North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw says Ben Cunnington must be All-Australian in 2019

North Melbourne hardman Ben Cunnington has never made an All-Australian team. In fact, he’s never even made the 40-man squad. That has to change, Roos interim coach Rhyce Shaw says.

It’s time for Ben Cunnington to be an All-Australian, interim North coach Rhyce Shaw says. Picture: AAP

North Melbourne coach Rhyce Shaw says the All-Australian selectors cannot ignore Ben Cunnington’s elite onball work this season.

The hard-nut midfielder has finished top-two in the club’s best and fairest four times, but has never before made the 40-man All-Australian squad.

But the selectors’ snub is certain to end this season with Cunnington enhancing his reputation as one of the league’s finest hard ball winners.

It’s time for Ben Cunnington to be an All-Australian, interim North coach Rhyce Shaw says. Picture: AAP

The clearance king will catapult into the top three players in the AFL Coaches Association awards today, but is still $41 to win the Brownlow Medal with TAB.

Shaw said his blistering form has to be recognised for the first time by the All-Australian selectors at season’s end after once again starring in the win over Collingwood on Saturday night.

“If he’s not in All-Australian consideration then I don’t know what that team is about,” Shaw said on Triple M.

“I don’t like invidualising in front of the team, but I just think Ben Cunnington, he is a freak.”

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Shaw said Cunnington, who turned 28 yesterday and signed a two-year contract extension last week, was one of the best on-ballers he had seen.

“The way he is playing at the moment, I’ve seen some great players play, but he would have to be right up there,” Shaw said.

“He is playing sensation football, he is doing the grunt work for us, he is getting tagged, he is getting heavily hit, he is getting out of trouble and he is still getting his 37 (disposals) and 15 (contested possessions).”