Shock contenders emerge, great eyeing record ninth blazer: Naming an AFL All-Australian side after Round 6

With six rounds of AFL action settled, it's time to commence our Rolling All-Australian series for 2025.

Zero Hanger will name a continued All-Australian side after every six rounds of the season, with the next side to be named after Round 12, highlighting the changes since the last side was named.

This week's side is the first of the season, reflecting on the form of players from the first half-dozen rounds to settle on a side.

We've named a 23-man team, including a sub on the interchange who doesn't need to have held the sub role this year, as well as some players who are stiff to miss out on a selection.

Defenders

A few familiar faces could add another blazer to their list of accolades, with past All-Australian selections Jacob Weitering, Darcy Moore, Jack Sinclair and Sam Taylor sure to be in the conversation at this point of the season.

Weitering has again been a rock-solid asset for Michael Voss despite the Blues' early woes, having failed to lose any of his 10 one-on-one contests to start the season.

Moore has found similar success as a rejuvenated defender in 2025, returning to the form that saw him earn All-Australian honours in 2020 and 2023.

Taylor could have another blazer or two to add to his maiden selection from 2022, with injuries limiting his campaigns in recent years. His start to the current season has been at the level many have come to expect from the GWS backman, who has only lost one of his 19 contested one-on-ones in 2025.

Sinclair, a two-time All-Australian, has been a star for the Saints through some of their eye-catching performances, with teammate Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera an equally likely chance to be in the AA conversation after six rounds.

Taylor's teammate Lachie Ash is another worth noting, with the former top five pick enjoying a career-best campaign, with teammate Lachie Whitfield also at his best.

Richmond champion Nick Vlastuin could be considered, with a dominant Round 6 showing against the Suns one of the premier performances of the year, while Port Adelaide skipper Connor Rozee has flourished in his new role at half-back.

Midfielders

The hardest selection of the field to settle on, with years gone by often seeing midfielders squeezed into forward and backline roles when possible, while also dominating the interchange.

We've allocated three of the five bench spots to the midfield on top of the five field roles and the ruck spot, with a handful of stars unlucky to miss the cut.

It's hard to go past any of Matt Rowell, Nick Daicos and Andrew Brayshaw for starting spots, while Zach Merrett, Bailey Smith and George Hewett have rightfully put their hats in the ring.

Hewett could be the shock All-Australian option, potentially surpassing teammates Sam Walsh and Patrick Cripps as the Blues' in-form onballer.

The wings spots are often tricky, and we've looked to two gun runners who have proven themselves as inside-outside assets in, and before, 2025.

Geelong's Max Holmes has been sensational for the Cats, while Brisbane's Hugh McCluggage could finally get his flowers after being overlooked as a pure wingman in years gone by.

The ruck battle is quite even, with Carlton's Tom De Koning perhaps narrowly ahead of Collingwood's Darcy Cameron, Docker Luke Jackson, seven-time selection Max Gawn and North Melbourne's Tristan Xerri.

Forwards

A host of maiden All-Australian selections could be handed out in the front third given the form of the opening six rounds, with key forwards Ben King and Josh Treacy firming as the standout talls to pick.

Both fell short of squad spots in 2024 and have responded to the snubs in style, with King and Treacy tied for most goals after Round 6 with 18 each, with the former having one less game to his name.

Western Bulldogs young gun Sam Darcy is hard to ignore in this conversation and would likely be in the mix for a blazer at the end of year had it not been for his recent knee injury. Nevertheless, he secures the third tall target role in our starting side for the first edition of our rolling team.

Adelaide's Riley Thilthorpe is another to consider, with his tally of 24 goals and assists (16 goals and eight goal assists) combining to place him No.1 overall in the competition, with teammate Darcy Fogarty and North Melbourne's Nick Larkey others worthy of a mention.

GWS captain Toby Greene could add a fourth blazer to his closest off the back of a scintillating start to 2025, while St Kilda livewire Jack Higgins leads the goals haul among the smalls with 17 to his name in a hot start.

Geelong skipper Patrick Dangerfield, who has won an equal record eight All-Australian selections, has returned to starring form in an attacking role, with the Brownlow Medal winner a chance to edge out the likes of North Melbourne's Paul Curtis, Coleman Medal winner Jesse Hogan and Gold Coast's Ben Long for one of the last spots in the side.

Selected Side

FB: Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Jacob Weitering, Darcy Moore 
HB: Jack Sinclair, Sam Taylor, Lachie Ash
C: Hugh McCluggage, Nick Daicos, Max Holmes
HF: Toby Greene, Ben King, Jordan Dawson
FF: Jack Higgins, Josh Treacy, Sam Darcy
FO: Tom De Koning, Matt Rowell, Andrew Brayshaw
I/C: Zach Merrett, Riley Thilthorpe, George Hewett, Bailey Smith, Patrick Dangerfield (sub)

Stiff to miss: Caleb Serong, Noah Anderson, Steele Sidebottom, Nick Larkey, Paul Curtis, Darcy Fogarty, Ed Richards, Touk Miller, Nick Vlastuin, Josh Dunkley, Connor Rozee, Tom Liberatore