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2026 Rolling All-Australian Team

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I said it a few weeks ago, and I will say it again.

Wayne Milera from the Adelaide Football Club is putting his name forward for a half back flankers role in the All Australian 2026 team, or a place on the bench.

Don’t ignore his name.
 
I said it a few weeks ago, and I will say it again.

Wayne Milera from the Adelaide Football Club is putting his name forward for a half back flankers role in the All Australian 2026 team, or a place on the bench.

Don’t ignore his name.
Looks really good. Got an early rising star nom against Freo about 7-8 years ago but thought he had failed to live up to that promise. Last couple of Freo vs Crows games he’s been one of the best on.

Love it when unheralded players come good and right now he’s absolutely in my AA squad after seven rounds.
 
Looks really good. Got an early rising star nom against Freo about 7-8 years ago but thought he had failed to live up to that promise. Last couple of Freo vs Crows games he’s been one of the best on.

Love it when unheralded players come good and right now he’s absolutely in my AA squad after seven rounds.
He’s has a few season long knee injuries. Ruptured right patella tendon, PCL and a kneecap over the past 5 years. This is his first year of playing consistently with a healthy body.
 
Who are the AA mids right now? for me:

Daicos, Heeney, Butters, Bont and B.Smith on current form, Sheezel/Finn Callaghan right there as well
 

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Who are the AA mids right now? for me:

Daicos, Heeney, Butters, Bont and B.Smith on current form, Sheezel/Finn Callaghan right there as well

Love Sheez but I think LDU has been more influential so far.
 
Who are the AA mids right now? for me:

Daicos, Heeney, Butters, Bont and B.Smith on current form, Sheezel/Finn Callaghan right there as well

Steele has to be in, if we're naming the side tomorrow.
 
B: Callum Wilkie - Tom Barrass - Josh Worrell
HB: Nick Blakey - Aliir Aliir - Jack Sinclair
C: Bailey Smith - Nick Daicos - Justin McInerney
HF: Zac Bailey - Josh Treacy - Isaac Heeney
F: Nick Watson - Ben King - Jack Gunston
R: Max Gawn - Marcus Bontempelli - Zak Butters
I/C: Kysaiah Pickett - Brodie Grundy - Max Holmes - Lachie Ash - Josh Rachele
 
Premature AA squad of 44 players:

ADE - Josh Worrell - Wayne Milera - Josh Rachele

BRI - Will Ashcroft

CAR - n/a

COL - Nick Daicos - Josh Daicos - Dan Houston

ESS - Archie Roberts

FRE - Jordan Clark - Murphy Reid - Luke Jackson - Josh Treacy

GEE - Max Holmes - Bailey Smith - Shannon Neale

GCS - Bodhi Uwland - Christian Petracca - Ben King

GWS - Lachie Ash - Finn Callaghan

HAW - James Sicily - Jarman Impey - Jai Newcombe - Nick Watson - Jack Gunston

MEL - Max Gawn - Jack Steele - Kysaiah Pickett

NOR - Harry Sheezel - Luke Davies-Uniacke - Nick Larkey

POR - Zak Butters - Jason Horne-Francis - Aliir Aliir

RIC - n/a

STK - Jack Sinclair - Callum Wilkie

SYD - Nick Blakey - Justin McInerney - Isaac Heeney - Brodie Grundy

WCE - n/a

WBD - Bailey Williams - Marcus Bontempelli - Matthew Kennedy - Aaron Naughton
 
Premature AA squad of 44 players:

ADE - Josh Worrell - Wayne Milera - Josh Rachele

BRI - Will Ashcroft

CAR - n/a

COL - Nick Daicos - Josh Daicos - Dan Houston

ESS - Archie Roberts

FRE - Jordan Clark - Murphy Reid - Luke Jackson - Josh Treacy

GEE - Max Holmes - Bailey Smith - Shannon Neale

GCS - Bodhi Uwland - Christian Petracca - Ben King

GWS - Lachie Ash - Finn Callaghan

HAW - James Sicily - Jarman Impey - Jai Newcombe - Nick Watson - Jack Gunston

MEL - Max Gawn - Jack Steele - Kysaiah Pickett

NOR - Harry Sheezel - Luke Davies-Uniacke - Nick Larkey

POR - Zak Butters - Jason Horne-Francis - Aliir Aliir

RIC - n/a

STK - Jack Sinclair - Callum Wilkie

SYD - Nick Blakey - Justin McInerney - Isaac Heeney - Brodie Grundy

WCE - n/a

WBD - Bailey Williams - Marcus Bontempelli - Matthew Kennedy - Aaron Naughton

No Pearce or Barrass? Probably the two best KPD of the season so far.
 

