All Australian

Chrizzt

Norm Smith Medallist
Aug 17, 2009
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Let me get this straight, Port Adelaide is the top ranked team with the stingiest defence in the league and our only representation in the final AA defence is maybe DBJ? Seems legit.
Half our defensive ability stems from our midfield pressure, and the other half is the collective defence of Jonas, Clurey, Mackenzie, and Hartlett and the rebounding of DBJ and Burton/Bonner/Mayes.

Jonas may miss out due to being part of a stunningly good back 6.
 
Half our defensive ability stems from our midfield pressure, and the other half is the collective defence of Jonas, Clurey, Mackenzie, and Hartlett and the rebounding of DBJ and Burton/Bonner/Mayes.

Jonas may miss out due to being part of a stunningly good back 6.
When the 'collective defence' includes the club captain. The credit needs to go to the leader.
 
As I can't say I have religiously watched all 153 games I wont try and pick the side but its interesting to see who they have included and look at what positions they dominantly play in, to try to work out who from Port might get in and who might sneak in. I have put goals in brackets for mid fielders and forwards

For me Boak and Dixon should be certainties given their year and where they play and who they are competing against.

Can't see Butters getting ahead of Ryan, Papely or Butler.

DBJ probably misses out because they will probably slot in 2 or 3 tall defenders in and only have 1 small defender.

The bold midfielders are blokes who go forward and kick goals but play majority of time in the middle. Guys like Neale have kicked goals but that's from stoppages and general play rather than going forward like Danger and Dusty etc.

KPD's
Andrews, Weitering, Moore, Haynes - Will pick at least 2 of these 4

Tall Defenders
Ridley, Blicavs, Jonas, Grimes, Vlastuin - Will pick 2 or 3 of these 5

Small defenders
Maynard, Ryan, Byrne-Jones, Sheppard, Daniel - Will pick 1 or 2 of these 5

Ruck
Gawn (1), Naitanui (5) - Will pick both of these

Wing
Menegola (13), Gaff (5), Macrae (3) - Menegola is a lock. maybe pick 1 of the other 2.

Midfielders
McCluggage (7), Neale (11), Adams (8), Pendlebury (1), Fyfe (10), Dangerfield (11)
Guthrie (5), Oliver (3), Petracca (15), Boak (8), Martin (15), Steele (10), Bontempelli (11)
- Will pick at least 5, and up to 9 of these 13


Small forwards
Butters (11), Butler (27), Papely (26), Ryan (25) - Will pick 1 or 2 of these 4

Tall forwards
Taberner (29), Gunston (31) - Will pick 1 of these 2

KPF's
Hawkins (42), Dixon (32) - Will pick both these players
 

Byron!!!

Club Legend
Mar 18, 2012
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The media having a boner over Andrews, Moore and to a lesser extent Weitering all year is Jonas' biggest competition.

But in a media free world he should absolutely be AA captain.

When you play in a defense that is under the pump all the time it is easy to stand out. Like Walsh getting lots of touches in a team that is rubbish.


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Byron!!!

Club Legend
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Is anyone else amused at the AFL having it as the 40 person AA squad rather than 40 man squad? Seems so AFL to ensure gender neutral language in a team that can only have males, whilst letting Collingwood keep playing De Goey. Never change AFL, never change.

On the squad, this is excellent. I expect only Boak and Dixon to make the cut. DBJ and Jonas will fall to the 'if in doubt leave the non-Victorian team player out' toss of the coins for in or out.

Butters getting recognition will stand him in good stead for subsequent years, for the 'he's been average this year, but we know his name from previous earlier good years, let's pick him' couple of picks that happen every year.

Now days biological males are allowed to identify as other than male (and in some countries legally one has to call them as they wish) so that would be the reason.


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Byron!!!

Club Legend
Mar 18, 2012
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He should be there as an intercepting third tall in my opinion, so his typical competition should be with your Jeremy McGoverns, Nick Haynes, Jake Levers etc. In a real defence he should coexist very easily with a couple taller lockdown defenders.

I think his best hope for All Australian is that the decision is essentially:
2 of Weitering / Andrews / Moore
2 of Jonas / Haynes / Blicavs / Ridley

Every team in reality plays 7 defenders and Jonas really should be the hybrid 4th tall/1st small.


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2006_Eagles

Brownlow Medallist
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Lmao Butters doing what he does best - getting under peoples skin. Keep going you good thing!

f5d.gif
 
Indeed. I think Jonas' points of difference are his versatility and leadership.

Destroyed smalls, talls and everything in between. Performed in lockdown roles, performed in floating intercepting roles, and led his team as captain through COVID to #1.

Carn
 

MrChow

Club Legend
Jun 24, 2015
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Half our defensive ability stems from our midfield pressure, and the other half is the collective defence of Jonas, Clurey, Mackenzie, and Hartlett and the rebounding of DBJ and Burton/Bonner/Mayes.

Jonas may miss out due to being part of a stunningly good back 6.

Also most teams play with 7 defenders, yet All Australian team usually puts midfielders (and maybe a second ruck) in those bench spots.

7 defenders would probs allow for either or both of DBJ and Jonas.




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Sep 3, 2002
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Now days biological males are allowed to identify as other than male (and in some countries legally one has to call them as they wish) so that would be the reason.
Yes, I have no problem with transgender rights and the AFL potentially ahead of any player willing to make that choice. My comment was aimed at the AFL doing the easy and no doubt basking in their wokeness, whilst at the same time allowing someone charged with a sex offense to play, as in the 'too hard to confront Eddie basket'.
 
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