And speaking on SEN on Thursday, Buckley confirmed Weitering’s name simply didn’t make the 24-minute program, but revealed he was part of his 22-man side.

“There are players that were listed that weren’t named or mentioned in the half-hour show, from what I believe,” Buckley told SEN’s Whateley.

“(Weitering) was in my best 22. I don’t know if he was in that many others. We had the conversation (about him), it didn’t come through on the piece.

“He was definitely a part of that squad going into the second half of the year.”

Weitering is yet to make an All-Australian side despite being one of the game’s premier defenders.

Fellow Blues Harry McKay, Charlie Curnow, Nic Newman and Patrick Cripps were all discussed on the program in a year Michal Voss’ side currently sits second on the ladder.

The 2024 All-Australian panel is made up of Buckley, AFL CEO Andrew Dillon, AFL football boss Laura Kane, AFL operations manager Josh Mahoney and ex-players Eddie Betts, Jude Bolton, Kane Cornes, Glen Jakovich, Abbey Holmes and Matthew Pavlich.

And while Weiteriing, as things stand, made the cut for Buckley’s side, he couldn’t speak for others as that would create “groupthink”.

“We’ve got statistics coming out of our ears and as Cornes said (on the program): ‘We’ve all got our favourites’,” Buckley added.

“But the whole idea is that we challenge each other to the point that you are coming to what that panel believes is the best 22.

“There’s still plenty of football to be played. We have to remain as independent as possible and have those opinions, challenge the groupthink and I always look at getting a really balanced side.

“I think every aspect of the game and the requirements of building a balanced team needs to be represented.

“Sometimes you need to work against the overrepresentation of midfielders. Although, last year we had a dearth (of midfielders), but this year, we’ve got a surplus.”

The former Magpies coach also explained the importance of the All-Australian selectors getting together mid-season to avoid “recency bias” when the final team is chosen later in the year.

“When we get to Round 22 and have our next meeting and we look at a player who’s had a great last month but might’ve had a moderate first half of the year,” he said.

“So it’s important to hedge your bets to make sure we’re putting our marks in the ground of players who have had an exemplary first half to the year.”