Fremantle have dominated the AFL Players Association’s 22Under22 final team for the third year in a row, while one West Coast young gun made the cut.
No.1 pick Harley Reid was the sole representative for the Eagles and one of only two first-year players – North Melbourne’s Colby McKercher the other – selected in the fan-voted side for 2024.
Reid was named in the centre alongside Sydney star Errol Gulden and Port Adelaide gun Jason Horne-Francis.
The Dockers had four inclusions in the 22, the most of any team in the competition, with Luke Jackson, Josh Treacy, Jye Amiss and Josh Draper all picked.
In 2023, Caleb Serong and Hayden Young, along with Jackson and Amiss, flew the purple flag, while Andrew Brayshaw, Jordan Clark, Serong and Young were all picked the year prior.
Hawthorn and North Melbourne had three representatives each with Jack Ginnivan, Massimo D’Ambrosio and Josh Weddle for the Hawks and McKercher, Harry Sheezel and George Wardlaw for the Roos.
Fans chose the final team from a 40-person squad compiled by St Kilda great Leigh Montagna with support from the AFLPA and Champion Data.
For the second consecutive season, Collingwood star Nick Daicos was voted captain, with Sheezel selected as his deputy.
Sheezel received the most votes of any player, appearing in 93 per cent of fans’ teams.
To be eligible for selection, players must be aged 22 and under for the entirety of the season (inclusive of grand final day) and played a minimum 12 games throughout the 2024 season.
AFLPA 22UNDER22 FINAL TEAM
B: N Wanganeen-Milera (St Kilda) M Andrew (Gold Coast Suns) D Wilmot (Brisbane)
HB: M Holmes (Geelong) J Weddle (Hawthorn) C McKercher (North Melbourne)
C: E Gulden (Sydney) H Reid (West Coast) J Horne-Francis (Port Adelaide)
HF: J Ginnivan (Hawthorn) S Darcy (Western Bulldogs) O Dempsey (Geelong)
F: J Treacy (Fremantle) J Ugle-Hagan (Western Bulldogs) J Amiss (Fremantle)
FOLL: L Jackson (Fremantle) H Sheezel – VC (North Melbourne) N Daicos – C (Collingwood)
I/C: M D’Ambrosio (Hawthorn) G Wardlaw (North Melbourne) J Rachele (Adelaide) J Draper (Fremantle).