Under the format introduced in 2007, the All-Australian selectors have nominated the leading players in each section of the field - forwards, defenders and midfielders/ruckmen - with the final team of 22 to be named on Monday 15 September 2008 in Melbourne.
All-Australian panel Chairman and AFL Chief Executive Andrew Demetriou said the final team would comprise six of the 12 forwards named, six of the 12 defenders named and six of the 16 midfielders / ruckmen named in the squad.
The four interchange positions would then come from the remaining players not selected in the starting 18, to best fit team balance as if to play a match.
The 40-man squad contains 22 players who've never previously won All-Australian selection with the following club representations: Brisbane Lions (3), Geelong (10), St Kilda (4), Western Bulldogs (4), Fremantle (3), Hawthorn (3), North Melbourne (3), Carlton (2), Richmond (2), Sydney (2), Adelaide (1), Collingwood (1), Port Adelaide (1), West Coast (1), Essendon (0), Melbourne (0).
The All-Australian selection panel is: Andrew Demetriou (chairman), Adrian Anderson, Rod Austin, Kevin Bartlett, Mark Bickley, Gerard Healy, Glen Jakovich and Robert Walls.
The 40 initial squad members named are:
DEFENDERS
Nathan Bock, Adelaide. Never previously selected.
Corey Enright, Geelong. Never previously selected.
Sam Fisher, St Kilda. Never previously selected.
Tom Harley, Geelong. Never previously selected.
Luke Hodge, Hawthorn. All-Australian 2005.
Max Hudghton, St Kilda. Never previously selected.
Luke McPharlin, Fremantle. Never previously selected.
Andrew Mackie, Geelong. Never previously selected.
Darren Milburn, Geelong. All-Australian 2007.
Dale Morris, Western Bulldogs. Never previously selected.
Daniel Pratt, North Melbourne. Never previously selected.
Matthew Scarlett, Geelong. All-Australian 2003, 2004, 2007.
FORWARDS
Jonathan Brown, Brisbane Lions. All-Australian 2007.
Daniel Bradshaw, Brisbane Lions. Never previously selected.
Brendan Fevola, Carlton. All-Australian 2006.
Lance Franklin, Hawthorn. Never previously selected.
Brent Harvey, North Melbourne. All-Australian 2000, 2005, 2007.
Steve Johnson, Geelong. All-Australian 2007.
Paul Medhurst, Collingwood. Never previously selected.
Daniel Motlop, Port Adelaide. Never previously selected.
Robert Murphy, Western Bulldogs. Never previously selected.
Ryan O'Keefe, Sydney. Never previously selected.
Matthew Pavlich, Fremantle. All-Australian 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007.
Nick Riewoldt, St Kilda. All-Australian 2004, 2006.
MIDFIELDERS / RUCKMEN
Gary Ablett, Geelong. All-Australian 2007.
Jimmy Bartel, Geelong. All-Australian 2007.
Simon Black, Brisbane Lions. All-Australian 2001, 2002, 2004.
Adam Cooney, Western Bulldogs. Never previously selected.
Joel Corey, Geelong. All-Australian 2007.
Dean Cox, West Coast. All-Australian 2005, 2006, 2007.
Daniel Cross, Western Bulldogs. Never previously selected.
Brett Deledio, Richmond. Never previously selected.
Lenny Hayes, St Kilda. All-Australian 2003, 2005.
Chris Judd, Carlton. All-Australian 2004, 2006.
Brett Kirk, Sydney. All-Australian 2004.
Sam Mitchell, Hawthorn. Never previously selected.
Drew Petrie, North Melbourne. Never previously selected.
Matthew Richardson, Richmond. All-Australian 1996, 1999.
Aaron Sandilands, Fremantle. Never previously selected.
Joel Selwood, Geelong. Never previously selected.
The Club wishes Jonathan, Simon and Daniel all the very best for the final selection process as reward for their 2008 seasons.
