Patrick Cripps (Carlton)

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 21: Patrick Cripps of the Blues celebrates the win with fans during the round 22 AFL match between the Carlton Blues and the Melbourne Demons at Melbourne Cricket Ground on August 21, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)
MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 21: Patrick Cripps of the Blues celebrates the win with fans during the round 22 AFL match between the Carlton Blues and the Melbourne Demons at Melbourne Cricket Ground on August 21, 2016 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images)

Astonishingly Cripps, who has had a better year than his best and fairest year in 2015, has beenย left out of the 40-man squad. Cripps is the number one contested ball player in the competition and leads the competition for clearances.

This kid has massive upside and I can see him definitely getting picked in the years to come but what more does he need to do to get the nod? For me, players that perform brilliantly in under performing teams has more relevance in terms of an all-Australian nomination. It usually suggests they are standing out and leading from the front instead of being one of many good players in a top eight side.

Sam Mitchell, who is the 16th ranked clearance player in the league is in ahead of Cripps. Perhaps the selectors fell for all the media hype surrounding him earlier in the season. He is definitely a brilliantย player, but Cripps has shown better form and players should notย be picked based on reputation.

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