouldn't be picked on "who you are", but rather "how you are playing". You seem guilty of that same star bias by the looks.

And it's not even because it's Trembath. Darcy is absolutely nowhere near the AA side at this point.


I don't see you advocating for Max Hall, another MSD pick, who has frankly been equally, if not better than most of the bigger names mentioned in half forward spots. Hall is basically the best pressure player in the competition, is on track for 30+ goals at almost 18 disposals a game.

He's also statistically one of the most damaging ball users in the entire league.

Stop looking at the back of the newspaper for your stats and get informed of how well some players are actually playing.

 

[BarbieITFC]

Jesus, calm down. Nobody is stealing your airspace for god sake.

I listed a bunch of names, as the general football fan is generally stupid and has recency bias.

Case in point - "you are not going to win any argument if your premise is that a 10-game mid season rookie should be considered in the same conversation"


The above statement is largely irrelvant, the AA side is, but shouldn't be picked on "who you are", but rather "how you are playing". You seem guilty of that same star bias by the looks.

And it's not even because it's Trembath. Darcy is absolutely nowhere near the AA side at this point.


I don't see you advocating for Max Hall, another MSD pick, who has frankly been equally, if not better than most of the bigger names mentioned in half forward spots. Hall is basically the best pressure player in the competition, is on track for 30+ goals at almost 18 disposals a game.

He's also statistically one of the most damaging ball users in the entire league.

Stop looking at the back of the newspaper for your stats and get informed of how well some players are actually playing.

I didn't mention Max Hall because I specifically said 'Tall' forwards rather than general/small forwards. I've only seen a bit of the Saints this year but I was impressed by Hall.

I only mentioned Darcy because you compared Trembath with him - and I agree with you, Darcy is nowhere near the AA side either.

And you didn't just list a bunch of names, you've been banging the drum for Trembath across a whole range of threads. I really like the look of him - and I'm not planning to go around all of the other threads talking him down because he is worthy of discussion in the rising star thread and the best young forward thread.

I was picking you up on advocating for him in this thread. If we assume that there are at most three TALL forwards included in the AA team, then most rational observers would say that Trembath wouldn't be 'in the conversation' for the 1st/2nd/3rd/4th AA team due to the names I listed.

To repeat myself, I think you've potentially unearthed a gem in Trembath - but I'll leave it there.

 

[PhatBoy]

Reid isn't really playing as a forward this year, I know these selectors are nitwits, but boy I hate this plonking blokes where they are not playing, the bloke is going at 25 plus possessions or something, he's doing the mid role. Watson will be there, he's on track for 40 plus as a small forward, that gets in any AA side basically. Nearly the Hawks most influencial player in a top 4 side.

Smith should be on the bench, can bag his disposal but he's been a stack better this year. He won't get in but O'Connor could get in the squad/team over the next few years, quietly building.

Tell you another that's ultra close and it's from your side and that's Bowes. Having a stunning start to the season. He's on the cusp.

Bowes has become a real reliable contributor most weeks, a good finisher when he gets the ball close to goal - contrary to a lot of our players who’s finishing has really dropped off - and most importantly he’s become a player who as they say, makes his touches count even if he doesn’t get a whole stack of them.

I don’t think we are going to be pushing too hard for a flag this year but the one thing that gives us an outside chance is the fact that Neale could possibly continue to improve, coupled with the addition of Bruhn and Bowes playing the way they have been. If our other recognised ‘good players’ (Holmes, Smith, Cameron, Dempsey, Miers, Stewart, Stengle when he returns, Atkins, and to an extent Guthrie if he can find form) play their best footy and we can squeeze every last drop out of Dangerfield and Blicavs then it gives us some sort of outside chance.

 

[Daniel6]

I always feel like it takes two seasons of excellence for these lesser name defenders to finally get recognised with a blazer.

It's a good shout though. Milera has been great. I always felt he teased on his potential but he has really stepped up in 2026.

Yeah, agree with the 2 year thing.

 

[Kobe Gryant]

Reid isn't really playing as a forward this year, I know these selectors are nitwits, but boy I hate this plonking blokes where they are not playing, the bloke is going at 25 plus possessions or something, he's doing the mid role. Watson will be there, he's on track for 40 plus as a small forward, that gets in any AA side basically. Nearly the Hawks most influencial player in a top 4 side.

Smith should be on the bench, can bag his disposal but he's been a stack better this year. He won't get in but O'Connor could get in the squad/team over the next few years, quietly building.

Tell you another that's ultra close and it's from your side and that's Bowes. Having a stunning start to the season. He's on the cusp.

Bowes? Really? He's played just the two games, and they've been pretty good, but I wouldn't call them AA worthy.

He's just bringing more of what he's always brought IMO. He's a solid role player who plugs holes for us week to week, but that's where it starts and ends

Are you sure you don't mean Bruhn? Of the two, he's the one who actually looks to have taken his game up a gear or three, and his form in every game would at least somewhat warrant being on the fringes of conversations like these.

I don't think either deserves to be in FWIW, but Bruhn would be a heck of a lot closer than Bowes for mine.