Gold Coast Suns’ captain Gary Ablett tonight became the first man in VFL/AFL history to win All Australian selection in seven consecutive seasons when the AFL named the 2013 Four’N Twenty AFL All Australian Team in Melbourne.

Ablett was named as All Australian vice-captain behind former Geelong Cats’ team mate Joel Selwood as a total of 12 players were named for All Australian honours for the first time. The number of first-time All Australian players was the third-largest in history since the then-VFL began picking a team of the year from 1982 onwards, behind only the 15 debutants named last year, the 14 players in 1982 and level with the 12 debutantes named in both 1983 and 2000. Before 1982, All Australian sides were only picked after national carnivals or from that year’s State of Origin contests.

The Geelong Cats supplied a league-leading four players with Selwood as All Australian captain joined by Corey Enright, Harry Taylor and Andrew Mackie, while the Sydney Swans and Collingwood each supplied three selections. A total of 12 separate clubs in the competition provided at least one player for the stand-out team of the year.

While Ablett became the first player to be named in seven consecutive seasons – Robert Harvey, Stephen Kernahan and Nathan Buckley were each named in six straight years – Collingwood’s Dane Swan was named for the fifth consecutive season and his midfield partner Scott Pendlebury was named for the fourth consecutive season.

Ablett’s seven selections stand as the most of any current player, and leaves him just one short of father Gary’s amazing record of eight All Australian selections.

The Team was:
Corey Enright (Geelong Cats)                   Scott Thompson (North Melbourne)              Michael Johnson (Fremantle)
Jarrad McVeigh (Sydney Swans)                   Harry Taylor (Geelong Cats)                       Sam Mitchell (Hawthorn)
Ryan Griffen (Western Bulldogs)             Joel Selwood (Geelong Cats, captain)           Scott Pendlebury (Collingwood)
Patrick Dangerfield (Adelaide Crows)             Travis Cloke (Collingwood)                   Kieren Jack (Sydney Swans)
Jarryd Roughead (Hawthorn)                      Jeremy Cameron (GWS Giants)               Chad Wingard (Port Adelaide)
Will Minson (Western Bulldogs)                       Dane Swan (Collingwood)         Gary Ablett (Gold Coast Suns, vice-captain)
Travis Boak (Port Adelaide)                       Dan Hannebery (Sydney Swans)              Andrew Mackie (Geelong Cats)
Jobe Watson (Essendon)                             

Among the 12 debutants, GWS Giants’ Jeremy Cameron became the first All Australian in the new club’s history while another second-year player in Port Adelaide’s Chad Wingard was also recognised for his stellar season.

AFL Chief Executive Officer Andrew Demetriou congratulated the 22 players named in the All Australian side.

"Selection in the Four’N Twenty All Australian team is recognition for a tremendous year of football, as the best player in your position across the entire competition," Mr Demetriou said.  

"All Australian selection is a great honour also because of the quality of those players you have competed against, to win your spot, as one of the elite players of the season," he said.  

Four’N Twenty is proud of our continuing association with the Four’N Twenty All Australian and we congratulate the players on your selection to the team representing our ‘Great Australian Game’.

The All Australian selection panel is Andrew Demetriou (chairman), Kevin Bartlett, Luke Darcy, Mark Evans, Danny Frawley, Glen Jakovich, Cameron Ling and Mark Ricciuto, while the All Australian selectors, along with Kevin Sheehan, also choose the winner of the NAB AFL Rising Star Award.

The stats for each player from the 2013 Toyota AFL Premiership season are as follows:
Corey Enright, Geelong Cats. All Australian 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011. 21 games in 2013. 314 kicks, 151 marks (Fifth in the AFL), 164 handballs, averaging 15.0 kicks, 7.2 marks, 7.8 handballs. One Goal, Four Behinds. 19 Clearances, 62 Inside 50m, 77 Rebound 50m. 39 Tackles.

