Biggest snubs from All-Australian squad of 46, best players who weren’t picked, analysis, Harry Sheezel, Max Hall, Billy Frampton, Isaac Heeney

For all the wonderful inclusions in the annual AFL All-Australian squad, there are even more tough non-selections.

Foxfooty.com.au runs through the biggest snubs from the All-Australian squad.

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Harry Sheezel (North Melbourne)

Harry Sheezel plays (insert niche sport), does he? Probably the most surprising player overlooked when the squad landed on Monday afternoon. Sheezel ranked fourth in the competition for average disposals, but his 7.2 score involvement average was level with Bailey Smith and better than the likes of Ed Richards, Lachie Neale and Kysaiah Pickett. He’s always racked up big numbers, but Sheezel had a greater influence on games this season, averaging career-high tackles, inside 50s, clearances and contested possessions. His versatility to play across all thirds of the ground was also a feature of his season. You can only squeeze so many midfielders in, but some would argue Sheezel deserved a place in the 23-man team, let alone the 46-man group.

Max Hall (St Kilda)

In the lead-up to Round 24, the First Crack Preview team put Hall’s season up against Kysaiah Pickett’s 2026 campaign – and their numbers were almost exactly identical. Hall has been a revelation for Ross Lyon’s Saints this year, making a successful full-time move into the midfield and becoming a great contested ball-winner. He averaged 23.2 disposals per game, but an impressive 7.7 score involvements – ranked fifth in the competition. Even better, he went better than a goal a game, finishing with 26 majors from 23 games. Yes he was a little slow to get going – mind you he had four goals from 26 touches against the Demons in Round 2, still – but there were few more damaging midfielder-forwards in the competition this year than Hall.

Harley Reid (West Coast Eagles)

A year of significant growth for Reid, which should be rewarded with a maiden Eagles best and fairest award – but wasn’t recognised by All-Australian selectors. In a team that won just four games for the season, Reid ranked eighth in the competition for overall clearances and fifth for centre ball-up clearances. Reid finished the season strong too, with 34 disposals and nine clearances against Richmond and 29 disposals and six clearances against Collingwood. Like Sheezel and Hall, Reid had a high disposal-to-score-involvement ratio in 2026, with 31 per cent of his touches turning into Eagles scores. As Will Schofield pointed out on foxfooty.com.au last month: “The difference between this year and other years was Reid’s efforts and aggression were regularly directed towards the ball and at clearance … He’s playing outstanding footy in an ordinary side.”

Billy Frampton (Collingwood)

This one hurt for Magpies fans. There was stiff competition – Aliir Aliir, Callum Wilkie, Alex Pearce and Harris Andrews are well placed to get a spot in the team – but you could argue Frampton deserved recognition in the squad. He played all 23 games for the Pies and helped up the backline impressively with the likes of Jeremy Howe and, especially, Darcy Moore missing for most of the year. He showed he had the versatility to play on different types of forwards. Young Cat Connor O’Sullivan probably got the spot ahead of him.

Sam Walsh (Carlton)

Walsh had an incredibly consistent season, averaging 28.7 disposals and 9.7 contested possessions. What probably worked against Walsh was his lack of direct scoreboard impact, kicking just eight goals from 23 matches. But his 7.0 score involvement average had him just outside the top 10 for midfielders this year.

Bailey Dale (Western Bulldogs)

If he’d played a few more games, you sense Dale would’ve been in the squad. The dual All-Australian ranked among the top seven general defenders for disposals, metres gained, rebound 50s and intercepts. But he only played 18 games for the entire season. Having said that, so too did Wayne Milera and Max Holmes, while Jack Gunston, Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera and Zak Butters only played 17. It was a competitive year for half-backs though, with Wanganeen-Milera, Lachie Ash, Jordan Clark, Josh Daicos and Wayne Milera all picked.

Shaun Mannagh (Geelong Cats)

Not as consistent as his 2025 campaign, but my word his best footy was breathtakingly good. Mannagh had at least 30 disposals and three goals in the same game three times this season. Overall, Mannagh kicked 35 goals and played all 23 home and away games for the Cats. He would’ve been right in the frame for half-forward selection, but Kysaiah Pickett, Izak Rankine and Charlie Cameron were stiff competition.

Jake Waterman (West Coast Eagles)

A polarising one. Waterman finished the season with 49 goals, ranked 10th in the competition. In a season where his team won just four games, 49 majors is an impressive return. The downside? He kicked 56 behinds – nine more than second-placed Mitch Georgiades, who kicked more goals than Waterman (51). Waterman’s wayward kicking cost the Eagles in winnable games. It would’ve been hard to put Waterman in the squad ahead of Georgiades, Josh Treacy and Jye Amiss.

Kai Lohmann (Brisbane Lions)

Nick Watson was always going to be a lock and Charlie Cameron hard to overlook with 50 goals. But could selectors have added a third genuine small forward in Lohmann? An annual All-Australian gripe is how the flanks of the team – especially across half-forward – are often occupied by midfielders. But Lohmann’s impact as a genuine forward this year has been sublime, kicking 46 goals from 23 games. His ability to apply pressure and hit the scoreboard would’ve made him an appealing candidate.

Note: Sydney trio Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner and Nick Blakey would’ve almost certainly been picked in the starting 23, before being stood down by the Swans for breaching the club’s standards.