2022 All-Australian team

The 2022 All-Australian team was the official representative squad of 22 elite players selected from the Australian Football League (AFL) for their exceptional performances throughout the 2022 home-and-away season, announced on 24 August 2022 during the AFL Awards broadcast.^[1] Sponsored by Therabody, the team was chosen by a 12-member selection panel chaired by AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan and comprising experts such as Jude Bolton, Nathan Buckley, Kane Cornes, Andrew Dillon, Glen Jakovich, Gerard Healy, Chris Johnson, Cameron Ling, Nick Riewoldt, Brad Scott, and Kevin Sheehan (for the Rising Star component).^[1] Geelong Cats captain Tom Hawkins was named as the team's captain in his fifth All-Australian selection, while Carlton's Patrick Cripps served as vice-captain in his third nod, highlighting their leadership and consistency amid a season where Geelong ultimately claimed the AFL premiership.^[1] The squad featured a mix of established stars and emerging talents, including a notable 12 debutants such as St Kilda's Jack Sinclair, GWS Giants' Sam Taylor, Carlton's Adam Saad and Charlie Curnow, Sydney Swans' Callum Mills and Isaac Heeney, Richmond's Shai Bolton, Geelong's Tyson Stengle and Mark Blicavs, Fremantle's Andrew Brayshaw, Port Adelaide's Connor Rozee, and Collingwood's Brayden Maynard—reflecting the depth and resurgence across multiple clubs.^[1] The full team composition, structured in traditional positional lines, underscored Melbourne's defensive strength with four selections and Geelong's forward-line dominance with five players, as follows: This selection captured the AFL's competitive landscape in 2022, a year marked by high-scoring games and tactical innovations, with Melbourne and Geelong players comprising nearly half the team due to their top-four finishes on the ladder.^[1]

Selection Process

Panel Composition

The selection panel for the 2022 All-Australian team was composed of 12 experts chaired by Gillon McLachlan, drawing on a diverse range of AFL experience to assess player performances during the 2022 home-and-away season.^[1] The panel members and their key professional backgrounds relevant to AFL selection expertise were:

• Gillon McLachlan: Served as AFL Chief Executive Officer from 2014 to 2023, providing administrative oversight and leadership in league governance as panel chairman.^[2][3]
• Jude Bolton: Former Sydney Swans midfielder who played 321 games, including two premierships in 2005 and 2012, before retiring in 2013.^[4]
• Nathan Buckley: Former Collingwood captain and 398-game veteran, 2003 Brownlow Medal winner, and AFL Hall of Fame inductee known for his midfield dominance.^[5]
• Kane Cornes: Former Port Adelaide wingman with 300 games, a 2004 premiership player, dual All-Australian (2007, 2012), and current media analyst offering performance insights.^[6]
• Andrew Dillon: AFL deputy CEO in 2022 with over two decades in league roles, including general manager of football operations, focusing on strategic and regulatory aspects.^[7][8]
• Glen Jakovich: Former West Coast Eagles defender who played 276 games, won two premierships (1992, 1994), and was inducted into the AFL Hall of Fame in 2008 for his centre-half-back prowess.^[9]
• Chris Johnson: Former Brisbane Lions forward and co-captain, playing 288 games across West Coast and Brisbane, including three premierships (2001–2003) before retiring in 2007.^[10]
• Cameron Ling: Former Geelong captain and premiership player (2007, 2009, 2011) with 254 games, renowned for his leadership and toughness in the midfield.^[11]
• Brad Scott: Former North Melbourne senior coach (2010–2019) and dual premiership player with Brisbane Lions (2001, 2003), bringing coaching and player development expertise.^[12]
• Gerard Healy: Former midfielder for Melbourne and Sydney Swans, playing 259 games, 1988 Brownlow Medal winner, and prominent media commentator on AFL matters.^[9][13]
• Nick Riewoldt: Former St Kilda captain for a club-record 11 seasons (2005–2016), 336-game forward, and AFL Hall of Fame inductee (2025) for his leadership and scoring ability.^[14][15]
• Kevin Sheehan: AFL talent ambassador and co-founder of the NAB AFL Rising Star Award, assisting selectors in the Rising Star component.^[1]

Collectively, the panel's composition ensured balanced perspectives from on-field excellence, tactical acumen, and league administration, enabling objective evaluations of individual and team contributions throughout the season.^[1]

