PORT ADELAIDE has had a long and storied history with the All-Australian team including having the captain of the very first side named in 1947.

On Tuesday five Port Adelaide players were named in the 40-man All-Australian squad for 2020, which will be whittled down to 22 on Thursday.

It continues the club’s history of being represented among those honoured with selection, which dates back to club legend Bob Quinn, who was named captain of the first All-Australian team in 1947.

The concept of an All-Australian side was created by Sporting Life magazine and between 1947 and 1955 a panel of sportswriters selected a team of eighteen from all competitions affiliated with the Australian National Football Council.

AFL historians no longer recognise those selections.

Between 1953 and 1988 the All-Australian team was selected based on individual performances at the Australian Football Carnival, which pitted state against state.

In 1991 the AFL changed the process to recognise players’ performances throughout the season.

Port Adelaide has had 23 players make a total of 40 All-Australian teams in those officially recognised records.

Former skipper Warren Tredrea and star midfield/forward Robbie Gray have each been selected a club-high four times.

Tredrea was chosen as vice-captain in 2004 - a side that included premiership teammate Chad Cornes and premiership coach Mark Williams.

Port’s seven-time premiership backman John Abley was selected three times in the Carnival era, and sits among some of the greats of the game in that period - Jack Clarke (x4 Western Australia/East Fremantle), Ron Barassi (x3 Victoria/Melbourne), Graham Farmer (x 3 Western Australia/East Perth) and Ted Whitten (x3 Victoria/Footscray).

Adam Heuskes was the first player selected in the All-Australian team in the Power’s history.

Midfielder Travis Boak was among a league-high five players named in this year’s 40-man All-Australian squad on Tuesday, ahead of Thursday night’s awards evening.

If chosen, Boak will join Tredrea, Gray and Abley as just the fourth person in the club’s history to be selected in three or more All-Australian teams.

Boak - who has previously been All-Australian in 2013 and 2014 - was a standout in the middle of the ground for Port in season 2020, backing up his 2019 John Cahill Medal-winning campaign.

He averaged 23.2 disposals per game and 5.2 clearances – both ranking him as elite amongst the competition. He also added eight goals from the midfield.

The other four Port players selected would be making the side for the first time.

Zak Butters could become one of the youngest ever members of the All-Australian side having been selected in the squad in just his second AFL season.

The 20-year-old has averaged 15 possessions in his 15 games this season, ranking him as elite for a small forward.

Darcy Byrne-Jones has become one of Port Adelaide’s most consistent players and was rightly selected among the 40-man All-Australian squad.

He has averaged 17.4 disposals per game off half back and is rarely beaten at a contest.

Charlie Dixon’s season has been outstanding, with the big man a constant presence in the forward line.

He has booted 32 goals in 16 games to finish runner-up in the Coleman Medal race and led the competition for contested marks with 43 at an average of 2.7 per game.

The last Port Adelaide player named in the 40-man squad is captain Tom Jonas who has been a rock in defence.

The backman has been chosen in the 40-man squad on two previous occasions but has yet to be part of the final squad.

He has averaged 10.5 disposals and more than six spoils per game, leading the competition’s stingiest backline with aplomb.

The final 22-man All-Australian team will be announced tonight online and on Fox Footy.