AFL ALL AUSTRALIAN TEAM ANNOUNCED
Ben Jensen 11 September 2006

By Ben Jensen BRAD JOHNSON, 'The smiling assassin' has been named Captain of the All Australian side, the fifth time he has won selection in the AFL's team of the season. Deputising is Sydney co-Captain Barry Hall, while Eagles Captain Chris Judd misses out on a leadership role but won his second All Australian selection.

Last year's Premier Sydney and runner up West Coast Eagles had the most representatives with four while no Geelong players were selected. Adelaide and the Western Bulldogs had three players each, Port Adelaide one. Each of Carlton, Collingwood, Fremantle, Melbourne, Richmond and St Kilda had one representative each. The Cats, Brisbane Lions, Essendon, Hawthorn and the Kangaroos had no representatives.

An astonishing ten players made their All Australian debut - Nathan Bassett, Darren Glass, Lindsay Gilbee, Craig Bolton, Alan Didak, Ryan O'Keefe, Brendan Fevola, Brendon Lade, Shaun Burgoyne, James McDonald. Fevola was named at Full Forward after winning the John Coleman medal with 84 goals in 21 games during the home and away season.

Backs N Bassett D Glass L Gilbee
Half Backs C Bolton J Bowden A McLeod
Centres S Goodwin S West A Goodes
Half Forwards A Didak B Hall (vc) R O'Keefe
Forwards B Johnson (c) B Fevola N Riewoldt
Ruck B Lade C Judd B Cousins
Inter S Burgoyne D Cox J McDonald M Pavlich

The team was selected by former Fitzroy and Umpires coach Rod Austin, AFL Football Operations GM Adrian Anderson, 3AW and Fox Footy (for now) commentator Gerard Healy, 3AW, Fox Footy and Ten commentator and The Age columnist Robert Walls, former West Coast Eagle premiership player Chris Mainwaring, dual Adelaide premiership Captain Mark Bickley and Richmond self-outcast Kevin Bartlett. AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou is non-voting chairman.