It’s that point of 12 months once more: the winter chill has set in, {the electrical} fires are roaring, and all around the nation, footy followers are getting out their notepad and paper (or laptop computer laptop) and jotting down their mid-season All-Australian groups.
Who’s been the most effective key defender named Sam of the 12 months: Taylor or Collins? What number of ruckmen is simply too many ruckmen? Is Ben King price a spot with the second-most targets within the AFL even when that’s actually all he does? All vital questions that want answering.
After weeks of painstaking analysis, giving full consideration to each participant who has run onto an AFL discipline this season, I’ve arrived at my workforce: the cream of the cream of the primary half of the 12 months.
So with out additional ado, right here is my full All Australian 23 (sure, I’ve even named a sub!) after 12 rounds of the 2025 season – precisely halfway, give or taken an Opening Rounds – together with just a few honourable mentions who simply missed the minimize.
Disagree with a decide? Be at liberty to vent your frustration within the feedback part – although ensure to abide by the rule that any participant you wish to put in additionally wants somebody taken out of their place.
Backs: Nick Vlastuin (Richmond), Sam Taylor (GWS), Callum Wilkie (St Kilda)
Half-backs: Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda), Sam Collins (Gold Coast), Dayne Zorko (Brisbane)
The toughest group to select in any potential All-Australian workforce is all the time the defenders, as a result of a lot of what they do is difficult to quantify within the stats.
Some issues, although, stand out: GWS’ Sam Taylor, the premier key again within the sport in lots of good judges’ books, has misplaced simply three of 38 contested one-on-ones in defence, the most effective charge of anybody within the high 25 for attending them.
Mix that with having 13 extra intercept marks than anybody else within the league, and he couldn’t be an even bigger lock at full again for his second profession blazer.
Not far behind him is Gold Coast’s premier stopper Sam Collins: the two-time greatest and fairest winner narrowly missed out on a maiden All-Australian berth final 12 months, and has taken his sport to new heights in 2025 alongside together with his finals-bound workforce.
Rating among the many sport’s elite for spoils and intercept marks, he’s the lynchpin round which all the Suns’ backline operates, and I’d really feel a complete lot safer with him in my workforce.
I’ve additionally chosen a 3rd key defender; name it recency bias, however Callum Wilkie’s type prior to now fortnight particularly makes him Taylor’s major challenger as the most effective key defender within the sport, and has seen him leapfrog over early-season locks Jacob Weitering and Harris Andrews.
The image of consistency, Wilkie hasn’t missed a St Kilda sport since his debut six years in the past, rivals Taylor for impassability in one-on-one conditions, reads the play superbly, and is now even beginning to obtain consideration from defensive forwards making an attempt to curb his affect – which within the case of Melbourne and Jake Melksham on the weekend, failed dismally.
I’m a sucker for excellent gamers in unhealthy groups, and Richmond can be a complete lot worse with out Nick Vlastuin as a agency hand down again conserving a younger, inexperienced aspect effectively organised and disciplined.
The Tigers have already surpassed the expectations of many with three wins for the season; of their beautiful upset of Gold Coast particularly, Vlastuin was fairly simply greatest afield, intercepting the whole lot throughout half-back and kick-starting many a yellow and black rebound for a well-known victory. He’d go shut to creating my workforce on that sport alone, however happily the remainder of his season has been very almost pretty much as good, and I’m staggered to see so few different specialists even contemplating him for a spot of their All-Australian groups.
(Picture by Darrian Traynor/Getty Photographs)
There are 4 foremost contenders for the 2 rebounding half-back spots, and I’ve gone with Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Dayne Zorko simply edging out Lachie Ash and Bailey Dale.
Why? Effectively, Zorko’s calm ball use, expertise and willingness to chunk off the tough kick is so pivotal for Brisbane, and a key purpose why they’re among the many foremost premiership contenders but once more. He’s extra damaging with ball in hand than the extra prolific Ash, whose outstanding numbers bely the truth that his Giants have struggled all 12 months to get the Sherrin from one finish to the opposite.
Wanganeen-Milera versus Dale was a harder contest, however the younger Saint has been extra persistently wonderful throughout the season for my part, whereas the Bulldogs gun’s numbers are enhanced by some outstanding particular person video games, together with 49 disposals in opposition to Essendon. Wanganeen-Milera’s seven targets for the season, an excellent quantity for any backman, doesn’t harm his case both, and nor does the immediacy of his beautiful efficiency in opposition to the Demons simply days in the past.
Honourable mentions: Lachie Ash (GWS), Bailey Dale (Western Bulldogs), Jacob Weitering (Carlton), Harris Andrews (Brisbane), Rory Lobb (Western Bulldogs)
Centres: Zach Merrett (Essendon, vice-captain), Caleb Serong (Fremantle), Ed Richards (Western Bulldogs)
Followers: Max Gawn (Melbourne, captain), Bailey Smith (Geelong), Noah Anderson (Gold Coast)
Interchange: Hugh McCluggage (Brisbane), Nick Daicos (Collingwood), Darcy Cameron (Collingwood), Andrew Brayshaw (Fremantle)
Substitute: Tom Liberatore (Western Bulldogs)
Practically all the time, the All-Australian selectors plump for as many midfielders as doable of their remaining workforce, filling up the bench with them and even plonking them onto the half-forward flanks.