Timeline and Criteria

The selection process for the 2022 All-Australian team began with the identification of elite performers from the Australian Football League (AFL) home-and-away season, drawing nominations based on season-long statistics and initial panel deliberations to narrow the field from the entire league to an extended squad.^[16] The initial 44-man squad was announced on 21 August 2022, recognizing standout players across all positions without consideration of finals performances, as the award focuses solely on regular-season contributions to ensure fairness for teams eliminated early.^[16] Key evaluation criteria emphasized individual player performances during the 2022 home-and-away season, including statistical outputs such as disposals, tackles, and goals, alongside qualitative factors like game impact, consistency across matches, leadership qualities, and the need for positional balance to form a cohesive team structure.^[16] The panel sought to highlight players who demonstrated sustained excellence, avoiding over-reliance on single-game heroics, while ensuring representation from various roles on the field, such as defenders, midfielders, forwards, and rucks.^[16] From the 44-man squad, the panel further deliberated to select the final 22-player team, structured as if to play an actual match with three players each in the back, half-back, centre, half-forward, and forward lines; three players in the ruck division (ruckman, ruck rover, and rover); and four interchange players.^[16] This step adhered to criteria established in 2007 for creating a balanced, representative side that mirrors a standard AFL lineup.^[16] The final team was announced on 24 August 2022 during the AFL Awards ceremony.^[1] The AFL Commission played a key oversight role, approving the composition of the selection panel and the final team to maintain integrity and alignment with league standards.^[7]

Player Selections

Initial 44-Man Squad

The initial 44-man squad for the 2022 All-Australian team was announced on 21 August 2022, serving as a shortlist from which the selection panel would deliberate to choose the final 22 players.^[16] This preliminary group highlighted the depth of talent across the competition, encompassing a mix of established stars and emerging performers.^[16] Among the nominees, 11 players were carried over from the 2021 All-Australian team, reflecting continuity in elite performance.^[16] Melbourne led the nominations with six players, followed by Carlton and Geelong with five each; in contrast, Essendon and North Melbourne had no representatives in the squad.^[16] The full squad, listed alphabetically by surname, included the following players:

Final 22-Player Team

The 2022 All-Australian team was the final selection of 22 players recognized for their exceptional performances in the Australian Football League (AFL) season, reduced from an initial 44-man squad. This honorary team does not contest any matches and serves purely as an accolade for the year's standout contributors across all positions.^[1] Tom Hawkins from the Geelong Cats was appointed captain, with Patrick Cripps from the Carlton Blues named vice-captain. Chris Scott, the Geelong Cats' senior coach, was selected as the honorary coach.^[17] The team was structured in traditional AFL positional lines as follows: Back line

• Tom Stewart (Geelong Cats)
• Steven May (Melbourne)
• Brayden Maynard (Collingwood)

Half-back line

• Jack Sinclair (St Kilda)
• Sam Taylor (GWS Giants)
• Adam Saad (Carlton)

Centre line

• Touk Miller (Gold Coast Suns)
• Clayton Oliver (Melbourne)
• Callum Mills (Sydney Swans)

Half-forward line

• Christian Petracca (Melbourne)
• Jeremy Cameron (Geelong Cats)
• Shai Bolton (Richmond)

Forward line

• Charlie Curnow (Carlton)
• Tom Hawkins (Geelong Cats, captain)
• Tyson Stengle (Geelong Cats)

Ruck division

• Max Gawn (Melbourne)
• Patrick Cripps (Carlton Blues, vice-captain)
• Lachie Neale (Brisbane Lions)

Interchange

• Mark Blicavs (Geelong Cats)
• Andrew Brayshaw (Fremantle)
• Isaac Heeney (Sydney Swans)
• Connor Rozee (Port Adelaide)

^[1][17]

