The All Australian team is the Pinnicle of the game at the highest level.
Sometimes it is easier to throw another midfielder in another spot. Sometimes it is position-specific. Midfielders do the bulk of the work and their level of performance often dictates the team. All Premiership teams have extremely good midfields. Then there are the goal kickers who produce the scores and, of course, the defence that is trying to stop them. It is a tough job putting the top 50 players into a team of 23, but here goes.
Midfielders
R: Max Gawn, Nick Daicos, Kysaiah Pickett
C: Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Marcus Bontempelli, Will Ashcroft
Max Gawn has backed up to perform again to All-Australian selection. His early-season work rate after the ruck contest was better than any other ruck in the game. Nearly every week he is around 22 touches and a shot or two on goals and 5 score involvements. Not as versatile as Jackson but arguably a specialist ruckman.
Nick Daicos should win the 2026 Brownlow in a canter. His game-breaking speed and kicking for Collingwood have at times single-handedly carried his team into the game. His skills and running patterns can be chaos from the outside, but his poise and delivery have separated him again this year. He is also starting to hit the scoreboard more regularly, which is adding another weapon to his arsenal.
Kysaiah Pickett has turned from a dangerous small forward to an ever more dangerous midfielder this year. His disposal numbers have shot up. He is still regularly kicking goals, but his agility is making seasoned campaigners look second rate as his influence on forward thrusts has elevated his score involvements into a career all-time high.
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, while on a wing (these are the positions I would ideally like as a specialist position) he has been so damaging as a centre square mid. He has bounced back from a tough start with being tagged out of early-season games. His talent, run and spread could only be tamed for so long. While having a target on your back, as he has with being paid the highest player in the game, he has stood up and delivered. His teammates give him the ball, and he is now starting to kick goals and not just set them up.
Marcus Bontempelli is captain extraordinarly consistent. It is hard being good all the time, but no one has done this better than the Bont over the last 3-4 seasons. This year, more than years past, he has started to take contested marks and kick goals regularly. This has made him a more dangerous option and a better player than ever. Always up there in the Brownlow Medal, his game still shines as bright as ever.
Will Ashcroft has taken a very impressive game to a consistently higher level this year. Wilba has earned more possessions this year and has doubled his score involvements to make him not just a ball winner but a match influencer. Wilba's hand-balling and hand-to-foot speed is the quickest since Winnie Abraham, and it is nearly impossible to catch him with the ball.
