The AFL’s new breed dominates the squad of 44 players in contention to be All-Australians this year.
Twenty-seven of the 44 players have never earned All-Australian selection, including young stars Nick and Josh Daicos (Collingwood), Zak Butters (Port Adelaide), Oscar Allen (West Coast), Tom Green (GWS), Noah Anderson (Gold Coast), Caleb Serong (Fremantle), Jai Newcombe (Hawthorn) and Nick Blakey and Errol Gulden (Sydney).
Demon-turned-Docker Luke Jackson is another player trying to make it for the first time and will compete with Tim English and Rowan Marshall for the ruck spot after a career-best season that vindicated Fremantle’s interest in him.
Usual suspects Marcus Bontempelli, Christian Petracca, Dustin Martin, Patrick Cripps, Toby Greene and Tom Stewart headline the squad, while Hawthorn veteran Luke Breust returns to this company after a 47-goal season.