MELBOURNE has a strong showing in the 2020 AFL All Australian Squad, with three Demons named in the extended line-up.
Max Gawn, Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver have all been recognised in the 40-man squad, which celebrates the best individual performances in each position of the competition.
The final team of 22 players, which includes a captain and vice-captain, is set to be announced on Thursday evening.
All three players had very impressive seasons in 2020, and were among the best contributors for the Dees, week in, week out.
In his first year as skipper, Gawn continued his dominance in the ruck.
The 28-year-old averaged 32.7 hit-outs across his 14 games – the most in the competition – and made sure his presence was known around the entire ground.
Gawn, who was named on the interchange in last year’s side, will be on the hunt for his fourth All Australian honour, having also got the nod in 2016 and 2018.
Equally as impressive this season was Oliver.
The hard-at-it midfielder was a reliable performer for the Demons, averaging 25 disposals and an efficiency of 71 percent.
He recorded the most contested possessions in the league (227), while also finishing with 92 tackles and 64 score involvements.
The 23-year-old will be looking to earn a spot for the second time, having made his debut in the prestigious side in 2018.
Petracca, on the other hand, will be aiming for his first selection.
In what could be described as a break-out season for the Demons, Petracca averaged 23.5 disposals and finished just behind Oliver in the contested-possession count (216).
The 24-year-old assimilated into the Melbourne midfielder, having a big impact around the contest and up forward – he finished with 108 score involvements and 15 goals of his own.
Petracca brought plenty of excitement to Dees fans in 2020 and would be a worthy recipient of the honour.
The final team will be revealed on Thursday night, in a special virtual event on Fox Footy and Kayo from 7.30pm AEST.
The NAB Rising Star Award, the AFL Players’ Most Valuable Player Award, the Shadforth Financial Group AFL Coaches’ Association Champion Player of the Year Award and the Coleman Medallist will also be presented in the program.
