Even in Melbourne's better years they don't seem to have any players make the team (Farmer was the only player to make it in 2000). McDonald was the last player in 2006.

Wasn't McDonald named on the bench last year?

Judd not only making it, but being captain is abit of a joke IMO. Getting by on reputation now. I know he was right up there at the top for contested possessions this year, but there were still players, especially midfielders, who were far better this year. I'd say Sam Mitchell was one of them. Brett Kirk another.

Really didnt deserve it, and Im sure Chris would be the first person to admit that.

Wankfest.

Yeah I thought the same thing. Can't believe these selectors think Judd is a better captain than Harley. Not only has Harley had to work for his position (and hold it in an extremely good team), but surely the win-loss ratio means something?

Aaron Sandilands is the most undeserving All Australian I've ever seen

Yeah, well name another ruckman who had a better year than Sandilands (other than Cox of course).

There isn't one. Hille played 4-6 outstanding games, but went midding for the other 16-18. Petrie was just an average player for the first half of the year.

Sandilands was consistently the second best ruckman in the competition this year. He excels not just in hit outs but also clearances and contested possessions.

The All-Australian team is a team consisting of the year's best 22 players. Sandilands' 2008 was better than any other ruckman's (bar Cox).

How long until we have a player that even gets close to AA, and who was our last one? Sad times.

'Tis sad, especially when Robbo missed out in '06 (I think). But notice too that Collingwood rarely gets a player in, even though they made a prelim final last year and a semi this year. I think Medhurst is their only player in the 44 selections over the past 2 years.

'almost right'.lol pavlich has been AA in 02, 03, 05, 06, 07 and now 08

'almost right'.lol pavlich has been AA in 02, 03, 05, 06, 07 and now 08

That's right.

Edit:

P.S.

Fwiw here is a quote from Mark Robinson, Herald Sun in his blog with Herald Sun readers earlier today: -

"Tough gig picking the best 22. we (HS wtriters) didn't select Pav in our team, but it seems to me that although he had a good enough year it was a case of the selectors perhaps being too scared to leave him out. Brown, Bradshaw, Roughead could've got it. Pav's journeys into the midfield, where he also won the ball, might've swayed the selectors."

Link: http://blogs.news.com.au/heraldsun/afl/our...rs_get_it_wrong

You people are unbelievable!

Judd on reputation....? Woulda thought that would have got him into the side in '05 when he dominated the year after winning the Brownlow. Reputation is often not good for these sort of awards.

And i don't think win/loss ratio should come into who captain is. Harley plays in a better side. Some could argue Judd's role has been much tougher and he has done a better than Harley.

For what it's worth, i don't think they should do captain/vice-captain for for this. It really doesn't matter too much and i think the people that know the most about what each captain does is the people involved in the club. Not 6 (however many) tossers with their heads up their arses!

Just to break it down. Of this years AA. there were:

8 first round picks (incl 3 number 1s)

1 second round pick

3 third round picks

2 fourth round picks

3 Father Son selections (all of whom would probably have gone in the first round)

4 Rookie Draft picks (two ruckmen & two key backs)

1 Zone selection

of the selections three were traded to their current clubs.

.... but what does it all mean?

Just to break it down. Of this years AA. there were:

8 first round picks (incl 3 number 1s)

1 second round pick

3 third round picks

2 fourth round picks

3 Father Son selections (all of whom would probably have gone in the first round)

4 Rookie Draft picks (two ruckmen & two key backs)

1 Zone selection

of the selections three were traded to their current clubs.

.... but what does it all mean?

Is Tom Harley the zone selection?

Yeah, well name another ruckman who had a better year than Sandilands (other than Cox of course).

There isn't one. Hille played 4-6 outstanding games, but went midding for the other 16-18. Petrie was just an average player for the first half of the year.

Sandilands was consistently the second best ruckman in the competition this year. He excels not just in hit outs but also clearances and contested possessions.

The All-Australian team is a team consisting of the year's best 22 players. Sandilands' 2008 was better than any other ruckman's (bar Cox).

Sandilands gets hitouts but a) they don't go to advantage and B) he does bugger all around the ground. He's 6"11 and he only hits the target with hitouts 23% of the time. Petrie is 6"5 and does it at 21%. Hille's 6"6 and also hits at 21%

Petrie laid twice as many tackles, kicked twice as many goals, followed up better at stoppages and worked harder up and down the ground.

Just because a guy is big doesn't make him a good ruckman.

Sandilands gets hitouts but a) they don't go to advantage and B) he does bugger all around the ground. He's 6"11 and he only hits the target with hitouts 23% of the time. Petrie is 6"5 and does it at 21%. Hille's 6"6 and also hits at 21%

Petrie laid twice as many tackles, kicked twice as many goals, followed up better at stoppages and worked harder up and down the ground.

Just because a guy is big doesn't make him a good ruckman.

Mate, take your North bias elsewhere.

Sandilands gets hitouts but a) they don't go to advantage and B) he does bugger all around the ground. He's 6"11 and he only hits the target with hitouts 23% of the time. Petrie is 6"5 and does it at 21%. Hille's 6"6 and also hits at 21%

Petrie laid twice as many tackles, kicked twice as many goals, followed up better at stoppages and worked harder up and down the ground.

Just because a guy is big doesn't make him a good ruckman.

yeh so at the end of the day sandilands hits more to advantage coz he gets more hitouts...he was in the aa team as a backup ruckman..not to tackle or kick goals as such

Sandilands gets hitouts but a) they don't go to advantage and B) he does bugger all around the ground. He's 6"11 and he only hits the target with hitouts 23% of the time. Petrie is 6"5 and does it at 21%. Hille's 6"6 and also hits at 21%

Petrie laid twice as many tackles, kicked twice as many goals, followed up better at stoppages and worked harder up and down the ground.

Just because a guy is big doesn't make him a good ruckman.

Most of those figures were probably inflated by some much better games in the second half of the year. You missed my point, which is that Petrie and Hille didn't have as good a year as Sandilands.

As Freak mentioned, Sandilands wasn't selected to tackle or kick goals. Petrie spent much more time in the forward line than Sandilands. And his ruckwork isn't as good as Sandilands'.

Petrie kicked twice as many goals as Cox, and laid many more tackles too. Does that make him a better ruckman than Cox?

How is the rating calculated?

Based on this, Cox and Petrie are ranked 1 and 2.

Is Tom Harley the zone selection?

harley from from port powerless orignally

harley from from port powerless orignally

Correct, but he was a zone selection by them, then traded to the cats.