All-Australian team

The earliest concept considered to be a precursor to the All-Australian team was an annual team selected by Sporting Life magazine between 1947 and 1955. A panel of sportswriters at the magazine selected a full team of eighteen from all ANFC-affiliated competitions. For a time, AFL historians considered these teams to be official All-Australian teams, but no longer recognises them as such. The first official All-Australian team was selected in 1953, immediately after the Australian Football Carnival, which was held in Adelaide on that occasion. Based solely upon performances at the carnival, the All-Australian team was selected by representatives of the various state teams. This tradition continued at all subsequent interstate carnivals until 1988. In 1991, following the VFL's conversion to a national competition and its renaming as the Australian Football League (AFL), an annual All-Australian team based on performances during the AFL premiership season was introduced. Since 1999, the All-Australian coach is the coach of the premiership-winning side that year. Prior to 2007, only the final selections in the All-Australian team were announced. Since 2007, the All-Australian selection committee has nominated the 40 leading players of the year in their playing positions at the conclusion of the home and away season, before announcing the final 22 at a later date during the All-Australian Presentation Dinner. The squad was increased to 44 in 2022. The 2023 All-Australian selection panel consists of chairperson Gillon McLachlan, Kevin Bartlett, Eddie Betts, Jude Bolton, Nathan Buckley, Kane Cornes, Andrew Dillon, Glen Jakovich, Laura Kane, Cameron Ling, and Matthew Pavlich. In addition to the senior All-Australian team, each year an All-Australian is announced based on the AFL National Under 18 Championships and the AFL National Under 16 Championships. The following lists are for senior teams only. Members of the All-Australian team are awarded a team blazer, reminiscent of the formal wear traditionally worn by travelling members of national sports teams. Blazers have become synonymous with the identity of the honour. ==Teams==

AFL era: 1991–present 2025 2024 2023 Notes: • Despite winning the Brownlow Medal for the second time, Lachie Neale was not selected in the team. 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 Notes: • Despite winning the Brownlow Medal, Matt Priddis was not selected in the team, but was selected in the initial squad of 40 like Sam Mitchell and Jack Riewoldt were two years earlier. 2013 2012 Notes: • Despite being awarded the Brownlow Medal retrospectively alongside Trent Cotchin over four years later in November 2016, Sam Mitchell was not selected in the team. However, he was selected in the initial squad of 40. Cotchin was named in the team alongside Jobe Watson, who received the most Brownlow votes and was initially awarded the medal before being stripped of it due to the Essendon supplements saga. • Despite winning the Coleman Medal, Jack Riewoldt was also not selected in the team. He, too, was selected in the initial squad of 40. 2011 2010 2009 2008 2007 Notes: • For the first occasion, a preliminary squad of 40 was announced. • With nine players selected, set a record for most players from one club in an All-Australian team, a record which stands to this day. 2006 2005 Notes: • Despite winning the Coleman Medal, Fraser Gehrig was not selected in the team. 2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 Notes: • Despite winning the Brownlow Medal and club best and fairest in a grand final year, Shane Woewodin was not selected in the team. Notably three Adelaide midfielders were selected despite that club missing the finals with a 9–13 win–loss record, although none of the three selected were positioned in midfield or onballer positions. 1999 Notes: • Despite winning the Coleman Medal, Scott Cummings was not selected in the team. 1998 Notes: • 1998 was the final season in which the coach of the All-Australian team was not necessarily the premiership coach. Indeed, premiership-winning coach Malcolm Blight was not included in the team. 1997 1996 1995 1994 1993 1992 1991 Notes: • Despite winning that season's Grand Final, Hawthorn did not supply one player in the team of the year. VFL/AFL Team of the Year: 1982–1990 The AFL website recognises players who were named in the VFL/AFL Team of the Year from 1982 to 1990 as having All-Australian status. This was a team picked by Victorian selectors. Teams were named every season from 1982 to 1990, except 1985. 1990 1989 1988 1987 1986 1984 1983 1982 Australian Football Carnival era: 1953–1988 ;State of origin era 1988 1987 1986 1985 1983 1980 1979 ;Pre-State of Origin era 1972 1969 1966 1961 1958 1956 1953 Sporting Life Team of the Year: 1947–1955 These teams were once considered to be equivalent to All-Australian selection, but are no longer recognised as such. 1955 1954 1953 1952 1951 1950 1949 1948 1947 ==Records==

Players Most times selected overall Most times selected in Carnivals era Most captaincies Coaches Most times selected overall Selected as both player and coach ==See also==