Marcus Bontempelli and Matthew Boyd have been named in the 2016 Virgin Australia AFL All Australian team on Thursday night.
21-year-old Bontempelli is one of nine debutants named in the team, while Boyd has been selected for the third-time in his fourteen-season career, having made the team in 2009 and 2011.
Bontempelli raised his game to a new level in 2016, averaging 24.5 disposals per game in just his third season of AFL football, along with five tackles, four clearances, and four inside 50s.
He also added 22 goals and 6.9 score involvements.
He was one of five Bulldogs named in the 2016 AFL Players’ Association’s 22under22 squad, and became young youngest winning captain in AFL/VFL history when he lead the Bulldogs to victory of the West Coast Eagles in round 11.
Matthew Boyd’s selection caps off a late-career resurgence, the 34-year-old averaging 27.9 disposals playing off of half back this season at 80% efficiency, his highest per-game average since the 2013 season.
Boyd led the Club in metres gained in 2016, averaging 471.2 per-contest, 87 more than Lachie Hunter, his closest teammate and ranked sixth in the AFL for rebound 50s.
VIDEO: Watch highlights of Matthew Boyd's 2016 All Australian season.
View the full 2016 Virgin Australia AFL All Australian team below.