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JL a master coach once again
Best defence in the league and no defenders in peoples AA teams or 1 defender in 44 man squad
Fremantle should have 7 players in the AA starting lineup, same as the previous 3 seasons according to you. I can't wait for the next 50 posts from you sooking about others failing to agree.

Pearce has been mentioned 7 times in this thread, by the way.
 
Who are the AA mids right now? for me:

Daicos, Heeney, Butters, Bont and B.Smith on current form, Sheezel/Finn Callaghan right there as well
Kossie Pickett
 
Yeah the ruck/fwd position is so tricky. I'm not saying he's in now okay, but Thilhorpe could literally get in as a FWD and they could claim him as the forward/ruck.

I just know how the AFL is, plonk another mid in rather than wasting a bench spot on a ruck. Just feel it's UNLIKELY they go two straight out rucks, and Gawn is having near his best season on record so he's a certain selection

Trembath has kicked a similar amount of goals to Thilthorpe and has similar contested mark numbers.

Hes got the highest center square bounce hitout win % and the highest center bounce hitouts to advantage ratio of all players in the comp.

He’s clearly the best relief ruck forward in terms of center square dominance, as he’s better than even full time elite rucks at center bounces. Completely dominated Sam Draper in there last week.

I’m anticipating Clarkson starts using Xerri forward and runs Trembath in center bounces and then they swap after the ball up once Xerri returns next week.

I don’t see how he couldn’t make the squad if he kicks 50+ goals, whilst playing a decent chunk of the game in the ruck and leading the league in 2 actual key ruck stats.
 
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Talking of key defenders, if Harris Andrews keeps in form he will be right there again. He's still behind due to his stupid effort in getting suspended. But his form is still one of the best defenders going around
 
Update after Round 6:

B: J. Worrell, T. Barrass, C. Wilkie
HB: L. Ash, A. Aliir, J. Sinclair
C: B. Smith, Z. Butters, J. McInerney
HF: I. Heeney, J. Treacy, K. Pickett
F: N. Watson, B. King, J. Gunston
R: M. Gawn, N. Daicos, M. Bontempelli
I: B. Grundy, M. Holmes, J. Steele, Z. Merrett, H. Sheezel

In: Z. Merrett, M. Holmes
Out: F. Callaghan, J. Rachele

Very unlucky outs this week - especially Rachele - but I've moved Heeney into the starting side at half forward and Rachele has been squeezed out in a 50/50 call. Sheezel right on the fringe with a few knocking the door down, including teammate LDU. Holmes and Merrett have forced their way in (both unlucky to miss last week) with Callaghan making way after a quieter game.

B: J. Sicily, A. Pearce, J. Impey
HB: W. Milera, T. McCartin, J. Clark
C: C. Serong , L. Davies-Uniacke, J. Daicos
HF: J. Rachele, J. Cameron, J. Ginnivan
F: Z. Bailey, N. Larkey, A. Naughton
R: L. Jackson, W. Ashcroft, F. Callaghan
I: N. Blakey, J. Newcombe, C. Oliver

In: L. Davies-Uniacke, W. Milera, N. Blakey, J. Cameron, J. Impey, T. McCartin, C. Oliver
Out: D. Zorko, T. English, E. Richards, S. Darcy, B. Uwland, R. Lester, S. Bolton

Lots of changes as its still early in the season and so the margins between those in and out are still very small. Some unluckies/some due to missed games but all the ins have absolutely earnt their places.
 
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Update after Round 6:

B: J. Worrell, T. Barrass, C. Wilkie
HB: L. Ash, A. Aliir, J. Sinclair
C: B. Smith, Z. Butters, J. McInerney
HF: I. Heeney, J. Treacy, K. Pickett
F: N. Watson, B. King, J. Gunston
R: M. Gawn, N. Daicos, M. Bontempelli
I: B. Grundy, M. Holmes, J. Steele, Z. Merrett, H. Sheezel

In: Z. Merrett, M. Holmes
Out: F. Callaghan, J. Rachele

Very unlucky outs this week - especially Rachele - but I've moved Heeney into the starting side at half forward and Rachele has been squeezed out in a 50/50 call. Sheezel right on the fringe with a few knocking the door down, including teammate LDU. Holmes and Merrett have forced their way in (both unlucky to miss last week) with Callaghan making way after a quieter game.

