The 2024 All Australian team and all the action from the AFL Awards night
Marcus Bontempelli once again was crowned the AFL’s best player, and chosen to lead the AFL’s All-Australian side – but some controversial snubs have fans seething. Have your say.
Marcus Bontempelli has won the captain’s title over Patrick Cripps in the All-Australian side as Melbourne champion Max Gawn took another step towards a claim as the greatest ruck of the modern era.
Hawthorn bolter Massimo D’Ambrosio may have been a favourite with the pundits but his stunning first-season at the Hawks was not enough to demand two wingers in the All-Australian side.
Always a point of contention, the selectors went with just one proper winger this year – Errol Gulden – and named Magpie Nick Daicos on the other side of the field.
D’Ambrosio had been the expected second winger in many predicted teams on the lead in but didn’t make it to the bench either.
Carlton’s Charlie Curnow was an unbackable favourite for the Coleman Medal with only a month left in the season but was edged out by Jesse Hogan and then beaten by Jeremy Cameron and Jake Waterman as marking players in the forward line.
Scroll down to recap all the action from the AFL Awards.
Tristan Xerri faced an uphill climb getting past Max Gawn in the ruck but couldn’t beat the Demons champ and only one big man was chosen.
Essendon’s Zach Merrett may consider himself unlucky to not make the bench, with Adam Treloar and Zak Butters preferred for the final interchange slots.
And Eagle Jeremy McGovern earned a tall defender spot despite West Coast’s poor season, beating out perennial contender Harris Andrews.
The battle to be captain came down to stars Bontempelli and Cripps, who could duke it out for the Brownlow Medal next month, with ‘the Bont’ named skipper and Cripps vice-captain.
The Bulldogs great was earlier voted by the players as the league’s best captain.
Gawn secured the ruck role ahead of North Melbourne man mountain Tristan Xerri.
That was Gawn’s seventh team of the year blazer, a feat no ruck has ever achieved, and only six other players have claimed the gong eight times.
Carlton vice-captain Jacob Weitering ended a run of close misses to earn his first All-Australian honour, named at full-back.
Port Adelaide’s Dan Houston has some consolation for his season-ending suspension as he picked up a second team-of-the-year honour.
Houston’s future at the Power is clouded amid expectation he could seek a trade back to Victoria.
Minor premier Sydney had the most representatives with Isaac Heeney and Chad Warner named on the forward flanks, Gulden on the wing and Nick Blakey in the back pocket.
Jake Waterman’s stunning turnaround from an injury-afflicted 2023 to star forward continued when the West Coast goalkicker was named in the forward pocket, while Hawthorn vice-captain Dylan Moore was named in the opposite pocket, just four years after he was initially delisted by the Hawks.
Coleman medallist Jesse Hogan was slotted in at full-forward.
Brisbane’s Dayne Zorko’s incredible season at half-back was honours with a blazer, while Adam Treloar and Zak Butters edged out stiff competition to be midfielders named on the bench.
More Coverage
Originally published as The 2024 All Australian team and all the action from the AFL Awards night
Through the fire: How Rioli found happiness after ‘very dark days’
Willie Rioli’s best footy comes when he’s happy according to his cousin Dean – but there was serious doubt he’d ever get back here. MATT TURNER tells the Port star’s story of perseverance.
Eight years since Port’s last loss to Sydney: Where are they now?
Port has the wood over Sydney – in fact, the Swans haven’t beaten the Power in eight matches. So where are the players from that Swans win in round 20, 2016, now?