AN AFLW All-Australian team is a tough thing to piece together. Do you stack the bench with midfielders? How do you leave out key players who have very deservingly made the squad? If someone must come in, who do you take out?

But this season, Gemma Bastiani has attempted to select her All-Australian team from the named squad.

ALL-AUSTRALIAN SQUAD Lions dominate, stalwarts feature again, Dee snubbed

Defenders

Breanna Koenen (Brisbane), Katie Lynch (Western Bulldogs), Natalie Grider (Brisbane), Chelsea Biddell (Adelaide), Eilish Sheerin (Richmond)

Brisbane captain Breanna Koenen has led her side to the minor premiership while also averaging a career-high marks (4.2) and intercepts (6.8). Her vice-captain and fellow defender Natalie Grider has also been immense, playing as a key rebounder for the Lions.

In her first season, dashing Richmond half-back Eilish Sheerin has undoubtedly earned a place in the side, while key posts Katie Lynch and Chelsea Biddell have stood strong down back for their respective sides all season.

Midfielders

Anne Hatchard (Adelaide), Jasmine Garner (North Melbourne), Monique Conti (Richmond)

In lieu of wingers - given no pure wingers were named in the squad - Anne Hatchard and Monique Conti's reliable spread to the outside sees them land on the wings, while Jasmine Garner's second AFLCA Champion Player of the Year winning season has her as a shoe-in for the midfield slot.

Forwards

Greta Bodey (Brisbane), Kate Hore (Melbourne), Maddy Prespakis (Essendon), Jesse Wardlaw (Brisbane), Chloe Scheer (Geelong)

Given Brisbane's record-breaking season in attack, both Greta Bodey and Jesse Wardlaw head up the forward line, with the latter taking out the season's leading goalkicker award already with 19 home and away goals.

Kate Hore's 16 goals, combined with her elite forward pressure, has her earning a second guernsey, while Chloe Scheer's competition-leading season as an inside 50 marking target will hand her a debut in the side. Meanwhile Maddy Prespakis, while playing largely as a midfielder, has kicked six goals and registered 32 score involvements to slide in at half-forward.

Followers

Breann Moody (Carlton), Ebony Marinoff (Adelaide), Georgie Prespakis (Geelong)

Breann Moody's impressive season not just in the ruck but then impacting around the ground - including six goals and an average of 217.6 metres gained - has her beating out both Alice Edmonds and Tahlia Hickie for the slot in the ruck. At her feet, Ebony Marinoff and Georgie Prespakis deserve their fifth and first call-ups, respectively.

Interchange

Mua Laloifi (Carlton), Amy McDonald (Geelong), Jordyn Allen (Collingwood), Ally Anderson (Brisbane), Bonnie Toogood (Essendon)

In what has been a tough season for Carlton defenders, Mua Laloifi has stood strong, while in her first season as Essendon co-captain Bonnie Toogood has been influential both up forward and when thrown on the ball.

Jordyn Allen has been a gamechanger for Collingwood, playing both on the wing and in defence with aplomb, and ball winners Amy McDonald and Ally Anderson simply couldn't be overlooked.

Unlucky to miss

Jenna Bruton has had an outstanding season in the midfield for North Melbourne, carrying the side through key injuries as its most reliable player. Former No.1 pick Charlie Rowbottom has led Gold Coast's midfield in just her second season and is very unlucky to miss. In attack, Courtney Wakefield could have very easily earned a place, but was pipped by Toogood at the post.

Controversially, Emma Kearney is not in the side despite a strong season as a rebounding defender and fellow captain Chelsea Randall was only excluded due to her limited games played.