AFL ALL AUSTRALIAN TEAM ANNOUNCED - NINE GEELONG PLAYERS NAMED
Ben Jensen 17 September 2007

By Ben Jensen THE AFL ALL AUSTRALIAN TEAM was announced tonight, with a sensational nine Geelong players being named. Overall, with eleven players made their debut in the All Australian side. Defenders Matthew Egan, Darren Milburn and Matthew Scarlett were all named. Jimmy Bartel was named in the centre, Gary Ablett the rover. In the forward line Steve Johnson capped off a so far remarkable season with selection on a half forward flank, while the big hairy cat Cameron Mooney was named in a pocket. Cameron Ling and Joel Corey completed the Cats' route of the All Australian team.

Two time Norm Smith medallist and Premiership player Andrew McLeod was named as Captain, triple Premiership player and Coleman medallist Jonathan Brown Vice Captain.

• Backmen - Matthew Egan, Darren Milburn, Matthew Scarlett
• Forwards - Steve Johnson, Cameron Mooney
• Midfielders- Gary Ablett, Jimmy Bartel
• Interchange - Joel Corey, Cameron Ling

THE TEAM:

While the likes of Scarlett, Ablett and Bartel were assured, it is a fantastic effort for the likes of Egan, Milburn, Johnson and Mooney to be recognised for their efforts in the season so far. Joel Corey and Cameron Ling have had as much an impact in the midfield as Ablett and Bartel. Ruckman and pinch hitting forward Brad Ottens was not nominated, the selectors preferring Hamish McIntosh, Dean Cox and Brendan Lade.

Under a new format introduced this year, the All Australian selectors were asked to nominate the leading players in each section of the field - forwards, defenders and midfielders / ruckmen - with the final team of 22 to be named on Monday September 17. The final team would comprise six of the 12 forwards named in the squad, six of the 12 defenders named in the squad and six of the 16 midfielders / ruckmen named in the squad. The four interchange positions would come from the remaining players not selected in the starting 18, to best fit team balance as if to play a match.

The All Australian selection panel is AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou (chairman), AFL Football Operations GM Adrian Anderson, Rod Austin, Kevin Bartlett, Mark Bickley, Gerard Healy, Chris Mainwaring and Robert Walls.

FULL SQUAD: