Johnson and Cornes discuss the biggest dilemma facing All-Australian selectors this season

Western Bulldogs great Brad Johnson has highlighted the biggest challenge he expects All-Australian selectors to have when coming up with their final team.

Johnson, who picks his own rolling All-Australian team weekly on SEN’s Sportsday, has found that there are simply too many good midfielders this season to leave out and as a result has had to pick some of those names in other positions like wing and half-forward.

While some on-ballers haven’t technically played much wing or half-forward this year, Johnson thinks that they deserve a spot in the team over players who traditionally play those positions.

In his team currently, Johnson has picked Sam Walsh on a wing, as well as Marcus Bontempelli and Chad Warner on half-forward flanks.

While he’s all for traditional wingmen and half-forwards being picked – as both Errol Gulden and Josh Daicos were on the wings in 2023 – he simply thinks that players in those positions haven’t demanded a spot in 2024 over full-time midfielders who have starred up until Round 20.

“The biggest challenge that we have, and the All-Australian selectors will definitely have, is where they are going to play some midfielders and whether you're going to play them in a position that they haven't played this year,” Johnson said on SEN’s Sportsday.

“With the weight of numbers and how good they have been, I think you will have to sort of just jig things a little bit to make them fit.

“The only reason I would make them fit is because others in those positions haven't set the world on fire.”

All-Australian selector Kane Cornes agreed with Johnson’s take and compared Hawthorn’s Massimo D’Ambrosio – who is a bonafide wingman – to Sydney’s Chad Warner and who he would pick as an All-Australian wing despite the Swan playing the majority of his footy on the ball.

“Well, let's decide between Chad Warner and D’Ambrosio - who's had a better year?” Cornes asked.

“Well, Chad Warner's clearly had the better year, but you've already got the four midfielders.

“So, the way to get Chad Warner into the side which he deserves to be in (is to move him to a wing). He could play wing if he had to, it's just that he's too good to play wing.

“I would much rather have Chad Warner in the All-Australian side than D’Ambrosio, even if that means putting him on a wing where he's hardly played this year.

“I think most people should be able to get their heads around that.”

Check out Johnson’s rolling All-Australian team below.