James Frawley (Melb)
"I didn’t expect it. I’m chuffed, I suppose. I’m lucky to have guys like Colin Garland and Jared Rivers as leaders in the backline."
Brian Lake (WB)
"It’s been a good year. The team’s improved a little bit and we’re in another preliminary final. It’s exciting."
Corey Enright (Geel)
"It’s been a bit different for us this year [having lost the qualifying final] but we’re really excited about Friday night."
HALF-BACKS
Brendon Goddard (St K)
"I’m very honoured. [Setting up play] is something I’ve become accustomed to this year over time. I just change my role from week to week and that’s the role I play for the team."
Harry Taylor (Geel)
"I’m very fortunate to have players like Matthew Scarlett and Corey Enright as well as the rest of the backline (and) the midfielders. I take a few notes on the players I’m likely to play against each week. I’ve always been a pretty methodical type of guy."
Harry O’Brien (Coll)
"It’s a great honour and I’m so grateful for the people around me - my teammates and the coaching staff, and everyone along the journey like my family. It’s been fantastic."
CENTRES
Leigh Montagna (St K)
"It’s a great honour to be selected in the All Australian team with the best players in the league."
Luke Hodge (Haw, captain)
"With the amount of quality players here it’s a great honour to be selected."
Joel Selwood (Geel)
"The rollercoaster rolls on and we’re excited about the week ahead. I thought Lingy’s goal (in the final seconds of the qualifying final against St Kilda) was a goal but we’ll move on. We’ve got to go the long way around but we enjoyed playing on the weekend ... and we’re just looking forward to this week."
HALF-FORWARDS
Alan Didak (Coll)
"It’s been a while but it’s good to be back. To be named in the 22 with all the other great players, it’s a great honour."
Lance Franklin (Haw)
"I’m honoured to be selected in the best 22 but it’s obviously disappointing not to be playing finals football because that’s what we come to play."
Paul Chapman (Geel)
"It has been a fantastic year, to be able to get up in the midfield and do my stuff has been great. It’s something I’ve been asking for, for a while. Fitness has been a big thing for me so I’ve worked hard on it and they’ve rewarded me."
FORWARDS
Barry Hall (WB)
"[This year] has been great. I certainly didn’t expect to have the year I’ve had. I thought I was over the hill. I’m contracted next year so I’ll definitely go around again and we’ll see after that."
Jack Riewoldt (Rich)
"It’s been a great year personally but we were disappointing and hopefully we can improve next year."
Mark LeCras (WC)
"Last year was probably my first full year and okay year at AFL [level] so I was just rapt to make the squad."
FOLLOWERS
Aaron Sandilands (Fre)
Did not attend ceremony
Dane Swan (Coll)
"Things are going well and hopefully that translates to a win on Friday night. It was a good feeling to be recognised by my peers last Monday at the AFLPA awards and by the so-called experts tonight as well."
Gary Ablett (Geel, vice-captain)
"It’s a great honour to be an All Australian. I played a bit of a different role this year - the club wanted me to play more of a forward role. I wanted to push up the field a bit more but it was good to kick a few goals."
INTERCHANGE
Mark Jamar (Melb)
"Getting my body right and maturity [has been the change]. It takes longer for big blokes, they say. I can’t believe it. I thought they’d only go with the one ruckman. I’m stoked."
Steve Johnson (Geel)
"It’s been good [this year]. I’ve just been able to cap off the work of some of the players you’ve already seen up here tonight."
Chris Judd (Carl)
"One of our goals this year was to improve on last year. We had the chance to do that and win a final and we didn’t do that. There were still a lot of positives for us to take out of the season."
Scott Pendlebury (Coll)
"It feels really good to be here. This week will be my second preliminary because I missed last year and I’m really looking forward to it. The boys are excited."
