The initial 40-man All-Australian squad was announced on 21 August. Minor premiers Melbourne had the most players selected in the initial squad with seven, while the Brisbane Lions had five. Collingwood, North Melbourne and Richmond were the only clubs not to have a single player nominated in the squad. Seven players from the 2020 team were among those selected.[1]
Melbourne had the most selections with five, with twelve clubs represented overall. Melbourne captain Max Gawn was announced as the All-Australian captain, with Western Bulldogs captain Marcus Bontempelli announced as vice-captain. The team saw eleven players selected in an All-Australian team for the first time in their careers, while seven players from the 2020 team were among those selected.[2][3][4]