And you recognize what? I perceive why – the very fact of the matter is that in fashionable footy, the most effective gamers are uniformly the place the ball is most.
Debate round the most effective ruckman within the league has been rising sturdy all 12 months lengthy, with Darcy Cameron, Tristan Xerri and Tom De Koning all staking their claims at one level or one other.
However I’m sorry – anybody that doesn’t nonetheless have Max Gawn because the AFL’s premier massive man is kidding themselves for my part.
Gawn stays as he has been for the higher a part of a decade: a colossus. Marking the whole lot he will get his arms to across the floor, the captain has remained inspirational in a Melbourne outfit that has misplaced a lot of its lustre in recent times, and he has been an enormous a part of their turnaround from a 0-5 begin.
Decreasing his colors to Xerri in Spherical 2 led to speak of a altering of the guard, however since then, Gawn has been leaps and bounds forward of his North Melbourne counterpart, whose strengths as a bullocking, clearance-winning, big-tackling behemoth aren’t fairly what I search for in a contemporary ruckman.
That’s why I don’t have Xerri in my workforce in any respect; as a substitute, Darcy Cameron is my second ruck within the workforce. Why? Effectively, Cameron is the most effective intercept-marking ruckman within the sport by a road: sitting a kick behind the ball, his presence within the air has foiled many an attacking thrust from the opposition, and has been nothing wanting pivotal to Collingwood’s excellent begin to the season. Throughout the 12 months, he has edged away from Tom De Koning, whose white-hot begin has tapered of late.
As for the right midfielders, it’s a mixture of outdated and new – and sure, I’ve cheated by naming on-ballers on the wings. Like with most years, there was no excellent wingman in 2025 worthy of a spot on his personal, with Ollie Dempsey from Geelong most likely the closest given his penchant for a number of targets a sport.
Zach Merrett was all the time being picked, having but once more been a dominant power for Essendon this 12 months, and a stint at half-back in opposition to Brisbane final week is nice sufficient for me to shift him to a wing.
Over on the opposite wing is a newcomer in Ed Richards; one other lock as the most effective rating help and rating involvements participant within the league this 12 months (each by far), his comparatively small centre bounce numbers justify having him on the market in my e book.
Bailey Smith might simply have been one of many wingmen, however as a substitute he’s proper within the guts, the place he has been all 12 months for Geelong. Questions on his kicking can get within the bin: his tireless working and explosive tempo from stoppages are completely suited to a Cats workforce that lacked line-breaking on-ballers, and with a ahead line as harmful as theirs and so many elite kicks round him, having a man that may achieve 100 metres in a single go along with run and carry and an extended kick ahead is invaluable.
Because the primary clearance-winner within the league, Caleb Serong is one other lock in midfield, and edges out the likes of Matt Rowell and Lachie Neale for the in-and-under contested footy beast in my workforce: in the meantime, the silky-smooth strikes of Noah Anderson, who wins a stack of the ball each week and infrequently wastes it, make him a correct Brownlow Medal smoky that nobody is speaking about in my eyes.
The bench, like most years, is chock-full of mids I couldn’t squeeze into the beginning workforce however needed to decide anyway. Nick Daicos hasn’t been pretty much as good in 2025 as final 12 months and even 2023, however he’s nonetheless leaps and bounds forward of most gamers within the competitors; whereas Andrew Brayshaw’s gut-running, determined tackling and insane braveness have made him simply as pivotal as Serong to their latest type turnaround, and rewarding him with choice on this workforce is almost a given.
It’s a travesty that Hugh McCluggage has by no means made an All-Australian workforce earlier than regardless of a number of choices within the unique squad, and this 12 months will certainly be his breakthrough.
Excellent but once more all season lengthy as the surface complement to Neale and Josh Dunkley’s hard-nosed clearance wins, a dominant show to single-handedly drag Brisbane to victory over Essendon was splendid timing for mid-season All-Australian choice; and admittedly, the narrative that can proceed to develop this 12 months that he has by no means been chosen earlier than will certainly get him in even when his type does taper. We’ve seen that occur many occasions earlier than.
As for the sub, I couldn’t go up Tom Liberatore: he hasn’t been fairly as dominant since Marcus Bontempelli’s return from damage, however the Bulldogs veteran continues to be a clearance king with the quickest arms within the sport who hardly ever wastes a possession. Like McCluggage, a maiden All-Australian berth can be lengthy overdue if he lastly receives a blazer in September.
Honourable mentions: Tristan Xerri (North Melbourne), Matt Rowell (Gold Coast), George Hewett (Carlton), Lachie Neale (Brisbane), Tom De Koning (Carlton).
