Half arsed Australian Side

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Well you tell me how Mal Michael didn't get an All Australian jumper because I can't work it out. Disgraceful!

Michael, who also failed to capture the attention of All-Australian selectors as the Lions reached four consecutive grand finals between 2001 and 2004, was beaten out for the full-back position by Adelaide's Ben Rutten.

A statistical analysis of the pairs seasons probably weighs slightly in Michael's favour, with the man mountain defender accumulating 131 kicks (Rutten 125), 65 handballs (125), 84 marks ((80), five clearances (two), five inside 50s (16) and 66 rebounds from the defensive 50m (65).

― Lucy Lion (Lucy Lion), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 10:28 (twenty years ago)

Calm, Lucy, calm.

The All-Australian(read p-ssweak copy of the All-American) Team is put together by a bunch of yesterday's men with no credible requirement to do so.

It is entirely an exercise in allowing correspondents to vent their spleen for not picking so and so.

It means nothing other than a bit of fleeting prestige.

Probably just another way of deflecting attention from Malthouse or Sheedy and their poor record this year.

― Westener (Westener), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 10:42 (twenty years ago)

I would have thought that the statistical analysis of all caterfories was pretty close, except for handballs where Rutten almost doubled MM's total.

I believe that Rutten should have been selected as fullback as the leader of the stingiest defence in the history of the AFL...

― Bennö (Bennö), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 21:55 (twenty years ago)

Don't have any problems with the non selection of Lions this year Lucy, the only person who could of had a case was Akka, but when you look at the blokes you would have to take out of the side to get him in, fair enough.

Rutten was clearly the best full-back

― Big Bird (Big Bird), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 22:19 (twenty years ago)

How did Croad get in?

Robertson and Acker could feel especially hard done by.

I had no probs with Rutten. I remember him holding Brown to one kick when the big fella was at his rampant best. That is but one example of a stellar year.

― chrisso (chrisso), Tuesday, 6 September 2005 22:23 (twenty years ago)

Rutten's stats might be helped by the fact the crows forward pockets end up in the backline to help out, not hard to beat an opponent with 12 others to help. Give me Michael, fletcher, scarlett or even wakelin ahead of rutten.

How the hell did shannon grant get in there, a very wide receiver at best.

Trent Croad??? i remember seing him have 5 kicked on him in a half..

What do you expect with that dickhead walls and kerley picking the side.

― jsa, Tuesday, 6 September 2005 22:41 (twenty years ago)

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