Scott Thompson, North Melbourne. Never previously selected. 19 games in 2013. 228 kicks, 124 marks, 144 handballs, averaging 12.0 kicks, 6.5 marks, 7.6 handballs. Two Goals, Zero Behinds. Six Clearances, 35 Inside 50m, 80 Rebound 50m. 42 Tackles.

Michael Johnson, Fremantle. Never previously selected. 21 games in 2013. 291 kicks, 143 marks (Ninth in the AFL), 116 handballs, averaging 13.9 kicks, 6.8 marks, 5.5 handballs. Five Goals, Two Behinds. Two Clearances, 32 Inside 50m, 72 Rebound 50m. 41 Tackles.

Jarrad McVeigh, Sydney Swans. Never previously selected. 22 games in 2013. 353 kicks (Seventh in the AFL), 86 marks, 245 handballs, averaging 16.0 kicks, 3.9 marks, 11.1 handballs. Sixth in the AFL in total disposals. 13 Goals, Seven Behinds. 61 Clearances, 79 Inside 50m, 80 Rebound 50m. 75 Tackles.

Harry Taylor, Geelong Cats. All Australian 2010. 21 games in 2013. 246 kicks, 158 marks (Third in the AFL), 116 handballs, averaging 11.7 kicks, 7.5 marks, 5.5 handballs. 14 Goals, Nine Behinds. Six Clearances, 40 Inside 50m, 87 Rebound 50m. 32 Tackles.

Sam Mitchell, Hawthorn. All Australian 2011. 21 games in 2013. 326 kicks, 75 marks, 268 handballs, averaging 15.5 kicks, 3.6 marks, 12.8 handballs. Seventh in the AFL in Total Disposals. Five Goals, Five Behinds. 89 Clearances, 71 Inside 50m, 62 Rebound 50m. 67 Tackles.

Ryan Griffen, Western Bulldogs. Never previously selected. 20 games in 2013. 304 kicks, 63 marks, 275 handballs, averaging 15.2 kicks, 3.2 marks, 13.8 handballs. Tenth in the AFL in total disposals. 14 Goals, 10 Behinds. 121 Clearances (Eighth in the AFL), 121 Inside 50m (Second in the AFL), 28 Rebound 50m. 98 Tackles.

Joel Selwood, Geelong Cats (captain). All Australian 2009, 2010. 22 games in 2013. 278 kicks, 91 marks, 266 handballs, averaging 12.6 kicks, 4.1 marks, 12.1 handballs. 28 Goals, 16 Behinds. 112 Clearances, 93 Inside 50m, 24 Rebound 50m. 127 Tackles (Ninth in the AFL).

Scott Pendlebury, Collingwood. All Australian 2010, 2011, 2012. 22 games in 2013. 312 kicks, 85 marks, 352 handballs (Second in the AFL), averaging 14.2 kicks, 3.9 marks, 16.0 handballs. Second in the AFL in Total Disposals. 18 Goals, Nine Behinds. 122 Clearances (Seventh in the AFL), 89 Inside 50m, 40 Rebound 50m. 114 Tackles.

Patrick Dangerfield, Adelaide Crows. All Australian 2012. 20 games in 2013. 302 kicks, 84 marks, 164 handballs, averaging 14.8 kicks, 5.3 marks, 8.0 handballs. 31 Goals, 18 Behinds. 111 Clearances, 102 Inside 50m (Eighth in the AFL), 31 Rebound 50m. 64 Tackles.

Travis Cloke, Collingwood. All Australian 2011. 21 games in 2013. 248 kicks, 183 marks (Second in the AFL), 64 handballs, averaging 11.8 kicks, 8.7 marks, 3.0 handballs. 66 Goals (Second in the AFL), 50 Behinds. Zero Clearances, 68 Inside 50m, Zero Rebound 50m. 27 Tackles.

Kieren Jack, Sydney Swans. Never previously selected. 22 games in 2013. 305 kicks, 45 marks, 253 handballs, averaging 13.9 kicks, 2.0 marks, 11.5 handballs. 22 Goals, 14 Behinds. 111 Clearances, 126 Inside 50m (First in the AFL), 27 Rebound 50m. 145 Tackles (Third in the AFL).

