The 2025 AFL All-Australia team was announced on Thursday night in Melbourne, and amongst the team were two familiar faces.
Young stars Melbourne midfielder Kysaiah Pickett and St Kilda defender Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera were selected, and styled up in their All-Australian blazers.
The selection follows a record-breaking contract for Wanganeen-Milera, who is the first player in AFL history to earn $2million per season.
The Kokatha and Narangga star turned down offers from his hometown teams, Adelaide and Port Adelaide, and instead, signed until the end of 2027 with the Saints.
He opened up about the decision at the ceremony, saying he felt he had "unfinished business" with St Kilda.
"About a month ago, Mum and Dad came down to Melbourne and I sat with them and sort of said that I want to stay. I felt like it wasn't going to sit well with me if I left," he said.
"I felt like I have unfinished business at the Saints, and the fans were great to me all year, everytime I'd walk out there were signs and stuff.
"It didn't feel right if I would have left, I'm grateful I stayed and yeah I won't regret it at all."
The Saints celebrate after Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera of the Saints kicked a goal to defeat the Demons during the round 20 AFL match between St Kilda Saints and Melbourne Demons at Marvel Stadium. Credit: Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
"I ended up messaging Ross about an hour before we went in, I said can I catch up with you for five minutes and he said yeah sure," he explained.
"I said, I'm gonna stay. Ross had a few tears in his eyes."
The 22-year-old is well on his way to legend status, having only debuted in 2022 after being selected number 11 in the 2021 draft.
Named alongside Wanganeen-Milera, is 24-year-old Kysaiah Pickett.
The Noongar Yamatji man has 126 games and 201 goals under his belt with Melbourne.
The midfielder debuted with the team in 2020, after being selected number 12 in the 2019 draft.
Kysaiah Pickett of the Demons celebrates a goal during the 2025 AFL Round 13 match between the Melbourne Demons and the Collingwood Magpies at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Credit: James Wiltshire/AFL Photos/AFL Photos via Getty Images
The deal cemented him as the longest-contracted player in the league.
"I'm really happy and proud to be continuing my career in the red and blue," he said at the time.
"I love my teammates and my coaches, and I can't wait to see what we can achieve together in the years to come. We have shared some special memories over the past few years here, and I'm excited for what we can achieve next."
In the 2021 season, Pickett took the field for all of Melbourne's 25 games and won the Grand Final, only a year into his premiership career.
He was named fouth place for the Ivor-Warne Smith Memorial Trophy for Best and Fairest in 2024, won the Harold Ball Memorial Trophy for Best Young Player in 2021 and was a nominee for NAB Rising Star for Round 11 in 2020.
The 2025 AFL All-Australian Team pose during the 2025 AFL Awards at Centrepiece in Melbourne, Australia. Credit: Michael Willson/AFL Photos/AFL Photos via Getty Images
