A total of 10 clubs in all supplied at least one member of the All Australian team but selection was dominated by the leading clubs with just four players - Gold Coast’s Gary Ablett, North Melbourne’s Drew Petrie and Western Bulldog pair Matthew Boyd and Robert Murphy - being chosen from sides that missed the finals.
The Brisbane Lions were one of seven clubs without any representation in the All Australian team, together with Adelaide, Essendon, Fremantle, Melbourne, Port Adelaide and Richmond.
It is the 5th time in the past seven seasons that no Brisbane Lions players have featured in the AFL's official 'Team of the Year'. In fact, only Jonathan Brown (selected in 2007 and 2009) has represented the Club in the All Australian team since 2004.
The Lions were also one of only four teams (along with Essendon, Melbourne and Port Adelaide) to not have any players selected in initial 40-man All Australian squad from which the final team is chosen.
Of those selected in the 2011 All Australian team, just six players - Gary Ablett, Corey Enright, Lance Franklin, Chris Judd, Scott Pendlebury, Dane Swan - retained their places from the 2010 side with Judd and Scarlett each winning selection for the sixth time in their careers as the most-capped members of the side.
Ablett, who moved to the AFL’s expansion club, the Gold Coast Suns, won selection for the fifth consecutive year and was rewarded by being named as All Australian captain for the first time, 16 years after his father was named captain in 1995. Chris Judd was named as his deputy.
There were also a total of nine first-time All Australians selected in 2011 - Robert Murphy (Western Bulldogs), Ben Reid (Collingwood), Dale Thomas (Collingwood), Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn), Marc Murphy (Carlton), Travis Cloke (Collingwood), Stephen Milne (St Kilda), James Kelly (Geelong) and Drew Petrie (North Melbourne).
The All Australian selection consists of Andrew Demetriou (chairman), Adrian Anderson, Kevin Bartlett, Luke Darcy, Danny Frawley, Glen Jakovich, Leigh Matthews and Mark Ricciuto.
The full 2011 All Australian team included the following players (in position):
BACKS
Matthew Scarlett, Geelong Cats. Previously selected 2003, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009. 19 games in 2011. 196 kicks, 102 marks, 137 handballs, averaging 10.3 kicks, 5.4 marks, 7.2 handballs. One Goal, One Behind. 36 Tackles. Three Clearances, 23 Inside 50m, 63 Rebound 50m.
Darren Glass, West Coast. Previously selected 2006, 2007. 21 games in 2011. 115 kicks, 84 marks, 122 handballs, averaging 5.5 kicks, 4.0 marks, 5.8 handballs. Zero Goals Zero Behinds. 41 Tackles. Four Clearances, Four Inside 50m, 40 Rebound 50m.
Corey Enright, Geelong Cats. Previously selected 2008, 2009, 2010. 20 games in 2011. 297 kicks, 135 marks, 172 handballs, averaging 14.8 kicks, 6.8 marks, 8.6 handballs. One Goal Zero Behinds. 57 Tackles. 17 Clearances, 51 Inside 50m, 71 Rebound 50m.
HALF-BACKS
Robert Murphy, Western Bulldogs. Never previously selected. 21 games in 2011. 306 kicks, 77 marks, 128 handballs, averaging 14.6 kicks, 3.7 marks, 6.1 handballs. Six Goals Four Behinds. 36 Tackles. 10 Clearances, 44 Inside 50m, 111 Rebound 50m (third in the AFL).
Ben Reid, Collingwood. Never Previously selected. 22 games in 2011. 230 kicks, 156 marks (third in the AFL), 118 handballs, averaging 10.4 kicks, 7.1 marks, 5.4 handballs. One Goal Zero Behinds. 20 Tackles. Four Clearances, 31 Inside 50m, 84 Rebound 50m.
Leon Davis, Collingwood. Previously selected 2009. 18 games in 2011. 283 kicks, 72 marks, 103 handballs, averaging 15.7 kicks, 4.0 marks, 5.7 handballs. Six Goals Eight Behinds. 62 Tackles. 21 Clearances, 52 Inside 50m, 80 Rebound 50m
CENTRES
Dale Thomas, Collingwood. Never Previously selected. 19 games in 2011. 309 kicks, 118 marks, 168 handballs, averaging 16.3 kicks, 6.2marks, 8.8 handballs. 13 Goals, 13 Behinds. 72 Tackles. 64 Clearances, 77 Inside 50m, 40 Rebound 50m
Sam Mitchell, Hawthorn. Never Previously selected. 20 games in 2011. 361 kicks (fifth in the AFL), 88 marks, 261 handballs, averaging 18.0 kicks, 4.4 marks, 13.0 handballs. Sixth in the AFL in total disposals. 11 Goals Six Behinds. 89 Tackles. 115 Clearances, 95 Inside 50m, 32 Rebound 50m.
Scott Pendlebury, Collingwood. Previously selected 2010. 22 games in 2011. 328 kicks (tenth in the AFL), 95 marks, 311 handballs (fifth in the AFL), averaging 14.9 kicks, 4.3 marks, 14.1 handballs. Fourth in the AFL in total disposals. 24 Goals Eight Behinds. 134 Tackles. 111 Clearances, 92 Inside 50m, 27 Rebound 50m.
