The release of the AFL All-Australian squad for 2024 also means it’s time for a release of frustrations.

While 44 of the league’s best players have earned consideration for a blazer on Thursday night, plenty of super-talented stars have missed out – some of them were more surprising omissions than the others.

“It was a tough task… there’s been a lot of great performers throughout the year,” All-Australian selector and Collingwood champion Nathan Buckley said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

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“The guys that were 45 to 50, there’s a few boys there that would be a little bit disappointed that they weren’t involved with the squad,” he said.

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

Matt Rowell

The Suns’ contested bull is the top-ranked player in the AFL Player Ratings not in the squad – and he’s not exactly low, sitting 11th overall!

In that all-encompassing metric Rowell sits ahead of midfielders like Hayden Young, Adam Treloar, Zach Merrett, Chad Warner and perhaps most notably teammate Noah Anderson.

The former No.1 pick was third in the AFL for contested possessions (322), fifth for clearances (163) and No.1 for pressure acts (30.7 per game). But it’s perhaps his lack of versatility that cost him, with Rowell a dominant contested player but not shining so brightly away from the hustle and bustle.

Sam Flanders

What a breakout season this Suns star had.

Sam Flanders is the number three ranked medium defender in the AFL Playing Ratings this season, ahead of the likes of Dan Houston, Max Holmes, Bailey Dale, Nick Blakey and Dayne Zorko, who were all selected in the All-Australian squad of 40.

Flanders averaged 30.9 disposals this season – ranked equal second in the competition – and was a key architect for Damien Hardwick’s Gold Coast side this year.

Rowan Marshall

St Kilda ruckman Rowan Marshall was snubbed from the preliminary All-Australian squad, with Max Gawn, Tristan Xerri and Darcy Cameron all preferred.

Marshall has averaged 20.7 disposals and 340.5 metres gained this season, ranked first amongst all ruckman. He also ranked 2nd for marks per match (5.8) this season and booted 15 goals, only bettered by Fremantle’s Luke Jackson, who spent large chunks of the season playing forward.

“Rowan Marshall was the other one, you don’t want to single guys out, his first half of the year was excellent and then he probably came off a little bit,” Buckley said on Fox Footy’s On the Couch.

We’ll give a mention here to Brodie Grundy as well, who had a tremendous first half of the year though he dropped off slightly after that, much like his team overall. But he is arguably fifth in the pecking order and they were never going to pick more than three in the squad.

Josh Treacy

Despite a breakout campaign for the young Docker, Josh Treacy won’t be recognised with a maiden All-Australian blazer.

Treacy booted 45 goals from 20 games in 2024, ranked ninth across the whole competition.

The 22-year-old also averaged 2.5 marks inside 50 this season, highlighting how important he was to coach Justin Longmuir’s forward set up.

Ben Keays

There was no love for the Crows in this year’s All-Australian squad, with the hard-working Ben Keays perhaps the unluckiest omission.

Keays always wears his heart on his sleeve, and you can never question his commitment to the cause at West Lakes.

He finished the season with 34 goals at an average of 16.2 disposals and will likely poll well at Adelaide’s club best and fairest this year.

Gryan Miers

Perhaps the most surprising omission of the lot was Geelong star Gryan Miers.

Miers has received high praise across the footballing industry this season for his selfless role as a connecting player in a Geelong side who secured a top four berth.

Miers ranked first for disposals amongst medium forwards (20.2) and averaged 11.66 AFL Ratings Points per match.

Despite the snub, he will no doubt be an integral part of Chris Scott’s push towards a flag this September.

Tom Stewart

He’s secured five All-Australian blazers in the last six seasons, but he won’t be adding a sixth to his cabinet this campaign.

Stewart began the season at home in defence, but teams began to find a way to curb his influence, which ultimately became the key to beating Geelong.

As the Cats entered a dangerous form slump, Chris Scott made the call to throw the star defender into the midfield and didn’t it work a treat.

Stewart’s contested ability and hard-edge was a huge asset to Geelong’s on-ball brigade, especially when players such as Patrick Dangerfield and Tanner Bruhn missed through injuries.

Tom Green

The GWS Giants’ star midfielder has missed out on the All-Australian squad once more, despite being a key cog in the Giants’ top four finish in 2024.

It’s no secret that Green is a contested beast, he averaged 14 contested possessions this season ranked second in the competition, which culminated in an AFL Player Rating average of just under 14.

Perhaps his disposal efficiency was one of the reasons he didn’t make the cut, especially when you look at some of the other midfielders who have.

Connor Rozee

There was no love for Port Adelaide skipper Connor Rozee either.

The Power star has been a key driver of standards at Alberton Oval this season, averaging 24.5 disposals and 4.1 tackles in addition to his 11 goals this campaign.

Teammates Zak Butters, Jason Horne-Francis and Dan Houston were all preferred over the young captain, who is already a dual All-Australian despite being just 24 years of age.

Hugh McCluggage

Despite being a key figure in Brisbane’s surge in the second half of the season, the All-Australian selectors couldn’t find room for Hugh McCluggage in the 44-man squad this year.

McCluggage was a crucial cog in Chris Fagan’s on-ball brigade, supporting the likes of Lachie Neale and Josh Dunkley around the coalface.

He has been snubbed before but usually from the team itself; McCluggage was in the squad four times between 2019 and 2022 but fell victim to the selectors’ apparent hatred of actual wingmen.

Callum Wilkie

The 2023 All-Australian isn’t nicknamed ‘The Accountant’ for nothing. The former rookie draftee continued being a dependable stopper and again thrived this year alongside Josh Battle, just 0.4 shy of his 2.8 intercept-mark average last year.

You suspect he has fallen victim to the yearly trend in the All-Australian team which sees one or two fresh faces named in key defence for a one-off appearance, before being forgotten.