The All-Australian team is (usually) comprised of the best 22 players each season. With a league littered with stars, every season a few unlucky players are left off the list. While not all snubs are as egregious as Brownlow Medal-winning pait Shane Woewoden and Matthew Priddis, there are some excellent performances that have been left out of the team.
Some players are disappointed for missing out on one standout season. While others have had a whole career of missing the cut for the All-Australian team.
We take a look at six players who have had exceptional careers, filled with accomplishments and accolades, and despite those careers, only one thing has eluded them... an All-Australian selection.
4. Ben Cunnington
Cunnington is a big-bodied midfielder who has carried North Melbourneโs midfield since the mid-2010s. Injuries plagued his first season at the club and worked his way into form in his first two seasons. His first big leap was in 2012 when nearly improved his stats by 50% around the board. He jumped up from 12.9 disposals, 3.9 tackles and 2.3 clearances to 18.4, 5.4 and 4.0 respectively.
By 2014, he solidified himself as one of Northโs premier players, winning his first Syd Barker Medal. He won a second best and fairest in the 2019 season. He remained consistent throughout this period being a runner-up in 2015, 2017, 2018 and 2021.
This high-level performance has translated to the Brownlow Medal where Cunnington is now one of the top 15 vote-getters of all time for North Melbourne. His 71 Brownlow votes tie for fourteenth with teammate and ruck partner Todd Goldstein.
The Kangaroos have struggled to make a significant impact on the All-Australian team during that span of time. Since Cunningtonโs breakout year in 2014, only Shaun Higgins and Goldstein have made the All-Australian team from North Melbourne.
Prior to the past few seasons, Cunnington has managed to avoid any significant absences. In the 2020 and 2021 seasons, however, he missed time due to injuries. After playing over 20 games in every season since 2012, he only played three and fifteen games in the past two years respectively.
Accolades and attention have never been something that motivates Cunnington. He has avoided the spotlight throughout his career, spending his off-season on his farm in the country. Just like his personal life, Cunnington plays with that same mentality. He focuses more on the non-flashy and often underappreciated parts of the game. Big-bodied inside midfielders do a lot of the grunt work that doesnโt get the same league-wide recognition. Despite having excellent stats throughout his career, on paper, they donโt always match up to other stars around the league.
As mentioned earlier, finding spots for midfielders is becoming increasingly difficult. There is a big crop of talented players that pile on the stats. In 2014 and 2015, there were only five players who averaged over 30 disposals for at least one of those seasons. In comparison, both 2019 and 2021 had at least eight averages over 30 in each season. That creates a bigger gap in numbers between Cunnington and his peers, which is getting harder to overcome.
While he is still capable of excellent play, as seen by multiple 25+ disposals, two-goal games in 2021, Cunnington is heading out of his prime. At 30, he will be taking a step back by the time North is ready to compete for finals. With North Melbourne players already struggling to make the All Australian selection, another low finish will give the club even less recognition. Unfortunately for Cunnington, it looks like his chances for All Australian selection are all but over.
