It is an accepted rule among AFL footballers that when it’s your turn to go, you go. You put your body on the line irrespective of the circumstance and take one for the team.

And so it is, sometimes, in editorial website content. Like when Harris Andrews is left out of the All-Australian team. You are compelled to ask ‘how’?’ and ‘what more can he do?’

Is it good enough for All-Australian selector Kane Cornes to admit the decision to omit Andrews was “the hardest decision” and one which “took hours”, and then move on like it doesn’t matter.

No, it’s not good enough.

So, with total disregard for balance and objectivity, how could they possibly pick Carlton’s Jacob Weitering, Fremantle’s Luke Ryan and West Coast’s Jeremy McGovern for the three tall defensive posts in the All-Australian side, and leave Andrews out?

While numbers, outcomes and statistics aren’t everything, just for the sake of the exercise, let’s have a look at what they tell us and how the 2024 season of the Lions co-captain compares with the three All-Australian choices.

Ladder position? Minor premiers Sydney didn’t have the highest representation in the All-Australian team – twice as many as any other side – because the judges like red and white.

Brisbane finished 5^th on the home-and-away ladder from Carlton 8^th, Fremantle 10^th and West Coast 16^th.

And given that the primary role of a defensive group is to limit the opposition scoring, is it not reasonable to assume that this outcome is critical?

Brisbane ranked the #3 defence in the League, behind only Sydney and Western Bulldogs. Fremantle were 5^th, Carlton 14^th and West Coast 16^th.

And that despite the fact that boom key defensive recruit Tom Doedee didn’t play a game, backline stalwart Darcy Gardiner played only seven games and was ‘done’ at Round 8, and the powerful Jack Payne, whose working relationship with Andrews was crucial to the defensive game plan, played only 14 games.

Brisbane conceded 100 points just three times in 23 games – as did Fremantle. Carlton did so six times and West Coast 13 times.

And what are the key individual statistics via which we measure key defenders?

Intercept marks? They are always prominent in post-game assessments and the ability of a key defender to influence outcomes. Andrews had 86 intercept marks to rank #1 in the League. McGovern ranked equal 9^th (60), Weitering 12^th (58) and Ryan (35^th (42).

Contested marks? Another key statistic for the big backmen. Andrews took 45 to rank 2^nd in the League behind GWS’ Coleman Medallist Jesse Hogan.  Weitering was 18^th (28), McGovern tied for 21^st (27) and Ryan took just nine contested marks and ranked equal 470^th in the League.

How about collective defensive acts labelled one-percenters? Andrews had 178 to rank 3^rd in the League behind Collingwood’s Darcy Moore and Gold Coast’s Sam Collins. Weitering was 11^th (141), McGovern 28^th (100) and Ryan 37^th (94).

Or just spoils? Andrews had 163 to rank 2^nd behind Moore. Weitering was 10^th (126), McGovern was equal 33^rd (84) and Ryan equal 40^th (73).

Andrews was involved in 78 defensive one-on-one contests – second only to GWS’ Jack Buckley (84) and lost only 11 for a defensive one-on-one loss ratio of 14.1%. Buckley lost a League-high 27 defensive one-on-one contests at 32.1%.

Weitering had 62 one-on-one contests and lost 11.3%, McGovern 39 for a loss ratio of 25.6%, and Ryan 32 for a loss ratio of 31.3%.

Granted, Ryan averaged 24.3 possessions per game compared to Andrews’ 13.4ppg, Weitering’s 14.3ppg and McGovern’s 23.1ppg, but only 16.8% of Ryan’s possessions were contested. Andrews had a corresponding ratio of 36.3%, Weitering 37.8% and McGovern 31.6%.

Isn’t the primarily role of a backman built around contest and defence?

Andrews will move on from his shock non-selection and focus on playing his part in the finals, but it’s not easy for parochial club supporters.

So in future, in the all-time club records, perhaps it should read in the Andrew column as follows ..…. All-Australians selections 2 (2019-20), All-Australian squad selections 4 (2019-20-23-24), dudded by the All-Australian selectors – 1 (2024).