THE FOUR preliminary finalists have dominated this year's Four'N Twenty All Australian team, with 15 of the 22 players coming from Geelong, St Kilda, Collingwood or the Western Bulldogs.
St Kilda skipper Nick Riewoldt was named captain of the All-Australian team and Chris Judd, who led the side last year, was given the vice-captaincy honour during the event held at Peninsula at Docklands on Monday night.
Geelong and St Kilda both had five representatives. The Cats had Gary Ablett, Paul Chapman, Corey Enright, Matthew Scarlett and Joel Selwood; while the Saints had Riewoldt, Nick Dal Santo, Lenny Hayes, Leigh Montagna, and Brendon Goddard
Collingwood had three representatives; Leon Davis, Nick Maxwell and Dane Swan.
The Dogs were represented by Matthew Boyd and Brian Lake, with Carlton (Brendan Fevola and Judd) and the Sydney Swans (Craig Bolton and Adam Goodes) also having two members in the team.
Adelaide's Simon Goodwin, Brisbane Lion Jonathan Brown and Fremantle's Aaron Sandilands were the sole members from their respective sides.
Essendon, Hawthorn, Melbourne, North Melbourne, Port Adelaide, Richmond and West Coast Eagles did not have any members make the side this year.
Goodwin and Scarlett made the side for their fifth time each – an outstanding achievement. Goodwin made the side in 2000, 2001, 2005 and 2006 and Scarlett in 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2008.
The first-timers this year were Boyd, Chapman, Davis, Goddard, Lake, Maxwell, Montagna, Selwood and Swan.
Enright, Scarlett, Ablett, Judd, Sandilands, Fevola and Riewoldt were all selected in 2008 and retained their spots. Jimmy Bartel, Lance Franklin and Steve Johnson made the initial squad, but did not remain in the side from 2008.
The full-back position was given to Scarlett with Lake claiming a back-pocket.
Riewoldt was named at centre half-forward, with Fevola, who was unable to attend due to shoulder surgery, claiming the full-forward position and Brown tucked in the forward pocket.
Sandilands, who was named on the interchange last year, has claimed the No.1 ruck position. Only one ruckman was named this year, although Goodes' flexibility could allow him to come off the bench and pinch-hit in that position.
As expected, Swan, who was somewhat of a surprise to be named as a forward in the initial squad, was given a half-forward flank.
The bench was made up of two midfielders (Boyd and Dal Santo), a defender (Goddard) and a forward (Goodes).
The players to miss out from the 40-man squad were: Bartel (Geelong), Mitchell Clark (Brisbane Lions), Alan Didak (Collingwood), Dustin Fletcher (Essendon), Franklin (Hawthorn), Sam Gilbert (St Kilda), Ryan Hargrave (Western Bulldogs), Johnson (Geelong), Mark Le Cras (West Coast), Andrew Mackie (Geelong), Hamish McIntosh (North Melbourne), Stephen Milne (St Kilda), Marc Murphy (Carlton), Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood), Jason Porplyzia (Adelaide), Simon Prestigiacomo (Collingwood), Brad Sewell (Hawthorn) and Bernie Vince (Adelaide).
The All Australian selection panel was Andrew Demetriou (chairman), Adrian Anderson, Kevin Bartlett, Gerard Healy, James Hird, Glen Jakovich, Mark Ricciuto and Robert Walls.
The 2009 All Australian side
B: Corey Enright (Geelong), Matthew Scarlett (Geelong), Brian Lake (Western Bulldogs)
HB: Simon Goodwin (Adelaide), Craig Bolton (Sydney Swans), Nick Maxwell (Collingwood)
C: Leigh Montagna (St Kilda), Lenny Hayes (St Kilda), Joel Selwood (Geelong)
HF: Paul Chapman (Geelong), Nick Riewoldt (St Kilda – captain), Dane Swan (Collingwood)
F: Leon Davis (Collingwood), Brendan Fevola (Carlton), Jonathan Brown (Brisbane Lions)
R: Aaron Sandilands (Fremantle), Chris Judd (Carlton – vice-captain), Gary Ablett (Geelong)
I/C: Matthew Boyd (Western Bulldogs), Nick Dal Santo (St Kilda), Brendon Goddard (St Kilda), Adam Goodes (Sydney Swans)
