Jack Steele, Brayden Maynard among new faces in Mark Robinson’s mid-season All-Australian team

Darcy Moore has been outstanding in defence for Collingwood but he’s not in Mark Robinson’s mid-year All-Australian team. Why? See who made the team instead and have your say.

Mark Robinson's mid-year 2020 All-Australian team.

It’s a crazy season, so we’re borrowing a line from Bob Dylan.

So, come gather ’round people, wherever you roam …

That’s the footy to the halfway mark of the season.

In this cluster muck, we’ve gathered at home as the footballers have roamed far and wide and everything before us and them “is a changing”.

So, too, are potential All-Australian spots.

Who would have thought at the start of the season the likes of Jacob Weitering, Brayden Maynard and Caleb Daniel would unseat the likes of Jeremy McGovern and Bachar Houli from defence?

Or the Patties — Cripps and Dangerfield — and Nathan Fyfe wouldn’t get a spot in the midfield.

The Cats champ makes the team on the bench, but Port’s Travis Boak, Melbourne’s Christian Petracca and Brisbane’s Lachie Neale get the gigs in the centre square.

With Max Gawn as the ruck.

St Kilda’s Jack Steele makes the bench. The bum-down, head-up midfielder is running third in the coaches award.

His consistency gets him a spot. And the fact he curtails the opposition’s best midfielder, while winning the ball himself.

He is one of the competition’s most valuable players.

Kayo is your ticket to the 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership Season. Watch every match of every round Live & On-Demand. New to Kayo? Get your 14-day free trial & start streaming instantly >

Caleb Daniel is an elite ball-user coming out of the backline.

The backline has three relative newbies.

The Bulldogs’ Daniel the distributor, Weitering the stopper and Maynard the general defender.

They join Harris Andrews, Dane Rampe and Nick Haynes.

For the last spot on the bench, it was a decision between West Coast’s Brad Sheppard, Richmond’s Nick Vlastuin and Collingwood’s Darcy Moore.

I opted for Sheppard, who could be leading the club best-and-fairest at this point.

Moore, of course, was unlucky, but you can say that about plenty of players.

Dustin Martin slots in at mid-forward as does Toby Greene, while Charlie Dixon and Tom Hawkins take the key posts.

Dixon has been the most threatening of the key forwards, while Hawkins rates elite for disposals, marks, forward 50 marks, score involvements and goals.

Interactive: Hit the arrow to scroll through the full team and see exclusive Champion Data stats

Sydney’s Tom Papley was one the first magnets put on the board and he leads the Coleman Medal, while the other forward pocket landed with Dan Butler ahead of Charlie Cameron.

Of course, Cameron is the talent of the two, but Butler’s defensive commitment won him the spot. Gee, it was close.

This year might be the year the selectors recognise legitimate wingmen and not plonk gun mids in those positions.

DID ROBBO GET IT RIGHT? HAVE YOUR SAY IN THE COMMENTS SECTION BELOW

That’s why Brisbane’s Hugh McCluggage and Geelong’s Mitch Duncan deserve their spots — they are legitimate wingmen and it’s a position that has effectively been discarded over the past decade by AA selectors.

The skipper?

After handing over the captaincy at Port Adelaide, Boak’s standing as a leader has not diminished.

The coach?

Brett Ratten, Ken Hinkley or Stuart Dew were top of the list. Ratten gets the nod at the midway mark.

MORE AFL NEWS:

Mitch Robinson opens up on leaving Carlton, the text message that sparked big change, and loving life at the Lions

Gary Buckenara opens up on his battle with depression and struggling with life after football

AFL to rethink fixtures after Round 13 due to player welfare concerns

Ruckman Sam Draper gave up soccer, joined South Adelaide and on Friday night will make his AFL debut with Essendon

Originally published as Jack Steele, Brayden Maynard among new faces in Mark Robinson’s mid-season All-Australian team