Hugh McCluggage (Picture by Bradley Kanaris/AFL Images by way of Getty Photographs )
Half-forwards: Izak Rankine (Adelaide), Jeremy Cameron (Geelong), Jordan Dawson (Adelaide)
Forwards: Jamie Elliott (Collingwood), Riley Thilthorpe (Adelaide), Kysaiah Pickett (Melbourne)
I’ve half-cheated with regards to assembling my ahead line, as a result of three of the six gamers right here attend extra centre bounces than not for his or her groups.
However of them, just one I might argue is just not a real ahead: and never solely is Jordan Dawson arguably the most effective participant within the competitors this 12 months, however has spent sufficient time in assault, particularly not too long ago, to select him on a half-forward flank, dwelling of goalkicking midfielders like Marcus Bontempelli and Christian Petracca for years.
There’s not a single factor Dawson isn’t fantastic at: probably the greatest kicks within the league, damaging overhead and an distinctive chief, he’s the most effective participant in an Adelaide workforce chock stuffed with expertise. Matthew Nicks’ willingness to make use of him for lengthy stints up ahead hasn’t compromised his effectiveness, both, with seven targets within the final 5 weeks.
Dawson is certainly one of three Crows in my ahead line, acceptable contemplating solely the Western Bulldogs have scored extra factors this 12 months.
Izak Rankine is averaging a career-high 22.5 disposals a sport as he transitions to a close to full-time midfield function, and so deadly is he that the Crows are simply nice overlaying for him defensively to let him spit ahead at each alternative. A nightmare for opposition defences, he stays a risk in entrance of targets with 14 majors for the 12 months so far – however his creativity, agility and uncooked tempo round stoppages make him now simply as lethal getting the ball inside 50 as he has all the time been when the footy hits the bottom in there.
He’s not in Coleman Medal competition anymore, neither is he even the main goalkicker on the Crows, however it’s laborious to go previous Riley Thilthorpe as 2025’s premier ahead thus far this 12 months. An absolute monster, he’s the hardest one-on-one battle in assault within the AFL, deceptively fast on the lead, and along with kicking targets units up greater than his justifiable share too, with 14 objective assists three greater than every other key ahead this 12 months, and equal-third within the league.
If Thilthorpe isn’t the most effective key ahead this 12 months, then it’s Jeremy Cameron: as soon as once more, the Geelong star appears heading in the right direction for a fifth All-Australian blazer, and third within the final 4 years. He has a staggering 18 targets prior to now three weeks to shoot to the highest of the Coleman Medal leaderboard, and in contrast to Ben King kicking targets is way from the restrict of his affect.
The perfect small ahead within the sport in 2025 is extra clear minimize: it’s Jamie Elliott, plain and easy. So beautiful is his type that Craig McRae has remodelled the Pies’ set-up inside 50 to offer him all of the area he wants, and he’s both too good, too fast, or each for nearly each opponent he has come up in opposition to.
With 33 targets for the 12 months, solely Cameron heads him for the Coleman Medal – extraordinary for a small ahead. His penchant for giant baggage and top-six rating for rating involvements this 12 months simply will get him the nod over Jack Higgins, who has been almost his equal for menace close to targets however doesn’t do almost as a lot in different aspects.
The ultimate ahead spot was the hardest of all, and I might have gone in lots of instructions: one other forward-midfielder like Touk Miller, a goalsneak like Higgins, or certainly one of Ben King or Jesse Hogan as one other key ahead.
As an alternative, I’ve gone with Kysaiah Pickett – regardless of him lacking the primary three video games of the 12 months resulting from suspension.
Kysaiah Pickett celebrates a objective. (Picture by Jonathan DiMaggio/AFL Images/by way of Getty Photographs)
It’s no coincidence that Melbourne’s type has rotated since having Kozzie out there; enjoying a brand new function as an inside midfielder who dashes ahead at each alternative, nobody had been in a position to cease him earlier than Marcus Windhager sat on him for the whole thing of St Kilda’s massive win in Alice Springs.
Successful extra of the ball than ever earlier than, Pickett is within the Rankine camp of now having much more affect as a midfielder than he did as a ahead solely; however he’s kicking extra targets than the Crows star, too.
His twin five-goal hauls in opposition to Fremantle and Sydney are, in my e book, two of the most effective 5 particular person video games performed by anybody this season: each occasions, it felt like each time the ball went in his course one thing good was going to occur for Melbourne, after which it got here true.
Stiffest of all to overlook might be Patrick Dangerfield, whose absence for the final two weeks (and a lot of the earlier spherical via damage, too) has undercut his staggeringly good begin to the 12 months in a brand new function stationed primarily up ahead.
When he returns, if he can get again to the identical type, he’s all however a lock for a document ninth All-Australian blazer – however at this second, I simply can’t squeeze him in.
Honourable mentions: Jesse Hogan (GWS), Touk Miller (Gold Coast), Jack Higgins (St Kilda), Ben King (Gold Coast), Patrick Dangerfield (Geelong).
