Murray MiddletonAll Australian Team 2008
August 26th 2008 11:25
With one round remaining and the finals places sealed, it is time to put forth an All Australian team. Last season Geelong occupied nine of the twenty-two places. Despite having a better season as a team in 2008, their overall performances have been more even. The likes of Ling and Mooney do not deserve to go back to back. Although Joel Selwood has had a superb season, he has not quite been consistent enough to make the team. Other players, such as Adam Cooney, Scott Thompson and Brent Harvey - all of whom are heavily tagged every week - deserve a place ahead of Selwood.
It is difficult to select a team because it is impossible to watch every match of AFL football. I have watched every team play at length and feel that I have come up with a team that represents a cross-section of the best players in the competition. The most difficult decision was to squeeze one of Matthew Pavlich, Jonathan Brown and Nick Riewoldt out of the team. All three players are champions. Given the fact that Brown's performances have been hampered by injury during the second half of the season, he had to be the unlucky player. Other players whose cases have been put forth largely by the media, such as Drew Petrie, Robert Murphy and David Hille, simply do not deserve to be in the team.
I had Alan Didak and Jason Akermanis in my team half way through the year. For different reasons neither has been able to continue their form during the second half of the season. Probably the most contentious selection is Paul Medhurst. Luke Hodge, who has had a much better season than Medhurst, was squeezed out by the competition for midfield places. Medhurst has played an important role for Collingwood this year. He has regularly played above his height and has consistently kicked goals. If Didak hadn't have been suspended, the forward pocket spot was his. Owing to the competition for midfield places, no second ruckman deserves to be in the team.
B: Dale Morris (W.B) Matthew Scarlett (Geel) Darren Milburn (Geel)
HB: Brendan Goddard (St.K) Nathan Bock (Adel) Corey Enright (Geel)
C: Brent Harvey (Kang) Adam Cooney (W.B) Scott Thompson (Adel)
HF: Steve Johnson (Geel) Matthew Pavlich (Frem) Ryan O'Keefe (Syd)
F: Matthew Richardson (Rich) Lance Franklin (Haw) Paul Medhurst (Coll)
FOLL: Dean Cox (WCE) Jimmy Bartel (Geel) Gary Ablett (Geel)
INT: Brendan Fevola (Carl) Joel Corey (Geel) Sam Mitchell (Haw) Nick Riewoldt (St.K)
Captain: Dean Cox (WCE)
Coach: Mark Thompson (Geel)
Rising Star: Trent Cotchin (Rich)
It is difficult to select a team because it is impossible to watch every match of AFL football. I have watched every team play at length and feel that I have come up with a team that represents a cross-section of the best players in the competition. The most difficult decision was to squeeze one of Matthew Pavlich, Jonathan Brown and Nick Riewoldt out of the team. All three players are champions. Given the fact that Brown's performances have been hampered by injury during the second half of the season, he had to be the unlucky player. Other players whose cases have been put forth largely by the media, such as Drew Petrie, Robert Murphy and David Hille, simply do not deserve to be in the team.
I had Alan Didak and Jason Akermanis in my team half way through the year. For different reasons neither has been able to continue their form during the second half of the season. Probably the most contentious selection is Paul Medhurst. Luke Hodge, who has had a much better season than Medhurst, was squeezed out by the competition for midfield places. Medhurst has played an important role for Collingwood this year. He has regularly played above his height and has consistently kicked goals. If Didak hadn't have been suspended, the forward pocket spot was his. Owing to the competition for midfield places, no second ruckman deserves to be in the team.
B: Dale Morris (W.B) Matthew Scarlett (Geel) Darren Milburn (Geel)
HB: Brendan Goddard (St.K) Nathan Bock (Adel) Corey Enright (Geel)
C: Brent Harvey (Kang) Adam Cooney (W.B) Scott Thompson (Adel)
HF: Steve Johnson (Geel) Matthew Pavlich (Frem) Ryan O'Keefe (Syd)
F: Matthew Richardson (Rich) Lance Franklin (Haw) Paul Medhurst (Coll)
FOLL: Dean Cox (WCE) Jimmy Bartel (Geel) Gary Ablett (Geel)
INT: Brendan Fevola (Carl) Joel Corey (Geel) Sam Mitchell (Haw) Nick Riewoldt (St.K)
Captain: Dean Cox (WCE)
Coach: Mark Thompson (Geel)
Rising Star: Trent Cotchin (Rich)
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Comment by Robert Murphy
While i was listening to Elvis at home eating a burger with my son Jagger I realised that the lettuce represented the backline, the meat pattie was the centre line and the buns were the goal posts. The tomato sauce was the fans screaming for their heroes to overcome adversity, jump over the trenches and fire with all guns blazing. And just like Simba and all the other lion cubs, i too hope to make it into the All-Australian jungle.
Comment by TakeItToPussyTown
He was beaten badly by Lade and Brogan in round 1 and was again towled by sandilands when Geelon played Freo the first time (with no help from Mumford or West or Ottens for that matter) but other than that he is in the top 3 ruckmen for hitouts and has tripled his average possesions per game (albeit from 1 to 3). Has any other ruckman shown this kind of improvement? some could argue that he is a big part of the reason that his team has only lost 1 game this year. He should not be so easily dismissed.
No Kerr or Judd, have they both fallen that far from Grace?
No Heath Shaw this time around either, is that beacuase of behaviour or form reasons?
Comment by J Gastev