WILL the 2025 All-Australian side be a repeat of 2019 or 2018?
Assuming there is room for two frontline rucks in the annual team of the year, the main debate for selectors later this month will be which of Max Gawn and Brodie Grundy will start ‘on the field’ and who will take a spot on the bench.
Gawn appears certain to match modern greats Lance Franklin, Gary Ablett jnr, Robert Harvey, Mark Ricciuto and Patrick Dangerfield in earning an eighth All-Australian blazer after what has been another stellar campaign.
Grundy is also storming towards his first AA honour since 2019 after a dominant back half to the season that his seen him pick up 64 AFLCA coaches’ votes in his past eight matches, the fourth most ever in an eight-game stretch.
The only question remains is will we see a repeat of 2019 when Grundy was named on the field and Gawn on the bench, or 2018 when the roles were reversed?
On AFL.com.au’s Access this week, Essendon champion Matthew Lloyd, himself a five-time All-Australian, looked to make the case for Grundy, although he conceded “it’s a tough choice for the selectors”.
“You can’t just look at stats … but they’re very similar,” Lloyd said.
“Grundy is more of a clearance player and Max Gawn takes more marks around the ground, but everything else is very similar.
“It’s more the damage that Grundy is doing and the influence he’s having around the ground [that is impressive]. Every week he’s putting on a clinic in terms of hitting it to [Isaac] Heeney, running into stoppage … it’s back to when we all fell in love with Brodie Grundy at Collingwood.
“Gawn is more destructive in the air and his big games are big and I think he’s been let down a little bit by his midfield this year.
“Across the whole year, you’d say Gawn [has been better]. But in the last 10-12 weeks [it’s Grundy].
“Both should win their club best and fairests, so it’s a tough choice for the selectors.”
Max Gawn marks the ball in front of Brodie Grundy during the round 11 match between Narrm (Melbourne) and Sydney at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on May 25, 2025. Picture: Getty Images/AFL Photos
This century, selectors have picked two frontline rucks just nine times out of 25, although they’ve also picked part-time rucks like Mark Blicavs (in 2021), Adam Goodes (in 2009) and Lance Whitnall (in 2000) on the bench alongside a frontline ruck.
Access co-host Damian Barrett says his pick for second ruck in 2025 would also be a non-frontliner, Fremantle’s Luke Jackson, meaning Grundy would miss out.
“For what it’s worth, I’ve got Luke Jackson as the back-up ruckman or big man – if they want to go down a back-up path,” he said.
“I’ve got Max Gawn as a lock for the starting ruck.
