All Australian 2021: Champion Player, Rising Star crowned at AFL Awards

Tom Naghten

All Australian 2021: Champion Player, Rising Star crowned at AFL Awards image

11 players were named in their first All Australian team at the AFL's condensed 2021 awards ceremony on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, Clayton Oliver has taken out the AFL Coaches Association Champion Player award, while emerging Dees big man Luke Jackson has claimed the Rising Star.

In light of the restrictions on travel and gatherings due to COVID-19, as with last year, the AFL opted to combine several of the annual awards into one virtual event.

The always controversial All Australian team didn't disappoint, with plenty of debate over who was stiff to miss out and who got lucky.

Melbourne were the best represented club in the 40-man squad and that carried over to the 22-man team as five Demons got the nod.

Jake Lever, Steven May, Bailey Dale, Aliir Aliir, Ollie Wines, Sam Walsh, Clayton Oliver, Tom Papley, Harry McKay, Touk Miller and Darcy Parish all earned their first selections.

Adelaide, Collingwood, Fremantle, Hawthorn, North Melbourne and Richmond had no representatives in the final team.

Capping off a brilliant night for Melbourne, ruckman Max Gawn was named All Australian captain for the first time, with Bulldogs skipper Marcus Bontempelli named as vice-captain.

2021 All Australian team

B: Jake Lever, Steven May, Tom Stewart
HB: Bailey Dale, Aliir Aliir, Daniel Rich
C: Zach Merrett, Ollie Wines, Sam Walsh
FOLL: Max Gawn (c), Jack Macrae, Clayton Oliver
HF: Christian Petracca, Tom Hawkins, Marcus Bontempelli (vc)
F: Tom Papley, Harry McKay, Toby Greene

Int: Jack Steele, Nic Naitanui, Touk Miller, Darcy Parish

 

2021 Rising Star

Second-year Melbourne big man Luke Jackson has taken out the 2021 Rising Star.

The 2019 number three pick beat out Giants onballer Tom Green and Port Adelaide key forward Mitch Georgiades.

Top five

1. Luke Jackson (51 votes)
2. Tom Green (38)
3. Mitch Georgiades (28)
4. Justin McInerney (14)
5. Errol Gulden (11)

AFL Coaches Association Champion Player

Melbourne hard-nut Clayton Oliver took out the AFL Coaches Association award.

The 24-year-old averaged 32 disposals per game in a career-best season, combining with Christian Petracca and Max Gawn to form one of the competition's most dominant engine rooms.

Top 10

1. Clayton Oliver (114 votes)
=2. Marcus Bontempelli, Ollie Wines (101)
4. Jack Steele (100)
5. Touk Miller (97)
6. Sam Walsh (92)
7. Zach Merrett (91)
8. Christian Petracca (86)
9. Darcy Parish (81)
10. Rory Laird (84)

Coaches Association Young Player of the Year

Reigning Rising Star winner Caleb Serong shared the spoils with second-year Gold Coast gun Noah Anderson.

Tom Naghten

Tom Naghten Photo

Tom Naghten is a senior editor at The Sporting News Australia where he's been part of the team since 2017. He predominantly covers boxing and MMA. In his spare time, he likes to watch Robbie Ahmat's goal against the Kangaroos at the SCG in 2000.