The AFL announced its 2018 All Australian squad on Monday morning, and Richmond could have up to eight stars in the 2018 All Australian team.
Shane Edwards, Josh Caddy, Dylan Grimes and Kane Lambert have all been nominated as debutants, featuring alongside star teammates Dustin Martin, Trent Cotchin, Alex Rance and Jack Riewoldt.
The only teams that failed to have a single player good enough to crack the 40-man squad are the Gold Coast Suns and St Kilda.
Twenty-two players are hoping to make the All Australian team for the first time, including Harris Andrews, Jordan de Goey, Brodie Grundy, Devon Smith, Lachie Neale, Lachie Whitfield, Jack Gunston, Clayton Oliver, Ben Brown, Shaun Higgins, Jake Lloyd and Shannon Hurn.
Sydney Swans superstar Lance Franklin made the 40-man cutoff for a record 11th time.
Swamp on Twitter
Times nominated in All Australian squad of 40 1x: 123 players 2x: 51 players 3x: 26 players 4x: 16 players 5x: 7 players 6x: 5 players 7x: Corey Enright, Sam Mitchell 8x: Gary Ablett 9x: Joel Selwood, Scott Pendlebury 10x: 11x: LANCE FRANKLIN @sydneyswans @AFL
But there were a host of big-name omissions, including Geelong superstars Gary Ablett and Joel Selwood, and standout Hawthorn defender Ben Stratton.
But perhaps the most hard done by are Dyson Heppell (Essendon), Nat Fyfe (Fremantle), Stephen Coniglio (GWS) and Ben Cunnington (North Melbourne), who all sit inside the top 20 in the coach-voted AFLCA champion player of the year and thus have strong claims to be considered among the best 40 players in the competition.
Meg Hutchins on Twitter
Seriously?!…. Ben Stratton not named in the @AFL All Australian squad?!! Ridiculous!!! #robbed @HawthornFC
Ashley Browne on Twitter
Ben Stratton stiff not to make the All Australian squad. He’s also the player least likely to give a stuff whether he makes it or not.
Adam Curley on Twitter
No Coniglio in AA squad… extraordinary decision #AllAustralianSquad
Mark Duffield on Twitter
Brad Sheppard very stiff not to be named in All Australian squad
Nick Rynne on Twitter
Stiff Conglio. #AllAustralian
The selection committee for the 2018 All Australian squad was made up of AFL boss Gillon McLachlan, Kevin Bartlett, Luke Darcy, Danny Frawley, Steve Hocking, Glen Jakovich, Chris Johnson, Cameron Ling, Matthew Richardson and Warren Tredrea.
On Wednesday, the final 22-man All Australian team will be announced.
2018 ALL AUSTRALIAN SQUAD
Adelaide: Rory Laird
Brisbane: Harris Andrews, Dayne Beams
Carlton: Patrick Cripps
Collingwood: Jordan De Goey, Brodie Grundy, Scott Pendlebury, Steele Sidebottom
Essendon: Devon Smith
Fremantle: Lachie Neale
Geelong: Mark Blicavs, Paddy Dangerfield, Tom Hawkins, Tom Stewart
Gold Coast: Nil
GWS: Callan Ward, Lachie Whitfield
Hawthorn: Luke Breust, Jack Gunston, Tom Mitchell
Melbourne: Max Gawn, Clayton Oliver
North Melbourne: Ben Brown, Shaun Higgins
Port Adelaide: Robbie Gray, Tom Jonas
Richmond: Josh Caddy, Trent Cotchin, Shane Edwards, Dylan Grimes, Kane Lambert, Dustin Martin, Alex Rance, Jack Riewoldt
St Kilda: Nil
Sydney: Lance Franklin, Jake Lloyd
West Coast: Andrew Gaff, Shannon Hurn, Jeremy McGovern, Elliot Yeo
Western Bulldogs: Jack Macrae
Mason Cox on Twitter
Congratulations to @SP_10 @brodiegrundy Jordan De Goey and Steele Sidebottom for the All Australian selection. Very well deserved! Still waiting for the All American Squad to come out though.
