With the 40-player squad for this year's 22under22 side revealed this week,ย Zero Hangerย has had a crack at reducing the long list of young stars to a 22-man team.
Selecting six backs, six midfielders, one ruck, six forwards and a four-man interchange was no easy task, with many emerging guns missing the final cut.
The selected side was selected in a bid to find balance across the 22, while the interchange looked to cover at least one of each position.
Here is our 22under22 team for 2024...
1. Defenders
Suns tall Mac Andrew was arguably the easiest selection of the entire side. Not only because of his aerial dominance, clean ball movement and breakout campaign under Damien Hardwick, but perhaps also due to being the only key position defender.
That sees Hawks young gun Josh Weddle take the second-tall role, a position he has proven to handle at times across his short career, with the rest of the rearguard mostly made up of smaller-framed stoppers.
Geelong speedster Max Holmes is selected at half-back to offer some run and midfield rotation, while the clean kicking of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and the dash of Darcy Wilmot are too good to ignore.
West Coast backman Brady Hough is selected as a lockdown defender for the 'opposition's small forward threats, while Andrew's teammate Bodhi Uwland can provide a similar service off the bench.
MISSED: Joshua Draper, Colby McKercher, Judd McVee, Max Michalanney
