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.
Bench
INT: Lachie Neale, Jordan Dawson, Patrick Voss, Bailey Smith, Zak Butters
Lachie Neale has had some off-season but followed it up with another platinum performance to take his disposal average to another high. At 33, he has shown no signs of a man who, by all rights out of sorts, such was the focus on his personal life since just before Christmas. His mental and physical performance has been one to savour for the Lions faithful. Neale may be on the move at the end of the season, but he has once again proven what a player he is in the engine room of the back-to-back premiers.
Jordan Dawson was always a player, but the events of this year with the sudden death of his brother have made his midfield craft even more impressive. He plays tall and has more contested marks than some forwards running around, but it has been his finishing on goals that I have been most impressed with. His leadership and performance would have any player playing with him love the experience.
Patrick Voss is without a doubt the most improved player in the comp this year. He can lead, take pack marks and kick goals, but it is his defensive work that has made him stand out and jump into the best team in the land. His physical presence is as big as any player out there. His thirst for the contest is something I am sure his teammates would love the most about the way he goes about it. The whole of Fremantle has improved across the board, but Voss's improvement has gone a long way to helping his team both offensively and defensively!
Bailey Smith has been quieter with off-field noise this year but just as big on it. Leading from the front. Winning his own ball and power running to help his team any way he can. It has been another stellar year, and his consistency has been ever more pronounced than even last year. He has been more influential this year than last in nearly every facet of his game.
Zak Butters is the unluckiest not to be on a starting side. He was either one or two of the best players in the game pretty much every week he is playing. His untimely injury is the only reason he isn't in the run-on team. I suspect the selectors will have him starting in the middle; he has just been that dominant. His ball use by hand or foot is the most efficient and effective in the game and sets up 80% of the Power's scores this season. While he may be on the move at the end of the year, he has given it everything he has this season.
