Ben Creagh2008 All-Australian team
September 16th 2008 02:32
2008 All-Australian team:
B: Dale Morris (W Bulldogs), Matthew Scarlett (Geelong), Tom Harley (Geelong - vice-captain)
HB: Luke Hodge (Hawthorn), Nathan Bock (Adelaide), Sam Fisher (St Kilda)
C: Jimmy Bartel (Geelong), Joel Corey (Geelong), Adam Cooney (W Bulldogs)
HF: Steve Johnson (Geelong), Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda), Brent Harvey (North Melb)
F: Brendan Fevola (Carlton), Lance Franklin (Hawthorn), Paul Medhurst (Collingwood)
Rucks: Dean Cox (West Coast), Chris Judd (Carlton - captain), Gary Ablett (Geelong).
Interchange: Corey Enright (Geelong), Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle), Matthew Richardson (Richmond), Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle)
The All Australian selection panel is: Andrew Demetriou (chairman), Adrian Anderson, Rod Austin, Kevin Bartlett, Mark Bickley, Gerard Healy, Glen Jakovich, Robert Walls.
There we have it, the 2008 All-Australian team. To the selectors’ credit they have done a pretty good job. Obviously it isn’t an easy task. However, it wouldn’t be an All-Australian team without a few contentious selections. Here are the picks I raised an eyebrow to:
Paul Medhurst – The only Collingwood player! It’s hard to believe. Medhurst was outstanding during the first two thirds of the season, but then dropped off. To his credit, Medhurst did kick around 50 goals, took plenty of marks and became the team player he wasn’t in the past. On those credentials I accept his selection.
Chris Judd – Before you scream out in protest, it isn’t Judd’s selection as a player but as the team’s skipper. Yes, Judd had a really good individual season and helped lead Carlton up the ladder, but I was surprised when he was named captain. Maybe it was because there was no better candidate. Geelong captain Tom Harley may have been the best choice, but he wasn’t even a walk-up start for the team.
Corey Enright, Matthew Pavlich & Aaron Sandilands – All three bench players had productive seasons and it was more the players they kept out of the side that made them slightly controversial picks. Enright kept out a bevy of midfielders, most notably Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell. Pavlich was up against Brisbane’s Jon Brown and got the nod, while Sandilands edged out Essendon’s David Hille and North Melbourne’s Drew Petrie.
B: Dale Morris (W Bulldogs), Matthew Scarlett (Geelong), Tom Harley (Geelong - vice-captain)
HB: Luke Hodge (Hawthorn), Nathan Bock (Adelaide), Sam Fisher (St Kilda)
C: Jimmy Bartel (Geelong), Joel Corey (Geelong), Adam Cooney (W Bulldogs)
HF: Steve Johnson (Geelong), Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda), Brent Harvey (North Melb)
F: Brendan Fevola (Carlton), Lance Franklin (Hawthorn), Paul Medhurst (Collingwood)
Rucks: Dean Cox (West Coast), Chris Judd (Carlton - captain), Gary Ablett (Geelong).
Interchange: Corey Enright (Geelong), Matthew Pavlich (Fremantle), Matthew Richardson (Richmond), Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle)
There we have it, the 2008 All-Australian team. To the selectors’ credit they have done a pretty good job. Obviously it isn’t an easy task. However, it wouldn’t be an All-Australian team without a few contentious selections. Here are the picks I raised an eyebrow to:
Paul Medhurst – The only Collingwood player! It’s hard to believe. Medhurst was outstanding during the first two thirds of the season, but then dropped off. To his credit, Medhurst did kick around 50 goals, took plenty of marks and became the team player he wasn’t in the past. On those credentials I accept his selection.
Chris Judd – Before you scream out in protest, it isn’t Judd’s selection as a player but as the team’s skipper. Yes, Judd had a really good individual season and helped lead Carlton up the ladder, but I was surprised when he was named captain. Maybe it was because there was no better candidate. Geelong captain Tom Harley may have been the best choice, but he wasn’t even a walk-up start for the team.
Corey Enright, Matthew Pavlich & Aaron Sandilands – All three bench players had productive seasons and it was more the players they kept out of the side that made them slightly controversial picks. Enright kept out a bevy of midfielders, most notably Hawthorn’s Sam Mitchell. Pavlich was up against Brisbane’s Jon Brown and got the nod, while Sandilands edged out Essendon’s David Hille and North Melbourne’s Drew Petrie.
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