Jon Ralph picks his 2017 All-Australian side and looks at the toughest positions to predict
THERE are plenty of big questions facing this year’s All-Australian selectors. JON RALPH looks at them all before picking his squad of 40 players and his final team.
Jon Ralph
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IT’S not hard to predict the kind of questions the All-Australian committee threw up when they met at AFL House Wednesday afternoon.
What the heck has happened to our forward pocket in Eddie Betts after only 11 goals in two months?
Do Joe Daniher’s 66 hit-outs pinch-hitting in the middle mean we don’t need a second ruck to back up Paddy Ryder?
Where are all the Bulldogs players, because right now even “The Bont” isn’t a threat to the first 22?
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And have we written off Nathan Fyfe’s season too early given he is coming home like a steam train?
The committee will crunch the numbers, argue over the cluster of midfield stars and hope the picture becomes clearer in four weeks.
Then they will release an All Australian squad of 40 before naming the official 22 on Thursday, September 1.
Here is my All-Australian 40 so far — and the unlucky omissions — as well as the team itself.
But questions remain about All-Australian berths that not only affect player contract clauses but can cement their legacy as multiple All Australians.
SO WHO ARE THE ABSOLUTE NO-BRAINERS?
Some players choose themselves — Dustin Martin, Alex Rance, Michael Hurley, Patrick Dangerfield, Dayne Zorko, Patrick Ryder, Joe Daniher, Lance Franklin.
Others can’t be overlooked through incredible numbers — Tom Mitchell, Robbie Gray, Michael Hibberd, Josh Kelly, West Coast’s Josh Kennedy.
Then it gets difficult.
HOW MANY GOOD GAMES DO YOU NEED TO GET INTO THE TEAM?
Gary Ablett has played 12 of the most amazing games you would ever want to see, missed five with injury and had one much-publicised stinker.
But those good games are incredible — second in the competition for average disposals, average clearances, average score involvements, average inside 50s.
He would need to play 17 games for the year — with the last month still incredible — to be All-Australian a ninth time.
Rory Sloane’s best early in the year was mind-blowing but he has been tagged in seven matches.
In those games he has had 18, 11, 23, 14, 19, 8 (concussed mid-match) and 16 possessions.
If he is tagged out of more games he might miss the All-Australian 40, let alone the team.
WHO DO YOU PICK AS YOUR DEFENSIVE INTERCEPTOR?
Jake Lever’s best stuff is extraordinary but Jeremy Howe’s body of work is more extensive.
If we agree Hurley and Rance take up the two key defensive posts, there is room for a third mid-sized tall.
Lever has more intercept marks and possessions, Howe has him for disposals (22.2 a game to 16.4).
But Lever has played only 13 games to Howe’s 17 and with their stats and influence so close, Howe shades Lever right now.
DID ONE TAP SEAL THE RUCK SPOT FOR PATRICK RYDER?
Nope, we think he was already the All-Australian ruckman.
Has provided sublime service to his midfielders, has been consistently excellent with few poor games, and has shown himself to be the complete ruckman.
Brodie Grundy’s around-the-ground stuff probably shades him (18 touches a game) and Sam Jacobs is the AFL’s no. 1 marking ruckman.
But Ryder ticks all the boxes — 17 per cent hitout to advantage rate (ranked third), ranks second for clearances, has kicked eight goals, ranks second for score involvements.
In other words, he does it all and has done so consistently all year.
WHO HAS HAD A BETTER YEAR OUT OF CLAYTON OLIVER AND JACK VINEY?
Jack Viney’s biggest moments have been extraordinary — his 38 touches against West Coast, his early rampage against Port Adelaide.
In an office poll the consensus was you would get Viney to play for your life over Oliver, that Viney’s best stuff is better this year.
Oliver’s stats are stunning — 30 touches a game (Viney 23), 16 contested possessions (Viney 12), seven clearances (Viney 6).
The problem is so much of it is in close — he averages 8 kicks and 22 handballs, only 180 metres gained and has the fourth-lowest metres gained of the top 20 mids.
So what he needs are more games like last week’s 12 inside-50, 12-clearance games to be recognised externally.
Those who have watched every Melbourne game say Oliver would be leading the Demons b-and-f from Michael Hibberd, with Viney well back.
CAN THE ALL AUSTRALIAN HALF FORWARD PLEASE STAND UP?
Dayne Zorko is easy to squeeze onto the half forward line given his 28 goals and attacking flair this year, with Robbie Gray a forward pocket lock.
But when you choose the third small, Eddie Betts’ form has dropped off a cliff and Toby Greene’s year is awesome — but he keeps whacking blokes.
In the first 10 rounds Betts had kicked 31 goals from 52 shots with 15 score assists but he has only 10 goals since, spending last week in hospital.
Greene has 33 goals and is elite for disposals, contested marks, marks inside 50 and has the most score involvements of any forward.
But he has played only 13 games due to suspension and injury and can only play a maximum of 16 given his second week of suspension this week.
Is 16 games enough?
Not normally, but with Betts also stuttering the spot is open, giving Jeff Garlett (37 goals) or Orazio Fantasia (38) the chance to flash home and steal his spot.
JON RALPH’S ALL-AUSTRALIANS
B: Michael Hibberd Alex Rance Rory Laird
HB: Jeremy Howe Michael Hurley Sam Docherty
C: Josh Kelly Patrick Dangerfield (c) Zach Merrett
HF: Dayne Zorko Lance Franklin Toby Greene
F: Robbie Gray Joe Daniher Josh Kennedy (WC)
R: Patrick Ryder Tom Mitchell Dustin Martin
INTER: Trent Cotchin Joel Selwood Gary Ablett Josh Kennedy (Syd)
JON RALPH PREDICTS THE ALL-AUSTRALIAN SQUAD OF 40
BACKS
Michael Hibberd (Melb)
Alex Rance (Rich)
Michael Hurley (Ess)
Rory Laird (Adel)
Zach Tuohy (Geel)
Jeremy Howe (Coll)
Sam Docherty (Carl)
Zach Williams (GWS)
Jake Lever (Adel)
Elliott Yeo (WC)
Jeremy McGovern (WC)
FORWARDS
Joe Daniher (Ess)
Robbie Gray (Port)
Ben Brown (NM)
Josh Kennedy (WC)
Toby Greene (GWS)
Lance Franklin (Syd)
Orazio Fantasia (Ess)
Eddie Betts (Adel)
MIDFIELDERS
Josh Kelly (GWS)
Patrick Dangerfield (Geel)
Zach Merrett (Ess)
Dayne Zorko (Bris)
Shaun Higgins (NM)
Tom Mitchell (Haw)
Joel Selwood (Geel)
Seb Ross (StK)
Matt Crouch (Adel)
Gary Ablett (GC)
Clayton Oliver (Melb)
Jack Viney (Melb)
Josh Kennedy (Syd)
Rory Sloane (Adel)
Trent Cotchin (Rich)
Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
Dylan Shiel (GWS)
Dustin Martin (Rich)
RUCKS
Patrick Ryder (Port)
Brodie Grundy (Coll)
Ben McEvoy (Haw)
Unlucky to be excluded
Marcus Bontempelli (WB)
Sam Jacobs (Adel)
Mitch Duncan (Geel)
Chad Wingard (Port)
Jeremy Cameron (GWS)
Bryce Gibbs (Carl)
Jeff Garlett (Melb)
Nathan Fyfe (Frem)
Neville Jetta (Melb)
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