FEAR the beard. Fear NWM. 

Jack Sinclair, Dayne Zorko, Bailey Dale, Lachie Whitfield, Dan Houston and Nick Blakey all have blazers at home, but two former first-round picks with pristine right foots are in the hunt for maiden All-Australian selection after terrorising opposition sides across the first six rounds of 2025.  

Lachie Ash – the other Lachie playing off half-back for Greater Western Sydney – has rocketed out of the blocks to start the season, entrenching his status as one of the most damaging rebounding defenders in the game right now. 

Adam Kingsley settled the 23-year-old in defence when he arrived at the end of 2022 after Ash was moved around early in his career. Now the Shepparton product with the Jake Gyllenhaal beard is showing exactly why the Giants used pick No. 4 on him in 2019. 

With two-time All-Australian Whitfield on one side and Ash on the other, GWS has two devasting ball users out of the back half to complement its array of tall defenders. Right now, Ash is going at an efficiency rate of 87.6% from his average 27.4 disposals – 81.5% by foot – cutting opposition sides apart with his lethal precision. 

St Kilda copped the brunt of his brilliance at Norwood on Saturday, where Toby Greene was the star of the show, but Ash starred off half-back with 33 disposals at 94% to go with eight rebound 50s and 563 metres gained in the 28-point win. 

Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera is having even more impact, according to Champion Data’s new 100X Ratings System, which has been developed to compare all players in the competition against each other, based on their expected performance in their individual position. The out-of-contract Saint is rated No.5 in the League – just behind Sinclair and just in front of Ash – while Sam Darcy, Ben Long and Riley Thilthorpe all sit on the podium after round five. 

Wanganeen-Milera slotted a career-high three goals from 24 disposals and 673 metres gained in another performance that shows why he is the glistening Rolls Royce that the South Australian clubs are trying to lure home with cheques that would allow him to buy a Phantom or a Ghost of his own if he wanted to. 

After finishing fifth in the past two Trevor Barker Awards, the 22-year-old is having even more impact in 2025, winning more ball than ever before – 27.5 disposals – and is ranked No. 1 amongst general defenders for intercept possessions at 7.3 per game.

Ross Lyon already possesses one of the most decorated half-backs in the competition in Sinclair, who is currently equal 8th in the coaches votes after round five, following a stellar start to 2025. 

The two-time All-Australian, who also won the best and fairest in 2022 and 2023 before finishing runner-up behind Cal Wilkie in 2024, is having more impact higher up the ground this year, while playing as a defender 90% of the season to date. 

Highest-rated general defender, 2025

Zorko became a two-time All-Australian last year after being moved to half-back at the start of the year, before playing an integral role in Brisbane’s first premiership in 20 years, stepping up in the absence of Kiddy Coleman. 

The 36-year-old is the fourth-oldest player in the AFL this year behind Scott Pendlebury, Todd Goldstein and Travis Boak, but is playing like someone who could go on in 2026, averaging 25.2 disposals, 6.6 rebound 50s and 638 metres gained – No. 1 for general defenders – to remain in All-Australian conversation after being picked at half-back last year. Houston was picked on the other flank, but has only played three times for Collingwood to start his time in black and white. 

Joel Jeffrey is a surprise inclusion in the top five general defenders after six rounds and is rated No.10 in the 100X Player Ratings System, just ahead of Zorko. The low-profile Sun is having maximum impact with his disposals. Daniel Rioli and John Noble are having a significant impact since moving north to join Damien Hardwick’s side. Both could be in the All-Australian conversation come the end of August after strong starts to 2025. 

Dale collected a blazer in 2021 and was included in the 40-man squad last year, following a campaign where he finished runner-up in the Charles Sutton Medal behind Marcus Bontempelli. The unassuming 28-year-old has made a strong start to this season to remain in the elite bracket of half-backs in the AFL. 

Every spot in the All-Australian team is fiercely contested. But right now, up to ten half-backs are in the hunt for a blazer. Some don’t own one. Others have at least one. The Rolls Royce and the beard are leading the way.