SUNS defender Lauren Ahrens’ outstanding individual season has seen her named in the 40-person All Australian squad for 2021.
From the squad, a final team of 21 players, including a captain and vice-captain, will be announced at the W Awards to be held on Tuesday 20th April from five different locations around Australia including the SCG, The Gabba, Adelaide Oval, Crown Palladium and Optus Stadium.
Ahrens has been ultra-consistent for the SUNS this year, regularly named amongst the best players and earning selection in the AFLW Team of the Week a whopping six out of a possible nine times.
The 29-year-old finished the season ranked equal-third in intercept possessions in the league (alongside fellow defender Jade Pregelj) with an average of 7.2 per game.
She also ranked third in the competition in marks and eighth in metres gained.
Incredibly, Ahrens has never had a match with less than 10 disposals to her name.
The Gold Coaster becomes the fourth SUNS player to be nominated for an All Australian squad, following Pregelj, Jamie Stanton and Kalinda Howarth from 2020, with the latter becoming the first for the club to be named in the final team.
The 2021 AFL Women’s All-Australian Squad was selected by a panel, comprising the following:
- Nicole Livingstone (Chair, AFL)
- Steve Hocking (AFL)
- Josh Vanderloo (AFL)
- Kelli Underwood (Fox Footy)
- Sarah Black (AFL.com.au)
- Tim Harrington (AFLPA)
- Shelley Ware (media commentator)
- Sharelle McMahon (media commentator)
- Courtney Cramey (former Adelaide Crows AFLW player)
- Melissa Hickey (former Geelong FC and Melbourne AFLW player)
The All-Australian team is one of six awards to be presented during the W Awards along with the AFL Women’s Best and Fairest, NAB AFL Women’s Rising Star, AFL Women’s Leading Goalkicker Award, Four ’N Twenty Mark of the Year, and rebel Goal of the Year.
