Former Fremantle player Michael Barlow believes that there are Freo players, other than just Luke Ryan, in contention for All Australian.

In his weekly column at The West Australian, Barlow wrote that both midfielder Andrew Brayshaw and Matt Taberner deserved to be in the conversation, as well as captain Nat Fyfe.

Barlow said Brayshaw’s similar contributions to brother Angus’s 2018 season at Melbourne put the younger Brayshaw up there.

Angus famously finished third in the 2018 Brownlow count without getting an invite from the AFL.

Barlow highlighted that Andrew’s 2020 numbers compare similarly to Angus from 2018, including disposals (25 vs 26.1) and contested possessions (both averaging 10.8), while Andrew has an advantage in kicking efficiency (62.5 per cent vs 59.6 per cent) and tackles (6.3 vs 4.5).

“Brayshaw is a speculative option, and his breakout season is probably more likely to assist in his name being discussed in years to follow,” Barlow wrote in The West.

“The age old saying may apply that players like Brayshaw need a “body of work” before knocking certain All-Australian regulars off their perch.

“Comparing the Brayshaw boys’ respective seasons in 2018 and 2020 would suggest the AFL should be including Andy on their invite list to the Brownlow Medal event for season 2020.”

Barlow added that his former teammate in Taberner is finally coming into his own as a key forward, with Taberner kicking at least one goal in every game for a total of 23 so far in 2020.

“Taberner has always threatened to break into the category of a genuine AFL key forward. That time has come in 2020. It’s a position which is incredibly hard to establish yourself in, and it’s even more daunting at Fremantle where memories of the Matthew Pavlich era are still fresh,” Barlow said.

“I’ve witnessed first-hand the attributes which suggested Taberner could meet that challenge — an appetite for hard work and a commitment to never search for a shortcut.

“A good comparison is Jack Darling, who floated between excellence and average for large chunks of his career until late 2017 or the start of 2018, where the “body of work” came together with a consistency which saw him emerge from Kennedy’s shadow at West Coast.

“If Taberner continues to elevate himself like Darling did, an All-Australian jacket could be hanging on the wall of the family home in Bright sooner rather than later.”