Carlton Senior Coach Brett Ratten has commended the club’s captain Chris Judd and Coleman Medallist Brendan Fevola on their elevation to the 22-man All-Australian Team of 2009.

Ratten, himself a dual All-Australian player, also acknowledged the consistency of performance of Marc Murphy - a member of the 40-man All-Australian squad from which the final 22 was selected.

“It’s of no surprise that Chris has earned his fourth call-up to the All-Australian team,” Ratten said. “On the back of his first full pre-season, he well and truly led from the front.

“Fev’ too was a model of consistency. To kick 86 goals from 22 home and away matches was outstanding, and even more pleasing was his overall team showing.”

Ratten said that Murphy had made significant progress through 2009.

‘“Murph’ made real in-roads this year, and if he continues to apply himself in the manner in which he has then All-Australian selection won’t be too far away,” Ratten said.

Judd, a fancy for this year’s Brownlow Medal, and Fevola, the reigning Coleman Medallist, were elevated to the team after selectors were asked to nominate the leading players in each section of the field – forwards, defenders and midfielders/ruckmen.

The 22-man team was named at a function in Melbourne last Monday night.

Named as vice-captain in what was also his fourth selection as an All-Australian player, Judd was listed as a ruck-rover in the coveted eighteen, while Fevola, an All-Australian twice previous, was pencilled in at full-forward.
 
Fact File

Brendan Fevola
All-Australian 2006, ’08 & ’09; 243 kicks, 20 matches in 2009; 143 marks, 45 handballs, averaging 16.3 kicks, 4.9 marks, 2.0 handballs; 86 goals 56 behinds; seven clearances, 42 inside 50metres, three rebound 50metres; third in the AFL contested marks; first in the AFL goals.

Chris Judd
All-Australian 2004, ’06, ’08 (captain) & ’09 (vice captain); 22 matches in 2009; 299 kicks, 52 marks, 280 handballs, averaging 13.6 kicks, 2.4 marks, 12.7 handballs; 11 goals 18 behinds; 124 clearances, 129 inside 50metres, 27 rebound 50metres; first in the AFL in contested possessions; third in the AFL in hard-ball gets; eighth in the AFL in loose-ball gets; second in the AFL in clearances; first in the AFL inside 50metres; third in the AFL in goal assists.