By Jon Pierik and Marc McGowan
In today’s AFL briefing, your wrap of football news:
- Not easy being Green: Star GWS midfielder Tom Green is a notable omission from this year’s All-Australian squad
- Important Bulldogs defender Liam Jones is free to line up against the Hawks in their all-or-nothing elimination final
Jon Pierik
Hawthorn wingman Massimo D’Ambrosio is on the cusp of completing one of the great rags-to-riches stories after he was named in the extended 44-man All-Australian squad on Monday night.
But Greater Western Sydney star Tom Green was a surprise exclusion, despite averaging almost 31 disposals across 23 games.
D’Ambrosio, 21, has been instrumental in the Hawks’ surge into September with his dash and clever kicking, and could soon have his first green jacket when the AFL awards presentation is held.
What a year: Former Bomber Massimo D’Ambrosio has been named in the extended All-Australian squad. Credit: AFL Photos
A Bomber this time last year, the Hawks pounced on D’Ambrosio with the last move in the trade period when Essendon had held off on extending the rookie. The Hawks offered a two-year contract and a spot on the senior list. The Bombers’ reply – a one-year contract, which became two – was too little, too late.
D’Ambrosio has repaid the Hawks by averaging almost 21 disposals per game (at 77.7 per cent disposal efficiency), including 4.5 score involvements, and joins skipper James Sicily and goal-kicking small forward Dylan Moore as Hawks in the extended AA squad. Sicily is seeking successive green jackets.
There are five Brisbane Lions in the squad – Harris Andrews, Joe Daniher, Dayne Zorko, Lachie Neale and Cam Rayner – although gun midfielder Hugh McCluggage and Charlie Cameron could consider themselves unlucky to be overlooked. Rayner, with 25 goals, is seeking his maiden AA selection, while the reborn Zorko is chasing his second jacket seven years after his first and only selection.
Carlton star Sam Walsh was also overlooked, coming as teammates Patrick Cripps, Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay and Jacob Weitering chase selection. Weitering, having a career-year in defence, is firmly in the hunt for a maiden green jacket.
Fremantle will not play finals this season, but have five players in the extended AA squad.
Collingwood’s Darcy Cameron is challenging Max Gawn and Tristan Xerri as the league’s premier ruckman. Gawn was the only Demon named in the extended squad, in a tumultuous year for his club which could see Christian Petracca leave.
Gold-plated year: Carlton captain Patrick Cripps is almost certain to be selected as an All-Australian.Credit: AFL Photos
Nick Daicos joined Cameron in the extended squad, but there was no room for 2023 All-Australians Darcy Moore and Josh Daicos. North Melbourne’s decision to move on from Todd Goldstein and make Xerri their frontline ruckman has been rewarded. Star Kangaroos midfielder Harry Sheezel, with almost 30 disposals per game, is also firmly in contention for selection.
Toby Greene, last year’s AA captain, was overlooked, selectors naming three Giants – Coleman medallist Jesse Hogan, Lachie Whitfield and, for the first time, Brent Daniels – in the extended squad. However, the selectors pulled a surprise by overlooking the hard-running Green, who is currently eighth in Brownlow Medal betting.
The top-of-the-table Swans had four selections – Nick Blakey, Errol Gulden, Chad Warner and Isaac Heeney – while the Western Bulldogs were represented by Marcus Bontempelli, Bailey Dale and Adam Treloar, the latter arguably the Bulldogs’ best player this year and chasing a maiden green jacket. However, teammate Jamarra Ugle-Hagan, despite 43 goals, was overlooked.
The Cats have three nominations – Jeremy Cameron, second in the Coleman Medal, Tyson Stengle and Max Holmes. Tom Stewart, an All-Australian last year, was overlooked. Zach Merrett, already a three-time All-Australian, was the only Bomber named in another disappointing year for Brad Scott and his men.
THE 2024 ALL-AUSTRALIAN SQUAD
Brisbane Lions: Harris Andrews, Joe Daniher, Lachie Neale, Cam Rayner, Dayne Zorko
Carlton: Patrick Cripps, Charlie Curnow, Harry McKay, Jacob Weitering
Collingwood: Darcy Cameron, Nick Daicos
Essendon: Zach Merrett
Fremantle: Andrew Brayshaw, Jordan Clark, Luke Ryan, Caleb Serong, Hayden Young
Geelong: Jeremy Cameron, Max Holmes, Tyson Stengle
Gold Coast: Noah Anderson, Sam Collins
GWS: Brent Daniels, Jesse Hogan, Lachie Whitfield
Hawthorn: Massimo D’Ambrosio, Dylan Moore, James Sicily
Melbourne: Max Gawn
North Melbourne: Harry Sheezel, Tristan Xerri
Port Adelaide: Zak Butters, Jason Horne-Francis, Dan Houston
St Kilda: Jack Sinclair
Sydney: Nick Blakey, Errol Gulden, Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner
West Coast: Jeremy McGovern, Jake Waterman
Western Bulldogs: Marcus Bontempelli, Bailey Dale, Adam Treloar
No Adelaide or Richmond players were named
Jones escapes with a fine, is free to face the Hawks
Marc McGowan
Important defender Liam Jones will play his 200th career game in Western Bulldogs’ elimination final with similarly red-hot Hawthorn after escaping with a fine for his tackle on Giant Aaron Cadman.
However, Carlton small forward Matt Owies was not so fortunate, copping a one-match ban for a dangerous tackle on Saint Jack Higgins, for which the Blue received a free kick for on Sunday.
Bulldogs defender Liam Jones has escaped suspension for this tackle against the Giants.Credit: Fox Footy
Match review officer Michael Christian classified Jones’ action as low impact, rather than medium, along with high contact and careless conduct, meaning he was offered a $2500 fine with an early guilty plea, rather than a suspension.
Jones is one of the most effective intercept markers in the AFL.Credit: AFL Photos
The 33-year-old dragged Cadman to ground while holding his right arm, but the GWS forward continued playing and kicked a goal from the free kick he received from the tackle.
None of Jones’ 199 matches to date have been finals, so the Hawks clash – the only match in Melbourne in the first week of September – will be significant for him, even beyond his milestone game.
Jones, whose 3.5 intercept marks per match are the third-most in the AFL, is in his second season back with the Bulldogs following a year in the wilderness, after refusing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 while still on Carlton’s list.
It was at the Blues where he transformed from an erratic forward into one of the competition’s best intercept defenders, and the Dogs brought him back as an unrestricted free agent to shore up their backline.
Jones will likely have the job on Mabior Chol, whose 33 goals lead the Hawks in 2024, playing alongside fellow tall defenders Rory Lobb and James O’Donnell as part of a unit that restricted GWS to only nine goals in Ballarat on Sunday.
The Bulldogs have won eight of their past 10 matches to climb from 11th to sixth while taking an impressive group of scalps, including Sydney, Geelong, the Giants, Carlton and Fremantle.
“To get to the point where we are playing a finals series because we have been able to knock a lot of those [top] teams over, probably franks the belief to a degree,” Luke Beveridge said.
“But it gives you a bit more foresight that you are a bit more than a threat.”
Hawthorn were second-last without a win and a sub-65 percentage through five rounds, but have become the league’s fairytale story, with 11 victories from their past 13 games. Seven of those were by 48 or more points during a rampaging run of form.
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