Jarryd Roughead, Hawthorn. Never previously selected. 22 games in 2013. 231 kicks, 102 marks, 127 handballs, averaging 10.5 kicks, 4.6 marks, 5.8 handballs. 53 Hit Outs, averaging 2.4 per game. 68 Goals (First in the AFL), 28 Behinds. 53 Clearances, 49 Inside 50m, Six Rebound 50m. 55 Tackles.

Jeremy Cameron, GWS Giants. Never previously selected. 21 games in 2013. 170 kicks, 106 marks, 54 handballs, averaging 8.1 kicks, 5.0 marks, 2.6 handballs. 62 Goals (Third in the AFL), 27 Behinds. One Clearances, 62 Inside 50m, Four Rebound 50m. 27 Tackles.

Chad Wingard, Port Adelaide. Never previously selected. 22 games in 2013. 288 kicks, 95 marks, 183 handballs, averaging 13.1 kicks, 4.3 marks, 8.3 handballs. 40 Goals, 19 Behinds. 55 Clearances, 101 Inside 50m (Ninth in the AFL), 27 Rebound 50m. 45 Tackles.

Will Minson, Western Bulldogs. Never previously selected. 22 games in 2013. 152 kicks, 40 marks, 168 handballs, averaging 6.9 kicks, 1.8 marks, 7.6 handballs. 860 hit outs (First in the AFL), averaging 39.1 hit outs. Seven Goals, Five Behinds. 105 Clearances, 35 Inside 50m, 25 Rebound 50m. 81 Tackles.

Dane Swan, Collingwood. All Australian 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. 22 games in 2013. 421 kicks (First in the AFL), 120 marks, 274 handballs, averaging 19.1 kicks, 5.5 marks, 12.5 handballs. First in the AFL in total disposals. 18 Goals, 18 Behinds. 111 Clearances, 116 Inside 50m (Fourth in the AFL), 47 Rebound 50m. 76 Tackles.

Gary Ablett, Gold Coast Suns (vice-captain). All Australian 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010 (vice-captain), 2011 (captain), 2012. 21 games in 2013. 343 kicks (Ninth in the AFL), 73 marks, 312 handballs (Fourth in the AFL), averaging 16.3 kicks, 3.5 marks, 14.9 handballs. Third in the AFL in total disposals. 28 Goals, 23 Behinds. 124 Clearances (Sixth in the AFL), 113 Inside 50m (Sixth in the AFL), 39 Rebound 50m. 96 Tackles.

Travis Boak, Port Adelaide. Never previously selected. 21 games in 2013. 297 kicks, 91 marks, 244 handballs, averaging 14.1 kicks, 4.3 marks, 11.6 handballs. 18 Goals, 11 Behinds. 117 Clearances, 116 Inside 50m (Fourth in the AFL), 26 Rebound 50m. 88 Tackles.

Dan Hannebery, Sydney Swans. Never previously selected. 21 games in 2013. 250 kicks, 70 marks, 297 handballs (Sixth in the AFL), averaging 11.9 kicks, 3.3 marks, 14.1 handballs. 16 Goals, 13 Behinds. 70 Clearances, 77 Inside 50m, 27 Rebound 50m. 59 Tackles.

Andrew Mackie, Geelong Cats. Never previously selected. 22 games in 2013. 314 kicks, 141 marks, 210 handballs, averaging 14.3 kicks, 6.4 marks, 6.8 handballs. Five Goals, Five Behinds. 10 Clearances, 79 Inside 50m, 59 Rebound 50m. 37 Tackles.

Jobe Watson, Essendon. All Australian 2012. 19 games in 2013. 259 kicks, 74 marks, 264 handballs, averaging 13.6 kicks, 3.9 marks, 13.9 handballs. 16 Goals, 18 Behinds. 97 Clearances, 67 Inside 50m, 27 Rebound 50m. 61 Tackles.
Ends
Patrick Keane
AFL Media Manager