Notable Aspects

Club Representation and Achievements

The 2022 All-Australian team featured players from 12 of the 18 AFL clubs, with Geelong and Melbourne dominating the selections due to their strong performances throughout the season. Geelong, who topped the ladder with 18 wins from 22 games and claimed the minor premiership, earned the highest representation with five players: Tom Stewart, Jeremy Cameron, Tom Hawkins, Tyson Stengle, and Mark Blicavs.^[1][18] Melbourne, the defending premiers from 2021 who finished second on the ladder with 16 wins, followed closely with four selections: Steven May, Clayton Oliver, Christian Petracca, and Max Gawn.^[1][18] Carlton secured three spots—Adam Saad, Charlie Curnow, and Patrick Cripps—reflecting their resurgence to eighth place after a challenging prior year.^[1] Sydney had two players (Callum Mills and Isaac Heeney), while single representatives came from Collingwood (Brayden Maynard), St Kilda (Jack Sinclair), GWS (Sam Taylor), Gold Coast (Touk Miller), Richmond (Shai Bolton), Brisbane (Lachie Neale), Fremantle (Andrew Brayshaw), and Port Adelaide (Connor Rozee).^[1] Geelong's multiple selections underscored their dominant 2022 campaign, culminating in a comprehensive 81-point grand final victory over Sydney to secure their tenth premiership.^[1] The Cats' defensive and forward-line strength, key to their ladder-leading percentage of 144.2, translated directly into All-Australian honors for key contributors.^[18] Similarly, Melbourne's midfield prowess and defensive resilience—evident in their second-place finish and percentage of 130.6—highlighted the selections of their engine-room players, maintaining the team's premiership-contending core from the previous year.^[1][18] Carlton's inclusions rewarded their improved form, including a finals appearance, with Cripps' vice-captaincy acknowledging his leadership in the Brownlow Medal count.^[1] Notable achievements extended to clubs outside the top tier, adding breadth to the team. St Kilda's Jack Sinclair earned his first All-Australian blazer, recognizing his career-best season as a rebounding defender for a side that finished 10th but showed improvement in contested ball wins.^[1][19][18] Geelong's dominance as the most-represented club marked a rare feat, with their five players comprising nearly a quarter of the team and reflecting the club's cohesive performance across positions.^[1] The overall composition balanced representation from premiership aspirants with standout individuals from mid-table clubs, fostering a team profile suited to high-stakes contests. This mix of experience from established stars and emerging talents from diverse clubs contributed to a well-rounded squad that mirrored the league's competitive depth in 2022.^[1]

Debutants and Returning Players

The 2022 All-Australian team included 12 debutants, marking a significant influx of new talent into the prestigious squad.^[20] These first-time selections highlighted emerging stars from various clubs, such as Jack Sinclair of St Kilda, who earned his maiden All-Australian blazer after a career-best season in which he averaged 27.7 disposals and won the club's Trevor Barker Medal as best and fairest.^[19][21] Similarly, Geelong forward Tyson Stengle, who had been delisted by Adelaide in 2020 before joining the Cats as a free agent, broke through with 45 goals in 23 games to secure his debut selection, becoming the first delisted free agent to achieve All-Australian honors.^[22][23] Other notable debutants included Greater Western Sydney's emerging defender Sam Taylor, Carlton's leading goalkicker Charlie Curnow—who claimed the Coleman Medal with 64 goals—and Fremantle's midfielder Andrew Brayshaw, alongside Shai Bolton (Richmond), Brayden Maynard (Collingwood), Connor Rozee (Port Adelaide), Mark Blicavs (Geelong), Isaac Heeney (Sydney), Callum Mills (Sydney), and Adam Saad (Carlton).^[20] Complementing the newcomers were 10 returning players, bringing experience and continuity to the team. Geelong's Tom Hawkins, named captain for the occasion, earned his fifth All-Australian selection after booting 53 goals, including his 700th career major, in a season that underscored his enduring impact as a key forward.^[20] Melbourne ruckman Max Gawn achieved his sixth blazer, extending his streak of consecutive selections, while Carlton's vice-captain Patrick Cripps secured his third after a dominant midfield campaign.^[24] Other returnees included Jeremy Cameron (Geelong, third selection), Lachie Neale (Brisbane Lions, third), Christian Petracca (Melbourne, second), Clayton Oliver (Melbourne, second), Steven May (Melbourne, second), Tom Stewart (Geelong, second), and Touk Miller (Gold Coast, second).^[20] This blend of debutants and veterans reflected the competitive depth of the 2022 AFL season, with selections drawing from non-traditional powerhouse clubs such as St Kilda, Greater Western Sydney, Gold Coast, Fremantle, Port Adelaide, and Richmond, alongside established teams like Geelong and Melbourne.^[20] The inclusion of players like Sinclair, Taylor, and Miller exemplified how rising performers from expansion or rebuilding clubs contributed to a more diverse representation, signaling a broadening of elite talent across the competition.^[17]