B: J. Sicily, A. Pearce, J. Impey
HB: W. Milera, T. McCartin, J. Clark
C: C. Serong , L. Davies-Uniacke, J. Daicos
HF: J. Rachele, J. Cameron, J. Ginnivan
F: Z. Bailey, N. Larkey, A. Naughton
R: L. Jackson, W. Ashcroft, F. Callaghan
I: N. Blakey, J. Newcombe, C. Oliver

In: L. Davies-Uniacke, W. Milera, N. Blakey, J. Cameron, J. Impey, T. McCartin, C. Oliver
Out: D. Zorko, T. English, E. Richards, S. Darcy, B. Uwland, R. Lester, S. Bolton

Lots of changes as its still early in the season and so the margins between those in and out are still very small. Some unluckies/some due to missed games but all the ins have absolutely earnt their places.

Good effort mate. Only thing I’ll say any chance of picking a half forward? Pickett is a full time mid and ditto Heeney. Might as well send half forwards to the glue factory if we just pick mids there
 

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Good effort mate. Only thing I’ll say any chance of picking a half forward? Pickett is a full time mid and ditto Heeney. Might as well send half forwards to the glue factory if we just pick mids there

Yeah, I hear ya. In many ways, I'm trying to apply the same approach as the actual selectors do (which I know is frustrating). I also put Heeney on the bench last week (and Rachele at half forward) to better avoid that problem, acknowledging that Rachele is spending most of his time in the middle as well anyway. Thing is, most half forwards spend very large chunks either playing out of the middle or pushing in there anyway. Pickett, Rachele, Heeney, even guys like Bolton, M. Reid, etc, etc. It seems the role has mostly transitioned to a shared one - and the likes of Pickett and Heeney do spend good chunks drifting forward (and impacting the scoreboard). An added problem is that the players that do play a pure half forward that I might select are from my team and are fringe selections anyway - guys like Ginnivan and C.MacDonald - but I don't want to come across as biased, acknowledging that I don't get to watch every game in full from every team.

Who would you pop in those slots?
 
Yeah, I hear ya. In many ways, I'm trying to apply the same approach as the actual selectors do (which I know is frustrating). I also put Heeney on the bench last week (and Rachele at half forward) to better avoid that problem, acknowledging that Rachele is spending most of his time in the middle as well anyway. Thing is, most half forwards spend very large chunks either playing out of the middle or pushing in there anyway. Pickett, Rachele, Heeney, even guys like Bolton, M. Reid, etc, etc. It seems the role has mostly transitioned to a shared one - and the likes of Pickett and Heeney do spend good chunks drifting forward (and impacting the scoreboard). An added problem is that the players that do play a pure half forward that I might select are from my team and are fringe selections anyway - guys like Ginnivan and C.MacDonald - but I don't want to come across as biased, acknowledging that I don't get to watch every game in full from every team.

Who would you pop in those slots?

Ginnavan for sure it’s no debate no1 half forward/mid this year for mine. The second one is tricky I expect Zac Bailey to have better games than this week to put his hand up. I’d go Rachele as the second and Heeney on the bench which is fine for a mid position. It just drives me postal that half forwards get no chance as it is plonk random mid at half forward. I get Heeney and Pickett have drifted forward but they are both genuine mids this season
 
Ginnavan for sure it’s no debate no1 half forward/mid this year for mine. The second one is tricky I expect Zac Bailey to have better games than this week to put his hand up. I’d go Rachele as the second and Heeney on the bench which is fine for a mid position. It just drives me postal that half forwards get no chance as it is plonk random mid at half forward. I get Heeney and Pickett have drifted forward but they are both genuine mids this season

Yep, good calls (I have Ginnivam, Bailey and Rachele in my 2nd side right now), noting that I think the selectors will go with those I've named as they tend to do.
 
Yep, good calls (I have Ginnivam, Bailey and Rachele in my 2nd side right now), noting that I think the selectors will go with those I've named as they tend to do.

Hopefully with the extra bloke on the bench they actually pick some half forwards. You can pick two extra mids on the bench as well you won't need a second ruck after Gawn really
 
Hopefully with the extra bloke on the bench they actually pick some half forwards. You can pick two extra mids on the bench as well you won't need a second ruck after Gawn really

I suppose not - but I think the 5th man certainly allows for the extra ruck - as a number of teams seem to run with - and I reckon Grundy has probably earnt a top 23 spot. As a Sydney supporter, do you agree? (Noting I thought he was pretty close last year too)
 
I suppose not - but I think the 5th man certainly allows for the extra ruck - as a number of teams seem to run with - and I reckon Grundy has probably earnt a top 23 spot. As a Sydney supporter, do you agree? (Noting I thought he was pretty close last year too)

In isolation yes, and he'd be deserving but I'll say this and they have said this for a few years, in a real game are you playing Gawn and Grundy together lol, Melbourne tried that. I'd rather just pick the best one and then the best second ruck (Jackson the front runner but Thilhorpe is a huge shot)
 

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