All-Australian team 2016: five Sydney Swans win selection, GWS snare two

MINOR premiers Sydney further cemented their AFL domination when a record five Swans were named in the All-Australian team. SEE THE FULL TEAM

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MINOR premiers Sydney further cemented their AFL domination last night when a record five Swans players were named in the year’s All-Australian team.

All five of their nominations in the original 40-strong shortlist, Lance Franklin, Josh Kennedy, Luke Parker, Dane Rampe and Dan Hannebery, made the 22-man team of the season’s best players.

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The GWS Giants made sure NSW provided almost one third of the team with their first multiple selections for the first time with Heath Shaw going back to back and Toby Greene one of the big surprises.

But Swans midfielder and Brownlow Medal hopeful Luke Parker has warned rival clubs the Bloods weren’t interested in reflecting on their individual success, “we are focused on winning finals.”

Sydney’s All-Australians (from left) Dane Rampe, Luke Parker, Dan Hannebery, Josh Kennedy and Lance Franklin. Picture: Mark Evans

And that will start with the Swans’ historic qualifying final against the fourth-placed Giants at ANZ Stadium next Saturday.

Gun Swans forward Franklin has emerged from a career-best year to earn his sixth All-Australian selection and second in his three years in the Harbour City, following selections in 2008, 2010, 2011 and 2014.

“It’s really special to share this with four of my teammates,” Franklin told the Daily Telegraph.

“To get five blokes in the All Australian team in one year is an unbelievable effort, it’s a credit to everyone.”

Dane Rampe is a first-time All-Australian.

Lance Franklin is a six-time All-Australian.

Kennedy has continued his remarkable highly consistent career. He has been nominated for All-Australian honours in each of the past five years and earned selection in 2012 and 2014.

Hannebery has now been named in three of the last four teams.

Rampe earned his first All Australian selection alongside Parker, who was nominated in 2014 and suffered a broken leg last year.

“It’s very exciting,” Parker said.

“It’s very special to be able to share this with my teammates it shows how consistent they have been, not just this year but over a number of years. It’s great that none of our five nominated players missed out. We’ll enjoy this together.”

As happy as Parker was to claim the award he also emphasised he and his teammates have their focus on a bigger prize and AFL premiership.

“It’s a nice reward to be recognised that you are playing at a high standard and consistently,” Parker said.

“Hopefully we can reflect on this more at the end of the year, we are focused on winning finals.”

The Swans have had four players picked two previous All-Australian teams. Franklin, Kennedy, Nick Smith and Nick Malceski were selected in 2014 while Paul Roos, Michael O’Loughlin, captain Paul Kelly and Daryn Cresswell headlined the side in 1997.

While the five selections was a record for the Swans, Geelong’s 2007 premiership-winning team had nine players in the All-Australian team including Sydney football manager Tom Harley.

ALL-AUSTRALIAN TEAM 2016

B: Dane Rampe (Syd), Alex Rance (Rich), Jeremy McGovern (WCE)

HB: Heath Shaw (GWS), Daniel Talia (Adel), Corey Enright (Geel)

C: Dan Hannebery (Syd), Josh Kennedy (Syd), Rory Sloane (Adel) (VC)

HF: Toby Greene (GWS), Lance Franklin (Syd), Cyril Rioli (Haw)

F: Eddie Betts (Adel), Josh Kennedy (WCE), Tom Lynch (GCS)

Foll: Max Gawn (Melb), Patrick Dangerfield (Geel), Joel Selwood (Geel) (C)

I/C: Marcus Bontempelli (WB), Matthew Boyd (WB), Dustin Martin (Rich), Luke Parker (Syd)

Heath Shaw was named at half-back in the 2016 All-Australian team. Picture: Michael Klein

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Originally published as All-Australian team 2016: five Sydney Swans win selection, GWS snare two