HALF-FORWARDS
Marc Murphy, Carlton. Never Previously selected. 22 games in 2011. 356 kicks (sixth in the AFL), 102 marks, 283 handballs (tenth in the AFL), averaging 16.2 kicks, 4.6 marks, 12.9 handballs. Fifth in the AFL in total disposals. 19 Goals 10 Behinds. 97 Tackles. 117 Clearances, 99 Inside 50m, 38 Rebound 50m.
Travis Cloke, Collingwood. Never previously selected. 22 games in 2011. 281 kicks, 170 marks (equal first in the AFL), 69 handballs, averaging 12.8 kicks, 7.7 marks, 3.1 handballs. 62 Goals (second in the AFL) 43 Behinds. 63 Tackles. Six Clearances, 111 Inside 50m (fifth in the AFL), Two Rebound 50m
Dane Swan, Collingwood. Previously selected 2009, 2010. 21 games in 2011. 419 kicks (first in the AFL), 117 marks, 246 handballs, averaging 20.0 kicks, 5.6 marks, 11.7 handballs. Third in the AFL in total disposals. 30 Goals 21 Behinds. 65 Tackles. 123 Clearances (tenth in the AFL), 109 Inside 50m (sixth in the AFL), 38 Rebound 50m.
FORWARDS
Stephen Milne, St Kilda. Never previously selected. 22 games in 2011. 220 kicks, 90 marks, 74 handballs, averaging 10.0 kicks, 4.1 marks, 3.4 handballs. 55 Goals (fourth in the AFL) 32 Behinds. 59 Tackles. 21 Clearances, 64 Inside 50m, 13 Rebound 50m.
Lance Franklin, Hawthorn. Previously selected 2008, 2010. 19 games in 2011. 226 kicks, 118 marks, 139 handballs, averaging 11.9 kicks, 6.2 marks, 7.3handballs. 71 Goals (first in the AFL) 54 Behinds. 59 Tackles. 15 Clearances, 53 Inside 50m, Seven Rebound 50m.
Adam Goodes, Sydney Swans. Previously selected 2003, 2006, 2009. 22 games in 2011. 293 kicks, 138 marks (tenth in the AFL), 173 handballs, averaging 13.3 kicks, 6.3 marks, 7.9 handballs. 36 Goals 31 Behinds. 82 Tackles. 69 Clearances, 124 Inside 50m (second in the AFL), 12 Rebound 50m.
RUCKS
Dean Cox, West Coast. Previously selected 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008. 22 games in 2011. 249 kicks, 128 marks, 154 handballs, averaging 11.3 kicks, 5.8 marks, 7.0 handballs. 19 Goals 17 Behinds. 38 Tackles. 657 hit outs averaging 29.9 hit outs per game (third in the AFL). 85 Clearances, 58 Inside 50m, 24 Rebound 50m.
Chris Judd, Carlton (vice-captain). Previously selected 2004, 2006, 2008 (captain), 2009, 2010. 22 games in 2011. 281 kicks, 64 marks, 316 handballs (fourth in the AFL), averaging 12.8 kicks, 2.9 marks, 14.4 handballs. Eighth in the AFL in total disposals. 13 Goals 15 Behinds. 137 Tackles (ninth in the AFL). 148 Clearances (fourth in the AFL), 101 Inside 50m (tenth in the AFL), 28 Rebound 50m.
Gary Ablett, Gold Coast Suns (captain). Previously selected 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 (vice-captain). 20 games in 2011. 304 kicks, 45 marks, 301 handballs (eighth in the AFL), averaging 15.2 kicks, 2.2 marks, 15.0 handballs. Seventh in the AFL in total disposals. 18 Goals 17 Behinds. 119 Tackles. 133 Clearances (ninth in the AFL), 99 Inside 50m, 62 Rebound 50m.
INTERCHANGE
Matthew Boyd, Western Bulldogs. Previously selected 2009. 22 games in 2011. 398 kicks (second in the AFL), 85 marks, 303 handballs (seventh in the AFL), averaging 18.1 kicks, 3.9 marks, 13.8 handballs. First in the AFL in total disposals. Eight Goals Five Behinds. 113 Tackles. 154 Clearances (first in the AFL), 115 Inside 50m (fourth in the AFL), 75 Rebound 50m.
Nick Dal Santo, St Kilda. Previously selected 2005, 2009. 22 games in 2011. 320 kicks, 74 marks, 262 handballs, averaging 14.6 kicks, 3.4 marks, 11.9 handballs. 13 Goals Eight Behinds. 117 Tackles. 111 Clearances, 76 Inside 50m, 67 Rebound 50m.
James Kelly, Geelong Cats. Never Previously selected. 21 games in 2011. 272 kicks, 53 marks, 239 handballs, averaging 13.0 kicks, 2.5 marks, 11.4 handballs. Five Goals 10 Behinds. 160 Tackles (fourth in the AFL). 90 Clearances, 92 Inside 50m, 31 Rebound 50m.
Drew Petrie, North Melbourne. Never Previously selected. 21 games in 2011. 222 kicks, 129 marks, 72 handballs, averaging 10.6 kicks, 6.1 marks, 3.4 handballs. 48 Goals 41 Behinds. 98 hit outs averaging 4.7 per game. 58 Tackles. 22 Clearances, 41 Inside 50m, Five Rebound 50m.
