Victoria and Western Australia have officially locked in their 25-man squads for the highly anticipated AFL Origin clash, with the stage now set for a blockbuster showdown in just over a week. However, the return of representative footy has also seen several notable talents overlooked, with a number of competition stars conspicuously absent from the announced teams. While many of these omissions stem from Victoria’s sheer depth of talent, Western Australia has also opted to leave out a couple of prominent names.
Here are the nine biggest snubs from the AFL Origin selections:
Victorian Squad Dilemmas
The selection committee for Victoria faced a monumental task, particularly in assembling the midfield. The chosen cohort—Hugh McCluggage, Nick Daicos, Bailey Smith, Ed Richards, Patrick Dangerfield, Noah Anderson, Zach Merrett, Zak Butters, and Caleb Serong—represents an almost unparalleled level of talent. Any exclusion from this group would have undoubtedly sparked significant outcry.
Despite this embarrassment of riches, Fremantle’s Andrew Brayshaw might feel particularly hard done by. Brayshaw finished fifth in the Brownlow Medal count, averaging an impressive 27 disposals per game at 74 per cent efficiency for a top-eight side last season. His exclusion, especially given his consistent high-level performance, is a significant talking point.
Similarly, Finn Callaghan deserves a mention. Callaghan experienced a breakout year in 2025, dominating statistically with an average of 28.4 disposals per game at 73 per cent efficiency for an overachieving Giants outfit. His omission raises questions about how individual brilliance is being weighed against other selection criteria.
Josh Dunkley could also be feeling a sense of disappointment. His crucial role in the Brisbane Lions’ back-to-back premierships cannot be understated. Against a Western Australian midfield boasting formidable players like Patrick Cripps and Chad Warner, Dunkley’s defensive prowess and ability to provide a crucial edge in the middle could have been invaluable for Victoria.
While Max Holmes and Jack Sinclair are undoubtedly sensational half-back options for the Big V, and their selections are far from being incorrect, the inclusion of Josh Daicos and Harry Sheezel would have been met with little resistance. Daicos, in particular, showcased his class by ranking 14th in the AFL for metres gained last season, accumulating nearly 60 more metres per game than Sinclair. His disposal efficiency of 75 per cent also eclipses Holmes’ 68 per cent, and he averaged 5.0 rebound 50s per game, exceeding both Holmes and Sinclair in this critical defensive metric.
Even with a stellar season that saw him kick 60 goals in 2025, Jamie Elliott, a teammate of Josh Daicos at Collingwood, was left out of Victoria’s best 25. The selectors appear to have prioritised dynamic attacking midfielders over specialist small forward talents. Only one true small forward, GWS captain Toby Greene, made it into the famous navy guernsey lineup.
While Greene’s football intelligence and leadership undoubtedly make him a worthy selection, Elliott has every right to feel aggrieved by his omission. He enjoyed a career-best year in 2025, overcoming a foot injury that once threatened to end his AFL playing career. Elliott outscored Greene, had a greater overall scoreboard impact, and featured deeper into September than Greene. Notably, Elliott kicked four goals in both Collingwood’s qualifying final win and their preliminary final loss, showcasing his big-game mentality.
Western Australian Forward Line Puzzles
Western Australia’s forward line is arguably their most potent weapon. When tallying the goal totals of the selected forwards for each team, WA outscored Victoria by a significant margin in 2025, kicking 305 majors compared to Victoria’s 250. However, this impressive tally could have been even more formidable for WA had they chosen to include Fremantle’s promising young forward, Jye Amiss, or North Melbourne veteran, Cameron Zurhaar.
Amiss was a consistent performer for the Dockers last year, booting 32 goals and was one of seven Fremantle players to average at least one goal per game in 2025. Zurhaar, meanwhile, bagged 38 goals for a North Melbourne attack that struggled for consistent scoring, registering three or more goals on six separate occasions.
Considering that Callum Ah Chee, who kicked 24 goals, received a call-up, alongside the ageing Charlie Cameron, who kicked 32 goals in 25 games (compared to Amiss’ 32 in 24), it’s understandable that Amiss and Zurhaar might feel a degree of disrespect. Their scoring output and overall impact suggest they could have offered significant value to the WA forward division.
Lastly, while injury significantly hampered Oscar Allen’s 2025 season, the 26-year-old is reportedly recovering well and is on track to feature in Brisbane’s pre-season fixtures. Allen is a proven star, having kicked 53 goals in 2023 for a struggling West Coast Eagles outfit, and was on pace to deliver similar performances in the two injury-affected campaigns that followed.
While WA boasts several formidable spearheads who will undoubtedly don the yellow and black guernsey next weekend, making Allen’s snub somewhat more palatable than others, an AFL Origin appearance would have provided a compelling narrative for the former Eagles captain. It would have offered him an opportunity to reconnect with the West Coast supporters he controversially departed via free agency, potentially rebuilding some of the lost goodwill.
