The Cats Of Australia Have Made Their Choice! (Media Street)

Geelong had nine All Australians last year but only seven this time around. Clearly the AFL have it in for them…

A few Australian footy players managed to force their way into the All-Geelong team! Well, not exactly, but seven Geelong players were selected in the 2008 All Australian team, announced last night by the League. Sure, they couldn’t match the record they set last year when nine Cats were selected in the team despite being more dominant this season in only losing just the one game. But logic and All-Australian selection rarely seem to go hand-in-hand.

Of course, narrowing down the very best players in the competition into a team of 22 is always going to cause some consternation, especially when the rationale for selection is not clearly defined as the team don’t actually play an opponent of any kind. But that won’t stop calls of favouritism from the All Australian selectors, particularly when many worthy players in less talented teams are overlooked.

It didn’t help Geelong skipper Tom Harley though. Having barely lost a coin toss, let alone an actual game, in the past two years, Harley missed out on the AA captaincy! That honour went to Carlton’s Chris Judd but Harley didn’t seem too disappointed though…and he will probably get to hold another shiny cup aloft in a couple of weeks. Not that we are getting too presumptuous, of course…

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But news stemming from last night will not fill Western Bulldog fans with a lot of confidence. Adam Cooney was a no-show at the All Australian team announcement last night due to illness…the type of illness you get when your knee is buggered! He is a certainly to play on Friday night, naturally, but for a game where the Doggies will need everything to go right for them in order to progress, an underdone Cooney is bordering on disastrous!

Other awards from last night’s dinner:

• Lance Franklin collects his first Coleman Medal…let’s hope he got home ok! We’re sure that the Herald Sun will keep us informed either way…that type of thing is right up their alley!
• Brett Deledio takes out the AFL Army Award for bravery on the footy field. First prize is a crewcut…and Deledio sure needs one!

Somebody get this man some clippers!!!

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In other footy news:

• To the surprise of absolutely no-one, Justin Koschitzke has been cleared to play on the weekend…damnit, we were hoping for one last reprieve for the almighty G-Train!
• Mark Thompson’s not getting involved in any of the shit that dribbles from the mouth of Jason Akermanis…well, he’s only human!
• It’s taken seven weeks for Alan Didak’s manager to finally get him off his ass and apologise for what he did to Collingwood? Yeah, that’ll be real sincere! Don’t even bother mate…
• Lance Franklin might have done something silly after dark…but he didn’t. But thanks anyway, Herald Sun, for keeping us updated on this riveting story…