The AFL website reports that Sydney?s Adam Goodes and Paul Williams have both won selection in the All-Australian team for the first time. For Goodes, the 1999 AFL Rising Star winner, the selection was just reward for a season in which he emerged as the premier running ruckman in the competition, while Williams win his first All-Australian jumper aged 30 and with more than 250 games under his belt.

Williams joined the Swans in 2001 after 10 years with Collingwood and won the Swans best and fairest in 2001 and 2002. Once again his hard running and consummate finishing has earned rave reviews and has certainly been a key member of an outstanding midfield.

The All-Australian team was announced at a function at Melbourne?s Park Hyatt Hotel on Tuesday night. Selection in the team gives both players entry to the Australian squad to play Ireland in two International Rules Series tests in October.

Full story at -
http://sydneyswans.com.au/default.as...ticleid=118950

The Sydney Morning Herald reported that Brett Kirk provided the major headache for the All-Australian selectors.

By shutting down some of the game's best players week after week, he created a problem: should the team include those whose role is to limit the output of notionally superior players?

Swans coach Paul Roos said Kirk would have been a worthy All-Australian. But he also expressed sympathy for the selectors.

"You could justify it either way," said Roos, himself a nine-time All-Australian. "I think if he was included it would be a very popular decision with his peers who know what a tremendous job he has done."

"I certainly don't have a problem with them including run-with players. But then there are so many great midfielders like Voss and Buckley. It's not a black-and-white decision."

Full story at -
http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/...?from=storyrhs

The Daily Telegraph reported that Essendon coach Kevin Sheedy heaped praise on Goodes saying he was "probably the best 23-year-old player in Australia" in any football code.

"He would probably nearly be captain of an under-23 side going on an international if it were soccer or rugby because his athleticism is sensational," Sheedy told Fox Footy Channel.

Details at -
http://foxsports.news.com.au/story/0...-23211,00.html

Brisbane coach Leigh Matthews was surprised at the half-backs selected.

"What about Leo Barry who has had a magnificent year for Sydney?" he said. "Not good ? magnificent. He?s been one of the blokes who?s lifted them up to where they are I would?ve thought."