Paul Medhurst is in contention for All Australian honours, having been selected to the 40-man squad for 2008.

The AFL announced the short-list on Tuesday, with Medhurst having been rewarded for his outstanding season as one of the 12 forwards in line for six positions in the final team of 22, to be announced on Monday 15 September. He is the only Collingwood player in the squad.

Medhurst has been superb throughout 2008, having booted 48 goals and averaged 15 possessions per game as a forward/midfielder. He crossed to Collingwood at the end of 2006 after 99 games with the Dockers, and after 17 games (24 goals) in 2007, has played every game in 2008 to be right in the Copeland Trophy mix as the club's best and fairest.

In round six Medhurst booted six goals in his ANZAC medal-winning performance in the big win over the Bombers, and on three other occasions he has kicked five majors, highlighting his undoubted goal kicking ability.

But it has also been his willingness to push up the ground and win his own ball around the midfield and half forward, combined with his excellent overhead marking ability and goal sense, that has made him one of the hardest players for opposition defences to match up on throughout the season.

He is one of 22 players in the squad of 40 to have never been selected to the All Australian team previously.

The final team will comprise six of the 12 forwards named in the squad, six of the 12 defenders named in the squad and six of the 16 midfielders / ruckmen named in the squad. The four interchange positions would come from the remaining players not selected in the starting 18, to best fit team balance as if to play a match.

The 40-man squad:
Defenders 
Nathan Bock, Adelaide
Corey Enright, Geelong
Sam Fisher, St Kilda
Tom Harley, Geelong
Luke Hodge, Hawthorn 
Max Hudghton, St Kilda 
Luke McPharlin, Fremantle
Andrew Mackie, Geelong
Darren Milburn, Geelong
Dale Morris, Western Bulldogs
Daniel Pratt, North Melbourne
Matthew Scarlett, Geelong 

Forwards
Jonathan Brown, Brisbane Lions
Daniel Bradshaw, Brisbane Lions
Brendan Fevola, Carlton
Lance Franklin, Hawthorn 
Brent Harvey, North Melbourne
Steve Johnson, Geelong
Paul Medhurst, Collingwood
Daniel Motlop, Port Adelaide
Robert Murphy, Western Bulldogs
Ryan O'Keefe, Sydney
Matthew Pavlich, Fremantle  
Nick Riewoldt, St Kilda

Midfielders / Ruckmen
Gary Ablett, Geelong
Jimmy Bartel, Geelong
Simon Black, Brisbane Lions
Adam Cooney, Western Bulldogs
Joel Corey, Geelong
Dean Cox, West Coast
Daniel Cross, Western Bulldogs
Brett Deledio, Richmond
Lenny Hayes, St Kilda
Chris Judd, Carlton
Brett Kirk, Sydney
Sam Mitchell, Hawthorn 
Drew Petrie, North Melbourne
Matthew Richardson, Richmond  
Aaron Sandilands, Fremantle
Joel Selwood, Geelong

The All Australian selection panel is: Andrew Demetriou (chairman), Adrian Anderson, Rod Austin, Kevin Bartlett, Mark Bickley, Gerard Healy, Glen Jakovich, Robert Walls.