All Australian 2022: Five players unlucky to miss the squad
Since the release of the 44-man all-Australia squad, fans have been quick to realize the absence of some of their favorite players, who some anticipate will ultimately snub the team.
The difficult task of turning 661 AFL-listed players into a 44-man roster would keep most up at night and unfortunately some who deserve it may not make the cut.
The selection panel consists of AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan (Chairman), Jude Bolton, Nathan Buckley, Kane Cornes, Andrew Dillon, Glen Jakovich, Gerard Healy, Chris Johnson, Cameron Ling, Nick Riewoldt and Brad Scott.
As we could have predicted, players like Patrick Cripps, Clayton Oliver, Lachie Neale, Steven May and Charlie Curnow were all expected picks while some rolled their eyes.
In a bid to make up for some of the selectors’ missed calls, we’ll go over the five players unfortunate enough to miss the all-Australia squad:
Sam DochertyCarlton
Arguably the biggest nudge of 2022, Carlton’s Sam Docherty has been a revelation both outside of defense and more recently in midfield.
Averaging 28 possessions and seven points, Docherty was one of the main reasons for the Blues’ improvement under new coach Michael Voss, with the team agonizingly missing the final.
The 28-year-old has proven to be one of the elite ball users in competition and is always ready to do the hard work for his teammates.
Nick Daicos (Collingwood)
Another clear snub in the eyes of AFL fans, first-year sensation Nick Daicos was unlucky to miss.
Daicos would have joined his brother Josh in the squad had he been selected, but sadly given the highly talented half-backs in the pool this year, some would not make the cut.
An all-time favorite for the Rising Star, the young star has bigger sights than being selected in the All-Australian as the Pies seek to climb from 17th place to Premiership glory.
With 26 disposals, five goals and four points per game, it’s a surprise that Daicos wasn’t selected.
Dylan Moore (Hawthorn)
One of only two players to average a goal and 20 possessions per game, Hawthorn’s Dylan Moore has slipped under the selectors’ radar despite having the best season of his career.
Moore, who was elite in most key categories, was initially used at half forward under Sam Mitchell and consistently hit the scoreboard while also being heavily involved in the chain.
Mitchell also used the 23-year-old in the back half and midfield, providing him with valuable experience as the Hawks attempted to recover from a 13th-place finish.
Toby Greene (GWS Giants)
GWS’ Toby Greene started his season through a sixth-round suspension and was as good as it gets from a small forward, scoring in all but one of 2022’s games.
Greene, who played mostly in the Forward 50, scored 37 goals while averaging 2.5 majors per game and provided some relief for the Giants in a difficult season.
Despite standing behind Charlie Cameron, Tyson Stengle and the line, the GWS captain was one of the few bright lights of the year and it could be argued he was included in the all-Australia squad alongside team-mates Sam Taylor and Josh Kelly.
Tim English (Western Bulldogs)
A difficult decision had to be made about the Ruckman who was chosen for the 2022 all-Australia squad but Tim English appears to have been treated unfairly.
Behind Max Gawn, Jarrod Witts and Mark Blicavs, English should be fourth in line, although some may have him higher up this year.
Averaging 18 touches, six marks, four clearances, 24 hits and three tackles per game, the Bulldog could pull it all off.
Ranking elite in terms of points shares (6.1), it seemed that English would receive the honor of the All-Australian Squad, but unfortunately that was not the case.
