Team of the week

AFL.com.au reporters have voted and over the next three days we will be revealing our predicted 2015 Virgin Australia AFL All Australian Team, starting with the defenders. It's always a contentious task, and we've started with the ground rule that all players must have been selected in the official 40-man squad.

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The backline in 2015 is perhaps the simplest line to pick, given the dominance of the nominated key defenders and consistency of the lockdown and rebounding smalls.

The AFL.com.au team was unanimous in selecting talls Alex Rance and Michael Hurley, but a push for Jeremy McGovern was unsuccessful given his five games on the sidelines and others where his influence was restricted by injury.

Hawthorn defender Josh Gibson was also a candidate for the third tall role, but four smaller defenders eventually got the nod, with Easton Wood and Rory Laird more than capable of providing support in the air.

There have been no finer rebounders in the game this season than Heath Shaw and Robert Murphy, with the former a unanimous pick for this year's team.

Backs

HEATH SHAW (Greater Western Sydney) - Won the Giants' best and fairest award on the back of his most consistent season. The 29-year-old averaged a League-leading 7.6 rebound 50s per game in 2015. Shaw, whose experience was telling in a young side, also led the AFL in kicks.

ALEX RANCE (Richmond) - Rarely lost his one-on-one battles and was not afraid to take the game on when in possession of the ball. Perhaps the best key defender in the game because of his ability to affect spoils even when out of position. He also reads the ball superbly through the air allowing him to back himself to take intercept marks.

RORY LAIRD (Adelaide) - A breakout season for the underrated Crows defender. Averaged 24 disposals per game in 2015. He showed he could be tight-checking on his opponent but also versatile enough to regularly provide rebound from half back.

Half-backs

ROBERT MURPHY (Western Bulldogs) - As captain, the veteran defender led the Bulldogs to their first finals campaign since 2010. Blessed with outstanding agility, he rarely makes a mistake with ball in hand. Murphy is the Bulldogs' go-to man when they need someone to break the lines and deliver the ball with precision.

MICHAEL HURLEY (Essendon)- Looked right at home in a key defensive post in 2015. Averaged career-highs in disposals (21.3) and marks (6.9). Was also second in the AFL for rebound 50s per game (5.6). Hurley can roost the ball on either foot and he regularly saved the Bombers when their defence looked vulnerable.

EASTON WOOD (Western Bulldogs) - A hybrid defender who often displayed courage and genuine athleticism in stopping tall or small opponents. Led the competition in intercept marks in 2015. Wood's timing in marking contests was frequently impeccable, while he averaged career-highs in disposals (17.7) and rebound 50s (2.9), and was ranked eighth in the competition for contested marks.

THE UNLUCKY: Josh Gibson, Jeremy McGovern 

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