For the fifth time in his stellar career, Jeremy Cameron was selected in the All-Australian side, cementing his place as one of the game's modern greats.
But his selection as captain came as a shock, even for Cameron himself.
In what was an eyebrow-raising call, Cameron was selected as captain of the side, with Jordan Dawson, who was just awarded the AFLPA Best Captain award, selected as the Vice Captain.
The decision by the All-Australian selection panel immediately sparked widespread debate.
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Many questioned the logic of overlooking established club leaders for a player who had never captained a side.
And Cameron couldn't quite believe it himself as he made these comments on stage:
“Honestly I’ve never captained anything,” Cameron said.
“It’s a privilege to be named the captain, but I’m still trying to figure out why.”
With five club captains also selected in the team, Cameron's appointment caused quite the stir on social media, but it isn't as "left-field" as many think.
Being a club captain has never been a requirement for the All-Australian selection panel.
In fact, since the early 2000s, the selection panel has made plenty of examples of selecting players who were not captain of their respective club at the time:
| 2025 | Jeremy Cameron |
| 2022 | Tom Hawkins |
| 2020 | Patrick Dangerfield |
| 2018 | Lance Franklin |
| 2017 | Alex Rance |
| 2007 | Andrew McLeod |
| 2006 | Brad Johnson |
Rather, the All-Australian captaincy has shown its diversity over the years.
It has been a testament to the "best leader," with players such as Joel Selwood and Mark Riccuito being multiple-time captains.
But it has also been a "sign of respect" to perennial All-Australians who are champions of the game, albeit not club captains.
Cameron can now add himself to that elusive list.